Myself and Duncan Murray-Clarke, the owner of Service Dealer, embarked a mini road trip this week, visiting several dealerships. Our intention was to gain a sense of how the season is taking shape and to hear what's going well and what challenges a selection of our readers are facing.

We've undertaken a couple of these before, memorably in Scotland and Wales, but circumstances have dictated that we've not been able to set off on tour for a couple of years now. It's been far too long actually, so it was great to get out and about this week, taking advantage of the fine weather and enjoying fascinating conversations with some talented entrepreneurs.

This time we headed to southern England, including making the crossing over the Solent to the Isle Of Wight. We received a warm welcome from friends old and new at each stop and we thank everyone we met for their generosity of time and spirit.

We won't leave it so long before we take our next trip around a selection of dealerships, with ideas already formulating for possible areas to visit.

Duncan and Steve hard at work on the Isle Of Wight this week

I'm pleased to report that everyone we spent time with this week were full-on busy with both buoyant machinery sales and full workshops working to capacity. The slow start to the season which it seems that all areas of the country will have experienced to some degree or another was acknowledged, but thankfully that appears to be behind us now. It was full steam ahead for the dealers we met.

Clearly all still had challenges they were facing - some common, some unique to their own circumstances - but I'd say everyone we had the pleasure of meeting this week were upbeat and looking forward to tackling what lay ahead. 

Whenever we speak with dealers, we always learn something new or gain an insight we didn't have before. Dealers like to talk and all have a story to tell, an opinion to share or some wisdom to impart - and this week was no different.

We'll have some more detail in the next issue of Service Dealer magazine, but until then, this week we met:

MowersUK

Duncan Murray-Clarke with Sam Hudson

We had a great chat with Sam Hudson of last year's Service Dealer awards finalists, MowersUK, who are based at Tadley, near Basingstoke in Hampshire.

Sam was telling us what machinery was going great guns for them now the season was in full flow - and, like others we spoke to, it was the EGO range he singled out for mention as proving popular with customers. Also he said it was mulching mowers in general that are rapidly rising in popularity, with zero-turns in particular finding favour.

Sam also spoke about how important he found it to interact and discuss issues he faced as a dealer with fellow specialists around the country. He said how taking the opportunity that manufacturer dealer days and the like afforded him to share experiences and ideas with others who were going through the same things, gave that reassurance that that "it's not just us."

Stubbings Bros

Luke and Andy Stubbings

Our first stop on the Isle Of Wight was Stubbings Bros Ltd in Chale Green near Ventnor. Here we met multi-generational, father and son team Andy and Luke Stubbings.

They told us business had been "going like the clappers" just recently and how they had found success offering Kubota's agricultural, groundcare and construction lines. With the full gamut of machinery options, any and each of three could pick up the slack if any of the others were experiencing a slower period they told us.

Stubbings have built up a loyal following of customers on the island over their 40 years of trading. They are proud that their quality of customer service keeps people coming back to them time and again. Recruiting is tough we heard, as is the local bureaucracy who are making potential plans for the company's expansion tough.

But Andy and Luke believed that their mix of old school experience and youthful digital literacy was a great combination to keep their dealership thriving.

Albany Garden Machinery

Adam Bennett on the lawn he uses to demo robotic mowing around the back of the showroom

Also on the Isle Of Wight we visited Adam Bennett at Albany Garden Machinery in Newport.

Adam was telling us how over on the island, due to their unique micro-climate, they do seem to experience an extended season compared to the rest of the UK. The grass will start to grow earlier and finish later - which will reflect in their business patterns for the year. Currently and for the near future Adam was telling us, their workshop is rammed full. He described this year so far as "staggering."

A significant development recently for the dealership has been the increase in interest seen in robotic mowers. A new raised display as customers enter Adam's showroom has sparked many conversations and piqued curiosity in the technology. But where the real advantage has been generated, is that Adam is then able to walk the intrigued customer out, round the back of the store, to a beautiful, large lawned area, surrounded by rolling hills. Here an Automower can be viewed in action, trundling about, keeping the grass in great order. A better illustration of the what the automated system could provide for those perhaps wishing a change from their traditional ride-on, couldn't be hoped for.

Adam also shared that he believes that the stretch of water separating his dealership from the mainland, greatly helps in the battle against local customers purchasing from afar online traders. Once that extra shipping cost for ferrying across the sea is added into the equation, islanders will tend to realise that buying from a local specialist is a much wiser course of action.

Winchester Garden Machinery

L-R: Duncan, Jason Nettle and Steve

We ended our brief tour this week back on the mainland visiting the hq of Winchester Garden Machinery, run by Service Dealer's diarist of the season, Jason Nettle.

As readers of the magazine will know, Jason is never short of an opinion or three, and Duncan and I had an enjoyable time listening to him hold court on all manor of industry issues. In terms of the start of the season being delayed this year, Jason believes we are about 8 weeks behind. However he was not overly concerned about this as he felt that anything missed in the first 3 months of the season could be caught up in the final 3.

Jason's strong belief is that the industry - dealers and manufacturers alike - must stick together for the benefit of all. Both sides need and rely on each other. "If I don't sell, they don't sell," is how he puts it. 

He also has a deeply held view that dealers have to offer their customers something more - something to give consumers a reason to keep using them and to not look elsewhere. This has always been the case he says, but he feels it's more important now than ever.

Once again, Duncan and I would like to thank all who we met this week for their kindness and openness in talking to us about their businesses. We'll have more in the next issue of the magazine.

And if you have any suggestions for parts of the country we could take a trip to next time, please let us know.