Last week I attended another successful Service Dealer Conference at the impressive Crown Plaza in Stratford Upon Avon.
Now in its third year at this venue, again the event exceeded all expectations. With over 200 delegates enjoying a conference packed with guest speakers and an evening of wonderful awards that celebrate the successes and hard work and resilience of the many machinery dealerships who serve the sports turf and amenity industry.
The Conference was opened and hosted by the owner of TurfPro and Service Dealer, Duncan Murray-Clarke - who began by welcoming our dealer guests and thanking all of our vital sponsors.
Duncan set up the theme for the day by addressing the current political and economic situation, saying how some of the recent changes we have seen are directly impacting companies of our sector's size. Duncan said, "The much higher levels of NI contributions employers are paying and minimum wage increases add to the headache of SMEs. And ultimately these costs are being passed on to customers or stretching already thin margins."
He continued, "Again this year, the impacts of climate change are also not helping - with extremely high levels of rainfall making life very difficult for farmers followed by prolonged drought which slowed groundcare machinery sales and of course effected the harvest yields and Outdoor Power Equipment in general. Once more, ag dealers selling big kit have been hit the hardest."
However, Duncan explained that the industry has moved considerably since our Conference had begun ten years ago and how it feels that the dealer network has risen to meet the challenges. "Resilience," said Duncan, "just seemed right as a theme this year."
The day’s proceedings begun with the arrival of Jason Nettle, MD of Winchester Garden Machinery, who was completing in his final marathon - one of 12 he has undertaken throughout the year, with the finish line set at our conference. He got up at 4am and completed a five and half hour run to arrive at the conference. Jason is raising money for Cancer Research UK, Prostate Cancer UK, Naomi House Children’s Hospice, and St Michaels Hospice. Jason received a warm welcome and applause from the delegates as he crossed the finish line.
The keynote speaker was Stuart Goldsmith who is a professional comedian, popular podcaster, as well as an in-demand corporate presenter. Taking on board the theme of Resilience, Stuart applied the notion to the comedy industry, allowing the dealers in the room to draw parallels to their own similarly independent work lives.
Goldsmith emphasised the importance of maintaining intrinsic motivation and adapting to industry changes. The discussion focused on effective communication strategies, particularly in sales. He advised tailoring content to the audience's concerns, such as weather for farmers. The conversation also touched on the role of hecklers in comedy, suggesting that while heckles can be frustrating, they provide opportunities for improvisation and audience engagement. The session concluded with practical tips for handling criticism and the importance of human skills in an ever-changing world.
We then had two breakout sessions for the delegates, allowing them to attend both during the day - one being delivered by Nick Elston, an award-winning speaker and transformational speaking coach. His session was focused on helping our dealers take care of themselves as well as managing those around them. Nick said that we should be on a mission to get to know ourselves again. He also spoke on how we should be looking out for others and recognising the reasons why we don't ask for help.
The speaker discussed the importance of better conversations and mental health awareness, sharing personal experiences with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and generalised anxiety disorder (GAD). He emphasised the need for vulnerability and storytelling in mental health discussions. Statistically, 28% of the room experiences GAD. Nick highlighted the significance of emotional connection, the impact of environment on mental health, and the role of acceptance and change in personal growth.
Nick said, "Humans are good - but why do we not tell them what we need? If you tell people, they will step up." To this end he said that we should lead our teams with compassion and empathy - always looking for other people's perspective. And if we don't understand their views, we must ask. Nick ended his session with a lovely quote - "Every storm runs out of rain."
Returning after his popular seminar last year, marketing consultant and senior tutor at Cambridge Marketing College, Neil Wilkins, was back because, incredibly, AI tools available to dealers have evolved hugely during the past twelve months. Neil discussed the evolving landscape of AI, emphasising its role in empowering businesses rather than replacing human jobs. He predicted a market correction in AI next year, which he sees as an opportunity for businesses to consolidate value.
He focused on three key areas for 2026: prompting, agents, and automation. Prompting involves deeper, conversational interactions with AI. Agents can handle tasks like market research and customer service. Automation targets repetitive processes, freeing up time for more valuable human tasks. Wilkins demonstrated AI's capabilities through practical examples, including using AI for shopping and market monitoring
Other presentations during the day featured Ian Beecher Jones, Jim Mackenzie MBE and Gary Whitney.
First up was Ian Beecher Jones, Co-owner of Jo Jos Vineyard a 2.2 Ha vineyard in Henley on Thames. Ian discussed the evolution of the English wine industry, noting the significant growth over the past decade. He highlighted the rise in vineyard acreage to 5,000 hectares and the increasing popularity of English and Welsh wines globally, with exports reaching 15% of the volume. Future Challenges include overproduction, cash flow issues, and the need for efficient mechanisation and technology. Notable investments include major champagne houses like Taittinger and Pommery. Iain emphasised the importance of direct-to-consumer sales and the role of technology in improving vineyard management. The industry is expected to employ 15,000 people in the next few years.
He effectively was saying to the dealers there is a growing market for the sale of machinery and equipment in this newly formed UK Wine industry especially in the form of robotics. Ian said, "A big interest for my business for the future will be how I can apply robotic mowing technology to the vineyard. We need to find a way, working with a dealer, to make this work. Dealers will really need to engage with robotics for our sector."
Our next customer speaker was this time from the high-end commercial turf care sector, with Jim McKenzie MBE, of the Celtic Manor Resort addressing the main room. Speaking on what a top-level turf professional needs from their dealers, Jim spoke with passion about the great, special relationship he has with his local specialist, Hopkins. He said theirs is a long and fruitful association, based upon trust and understanding - and that's what his advice would be to other dealers.
Jim said of the greenkeeping industry, "We want our dealers to come and see us. We want them to see how we work and what our problems are. That way they can see how they can help us run our business." He explained how they need an awful lot of equipment to maintain not only their course, but also around all their hotels and conferencing facilities.
Jim summed up by saying, "Our service dealer is fundamental to what we do. It is a partnership and we wouldn't be able to do what we can without them."
Finally, offering another perspective was well-known industry figure, Gary Whitney, who shared his journey in the outdoor power equipment industry, starting as an apprentice in Coventry in the early 80s. He emphasised the importance of listening in sales, learning from experiences with various companies, and adapting to industry changes. He also highlighted the value of good representation from manufacturers, the impact of new technologies like robotics and battery power, and the need for dealers to evolve with these changes. Gary also stressed the importance of building trust, maintaining relationships, and being responsive to customer needs to thrive in the industry.
Looking ahead, Gary said he saw great opportunity for dealers with robotic and battery solutions. He argued that transitioning to robotics gave commercial end-users a reason to change up their fleets. But to deliver this, Gary said dealers must develop the skills of both their workshop and their sales teams to match their customers' expectations.
It was then left up to Duncan to close the conference. He said "With all that is going on in the industry and the pressures that there are, we hope that today has delivered some real value to you. We hope you have enjoyed it but more importantly will come away with knowledge that will help you progress your own dealerships - maybe even help you be more robust."
As for the night’s awards, we were treated to a night of laughter and jollity, with a lively performance from stand-up Nick Page and comedian Charlie Baker returning to host the ceremony.
You can read about who won Professional Turfcare Dealer of the Year – and access info on all the other winners – here.
I would personally like to say congratulations on fronts, to all involved. Our 2025 Conference and Service Dealer awards were well received and continue to inspire our industry to deliver high standards to our unique sports turf and amenity industry.
