You see the signs and slogans everywhere urging you to buy local. Heck, there’s even Small Business Saturday, a Christmas shopping day dedicated to small and local businesses. Despite the push for buying local, people tend to overlook the benefits that come with buying local in the distribution and battery industry. Sourcing locally won’t just save you time, it can save you money as well.
Shorten your supply chain
All too often we source goods from the cheapest supplier without consideration for how far away they are. Sure you expect to pay some sort of shipping cost, but what about the cost of time?
By sourcing locally you shorten the distance between you and the supplier, which allows you to get the stock you need and move it out to your customer more quickly.
More control when placing a bid
There is nothing that will kill a job bid faster than not being able to rely on the arrival of materials and supplies.
With a locally sourced supply chain, you increase your ability to deliver the goods on time and get the job done on schedule. Not to mention reduced freight costs. You can’t argue with on-time deliveries and reduced costs to help you win business.
Locally sourced means reduced cost
Every day across the country millions of dollars worth of freight move up and down the highway. The expense of shipping is one of the largest expenses that distribution companies face. Why not eliminate that expense by buying locally?
Not only are you saving on the shipping costs, but you are also eliminating the risk of shipping damage, lost freight, and lengthy claims.
Save dollars, the environment, and your community
Sourcing locally means reducing your carbon footprint and helping the environment. By reducing the distance that your materials have to travel, you are reducing the emissions that would otherwise be emitted.
Locally sourcing items such as batteries allows you to have 100% recyclability as well. Most battery distributors will take your old batteries and recycle them. However, shipping used batteries to a recycling plant can be costly and filled with hazardous materials paperwork.
By sourcing locally, you can simply return the used batteries to your supplier for recycling and rest easy knowing you helped save the planet while saving money at the same time.
Build a larger customer base through green practices
It’s no secret that businesses large and small are all going green. There are green initiatives cropping up all over the place, and many companies are looking for like-minded organizations.
Using your locally sourced supply chain as an addition to your green business plan will go a long way in attracting new customers who want to focus on decreasing their environmental impact without straining their bottom line.
Connect with your community and potential employees
Sourcing locally increases your contact with the community and other business leaders in your town. Not only does this increase your exposure to potential business but it also allows the community to see you as a contributing member and not just another business.
There are lots of benefits to becoming more involved in your local businesses and the community as a whole, one of which is increasing the local job market and how job seekers see your company.
By positioning yourself as a key business in the community you will become a company that people seek to work at, instead of having to go in search of help wherever you can find it.
All of a sudden you are getting to pick the people who fit into your organization and you may just find your business growing as a result of a happy workforce.