Firstly, let me start by saying this isn’t an opinion about Brexit. It’s happened - and I’m trying to look for some simple and straightforward opportunities it can present.
For my business in particular, the disruption to supply chains on both sides of the channel means companies are being pushed to look for new suppliers. We’ve had a big increase in work and it got me thinking about how someone – or in this case something – can give you the nudge you need to change for the better.
It reminded me of the first time I helped a business save money. In the mid-2000’s, between university and travelling, I worked in my families furniture business. I had been around it my whole life, but never took much of an interest in how it all worked before. Being young and inquisitive I asked a lot of questions – and thankfully my grandfather always had the time and patience to listen to me.
I asked about pricing, discounts, VAT. Then we got onto the important bit. Overheads. How much is insurance? That sounds expensive. What about utilities? That sounds expensive too. You pay how much for your phone and broadband?!? That slow creeping price increase that you see with your TV and broadband at home had got him. A few phone calls later we had sorted out a cheaper price for almost everything. The amount of money he saved was staggering and the effort it took was minimal.
So how does this relate to Brexit? Well, I often hear people say “we’ve always packed the items this way” or “they’ve always supplied our bathroom accessories”. This is the same thing I saw with my family’s business and I believe Brexit can be the thing that nudges companies to change how they operate and certainly to check the prices they are paying and refresh their supply chain.
Changing your kitchen hardware or bathroom accessories supplier from Italy or Germany to Taiwan could save you money - and having a direct link with a factory outside the EU will mean you have the control and stability you need to keep moving forward. The tariffs and rules in place with the EU will change a lot, but a country further afield will not be impacted as much.
Brexit will force most businesses to become importers. Why not look to Asia and change suppliers rather than stick with the same old one in Europe? Admittedly, changing to a new supplier can be daunting, but there are companies that specialise in helping with this. At Pinpoint we have an existing network of factories and are here to help you find the right one, guide you through the import process and make things as easy as possible.
If you want to find out more about how we can help your business drop us an email at info@pinpoint-ps.com or call our MD Thomas Pannell on 07917 606 208 for a chat.
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