Free enterprise from farmers to finance built America. It’s the family farm and the family business that formed our foundation. As we move into the future, such enterprises just may resume their traditional prominence in our lives.
Perhaps because of the strains on all of us resulting from the stress on the larger economy, people seem to be valuing doing business locally more so than in the past. A Press Democrat article highlighted the trend, citing a study called the “Indie Index” as well as local merchants who have noticed an increase in local business.
Being a family owned and operated business we at Bolt Staffing appreciate the focus on shopping locally. Joanne and Morgan Sanders founded the company in the 1994, and with the dedication of loyal staff, they have been actively managing ever since. Our clients understand the advantages local ownership offers in the staffing business.
There is something reassuring about doing business with the owner of an enterprise. Business owners have a certain understanding that’s impossible for most managers to obtain. Usually it’s easier for an owner to understand his customer’s situation simply because being an owner requires mastery of an infinity of details that include management as part of a larger universe of experience.
While local trends aren’t likely to threaten the big boxes or mega-staffing companies, it’s still encouraging to see people valuing local mom & pop businesses. Maybe it’s a result of conscious decisions. All too often we tend to take all our relationships for granted. It’s not till a shock comes our way that we begin to value those around us as much as we ought to. That is as true for our business relationships as personal ones.
Regardless of whether it’s the result of conscious decisions or not, more of the money that is spent with local business stays in the community. The PD article cites a study that showed 68% of the money spent with local merchants returned to the local economy versus 43% with the national chains.
The reshuffling of our economy that began in 2008 shows no sign of stopping. While business in some sectors has improved markedly, others continue to hurt. As we emerge from the restructuring, many believe the trend towards doing business locally will accelerate, and evidently it’s making sense to more people than before.
An owner on the premises often has a keener eye for his customer’s needs than his managed competitors. For example, imagine you’re a homeowner-weekend warrior facing a plumbing problem. If you are skilled in plumbing, you can simply decide on your repair method and determine the necessary parts. In that case, you can dash off to the local big box and buy your parts, do the fix and still make your tee time.
However, if you’re tackling something that’s new for you the big box might not offer much beyond parts.
On the other hand, a local mom and pop hardware store that has knowledgeable people with trade experience can be huge help to you. Not only that, but the owner has built his business helping your neighbors solve the same problem you’re confronting. The chances are good you’ll not only come home with your parts, but you might just have solutions that you never would have thought of on your own.
Very often it’s easier for an owner to align his interest with his customer than it is for a manager. The manager’s incentives are often different from those of an owner. Using the hardware analogy again, while the local hardware store is able to find and retain people with backgrounds useful to customers, too often the big boxes give their managers a budget for salaries lacking room for skilled people.
So it is with other businesses. In staffing, having owners on hand gives our customers access to the owner’s knowledge and discretion, too. Decisions large and small are made quickly and customer’s challenges are solved by people who have been making placements in the Northbay for nearly two decades.
In our company, we have a Sonoma branch and an American Canyon branch. You won’t deal with branch number 456 in a chain 1,000 branches. You’ll find our owners working every day in each location. When a problem arises, it can usually be settled with a simple conversation. They’ve seen a lot of staffing situations, filled positions creatively and 100 percent of the dollars you spend with Bolt are turned back in to the local economy!
Call us today for the personalized service you won’t get from the national staffing firms. Shop locally with Bolt Staffing and you’ll leverage your staffing dollars.