Now more than ever, the importance of UK based events using UK based suppliers is coming to the fore- front. With Brexit ominously looming over the horizon and the deadline of 31st October creeping into view, predictions from across the board are highlighting the importance of the UK’s future reliance on homegrown business. But does this come with any real benefit? In short, yes, it does. Let’s take a look at exactly why:
Flexibility
It is often the case that the closer the supplier, the more flexible they are able to be. The lead up to any event is rarely a dull experience, and often crises are averted through the good-naturedness of suppliers to accommodate last minute requests. However, it’s much easier to allow for flexibility when travelling a couple of hours to an event than it is when crossing international borders.
For example, you may need to increase or decrease your requirement, or change it altogether, and assuming they have the resource to do this, many suppliers will take it in their stride. For overseas suppliers, they may not have the ability or the infrastructure to accommodate such requests, especially after they touch down in the UK.
Supply Chain Costs
Who doesn’t love saving money? Over the past few years, nearly all of us have had to tighten the purse strings one way or another. Using suppliers in the UK means you’ll be cutting down on transport costs, either charged to you by the supplier themselves or self-inflicted as a result of using an overseas company. Similar to the point above, the closer, the better, as the overall transport costs will decrease, giving you a little more to play with from a budget point of view.
Additionally, if you’re sourcing food and drink, suppliers that use local products will be reducing the overall carbon footprint of the event while promoting the importance of supporting local businesses. Instead of flying a crate of Danish beer over, why not source drinks from a local brewery?
More Revenue
As mentioned above, using local UK-based suppliers can do wonders for your budget, which means you’re saving money before you’ve even started, but what about revenue?
We’re quickly moving towards a world where the price isn’t the priority; it’s everything else a product/service/company do that people want to buy into. If something has been locally, organically or ethically sourced, this is a big selling point. If your event only uses UK-based suppliers, let people know! This could be a great press article and can attract more people to attend. Additionally, if your event isn’t a one-off, this selling proposition can be what keeps people returning year after year.
Business Partnerships
The business world can be a ruthless, dog eat dog environment in which it can be hard to cut through all the business talk to actually get to the heart of what brands care about. However, using local suppliers and forming a close-knit network of businesses can allow you to transcend the typical supplier-consumer relationship and build brand partnerships that actually matter.
Depending on the route you want your partnership to go down, you could look at offering exclusivity to your suppliers. This would mean that any time you hold an event, they are guaranteed to get the gig, whether crewing, catering or security. You could also look to create co-branded events between you and some of your most favoured suppliers. Some of the biggest names in brand history have worked side by side to create products and services, allowing them to target new potential consumers and engage with current customers in a whole new way.
Good for the UK Economy
You might be thinking ‘just because I source from the UK, that won’t make a difference’. In reality, small changes make the biggest difference. In 2000, 11% of household waste was recycled, in 2017, this had risen to 45.2%; a staggering amount in just 17 years. Granted, the shift to UK suppliers may have to be a little swifter than this, but it perfectly illustrates how everyone can play their part. Using UK-based suppliers will keep the revenue within the UK and help to support the growth of businesses across the industry. Furthermore, using UK businesses and suppliers will ensure people are kept in businesses and employees are retained across the board.
Helps the Environment
Last, but certainly not least, is the benefit to the environment. Much of this will be contributed to by lower fuel emissions from transport, as you won’t be contributing air or sea miles in order to obtain the product or service from abroad. This can also serve as part of your marketing campaign and attract more people to the event. Additionally, using UK suppliers that are environmentally minded will lower the overall impact of your event by default.
If you’re looking to make the switch and commit to using UK-based suppliers for your event, why not get in touch here to book our services? As an event crew agency based in the UK, we’re committed to providing the best quality teams to ensure your event goes off without a hitch.
