Rather than waiting for the situation to rectify itself, which may take many months, we adopted a proactive approach and invested a lot of time into researching the market. One of the main problems is the customs documentation that’s now in place when items are entering Ireland from the UK, so we’re doing everything in our power to ensure that stock clears customs quickly and isn’t returned to the sender.
We’ve taken Brexit as an opportunity to look into other potential suppliers based right here in Ireland. We can’t stress enough that our supply chain is as dependent on quality as it is on speed, which is why switching suppliers is a process that requires a lot of focus. The last thing we want to do is move to a supplier that’s faster but unable to fulfil our impeccably high standards when it comes to the quality, consistency, safety, comfort and reliability of the products that we sell.
As well as scoping out Irish companies, we’ve also been in discussions with European suppliers for larger sources of products. Again, there are certain factors to take into account, such as how the greater distance may affect our commitment to maintaining a small carbon footprint. However, there’s always a balance to be struck, as placing bulk orders with Europe could actually mean lower CO2 emissions when compared to regular deliveries from suppliers in the UK.
We haven’t decided to simply leave our old suppliers, as we’ve built up relationships with them over many years and loyalty is one of our core values. The trick is to negotiate
with suppliers that are being impacted by Brexit and see if there’s a different approach that’s mutually beneficial. Where possible we’ll continue to use the same suppliers as before, but having temporary alternatives and a contingency plan allows SafetyCare to guarantee business continuity without significant problems and delays.
A situation like this may be stressful but our team members also take it as an opportunity to further improve the service we offer. Alongside remaining open throughout the pandemic, we’ve also overcome multiple challenges, safeguarded the physical and mental health of our staff, refined our offering, and still managed to keep our prices low. In fact, our
comprehensive market research has led to us actually expanding our product range. Exena protective boots are an excellent example, as this Italian product is proving very popular with our customers thanks to it having anti-slip soles, breathable lining, water-repellent qualities and a metal-free protective toecap. Give it a try and Exena may very well become your new favourite brand of work boot.
To place an order or make an enquiry, please call our team on 01 8499 100 or email sales@safetycare.ie.
© SafetyCare. All Rights Reserved.
Web Design & Development 2b:creative
