OneWorldExpress
Throughout the previous decade, demand for UK products has increased exponentially throughout international markets.
Even in the wake of Brexit and COVID-19, with borders closing and businesses being forced to pause their operations, confidence in Brand UK remained high. So much so, that even in the immediate aftermath of the UK leaving the EU in January 2021, research from One World Express found that over two fifths (45%) of business leaders still planned to expand into international markets outside of the EU.
Of course, such confidence was not unwarranted. Research from Barclays revealed that consumers based in the United States of America, South Africa, India, China and UAE all expressed a willingness to pay a premium for products produced in the UK. In India and UAE, some buyers were willing to pay respective premiums of 11.8% and 10% for British products. The willingness to pay more certainly suggests that “Brand UK” enjoys a strong international reputation for high quality.
Clearly, there are a plethora of opportunities for UK businesses across the globe. However, the UK’s recent supply chain crisis could be seen the threaten the progress of Brand UK.
Restoring supply chains
The UK’s recent supply chain crisis will have done nothing to calm the nerves of businesses keen to ship their products across borders. Indeed, the crux of the problem seems to be largely in-bound, with a shortage of lorry drivers available to deliver goods across the UK, which could ultimately impact businesses’ capabilities to ship goods abroad.
This could, in turn, hinder Brand UK and its reputation for quality. After all, if companies are unable to get their products across the UK, they will not be able to get them to ports or airports to send goods to their desired destination. As such, customers may grow impatient with delivery delays and seek to purchase their goods elsewhere.
Naturally, the Government is acting quickly to resolve the problem. Issuing 10,500 temporary visas to help ease supply chain concerns is a positive start. So too is the extension of ADR driving licences and the relaxation of competition rules to quicken the recruitment process of HGV drivers. Such measures will certainly help businesses to export their products to international markets.
However, it is important for organisations to remember that they needn’t wait helplessly for supply chain issues to restore to normal. Further help is on hand in the form of logistics consultants.
Here to help
So, businesses who are concerned about the impact of the UK’s supply chain crisis to seek guidance from a logistics consultant.
Indeed, our team of experts at One World Express will assess the issues facing clients and develop a sustainable strategy to counteract potential issues. For example, they could help a client to find an alternative method of transportation for their goods, or even help them to improve communication with their own customers to minimise potential delivery delays.
In the long-term, Brand UK should withstand the potential issues caused by the. current supply chain crisis. After all, years of forging a reputation for quality and establishing demand in lucrative markets is unlikely to be eradicated overnight. However, the potential for delivery delays could create a short-term fluctuation in demand – and this will unnerve individual businesses.
So, consulting a logistics consultant, such as One World Express, will certainly help to ease concerns and develop a strategy to help counteract the negative impact of the crisis. Collaborating with experts will certainly help to maintain companies take full advantage of Brand UK’s reputation for quality and help it to continue its growth within international markets.
