How Small Businesses Can Help the Community
Joe Dickman | April 21st, 2020
During a crisis like the coronavirus pandemic, while small businesses may be in a pinch financially, they also each have a unique ability to serve their community. Within these communities are those hurt by a shared struggle such as the COVID-19 crisis, those suffering from a separate, more isolating issue such as cancer, and those with other obstacles. Each small business would do well to creatively consider how their product or service can address the needs of people suffering from a multitude of problems. To learn more on how small businesses can help the community, specifically detailing how they can help during the spread of COVID-19, read on.
Meet Specific Needs
Small-business owners know the needs of their community better than large franchises do. Utilize your relationships with people to get to the heart of their problems. In the food delivery and transportation industry, consider using your fleet to help people as they shelter in place. Broadcast the measures you’re taking to limit virus transmission among your staff and through your product to ease the worries of people who agonize over the risks of food delivery. Institute and make public your food safety protocols, including the use of consistent cold storage vans and trucks. Consider even making premade meals and selling them at a discounted rate to individuals affected by the pandemic or another struggle. This can apply more broadly as well—any small businesses overwhelmed by demand during the pandemic can hire people without a job to give them a source of income.
Boost Access
Also, another way small businesses can help the community is by boosting access to products to demographics that don’t have access. During a pandemic, everyone would benefit from delivered food, but seniors, people with disabilities, and others may need more targeted assistance. For refrigerated transportation companies, consider communicating with assisted-living facilities to offer your specific product. Also, reach out to potentially isolated people who could benefit from your help. Again, this applies to all businesses; for example, a counseling practice could transition to online therapy sessions and aggressively market their new service to those who struggle to cope with the stress of COVID-19 and its effects and risks.
Locally Source
Additionally, small businesses can help their community recover from an economic hardship by relentlessly sourcing their products from local sources. For refrigerated trucking companies, this lessens the cost of transportation while keeping farmers and other local businesses afloat. In general, this keeps funds within a community that allow for more jobs and internal growth than if businesses bought from large-scale, national companies.
If you see the need for your refrigerated trucking company fleet to expand to handle demand during the coronavirus crisis or another event, contact Emerald Transportation Solutions about obtaining a quality vehicle. We have many different kinds of refrigerated vans for sale that can meet your company’s specific needs, whether you transport flowers or perishable food, while also addressing the needs in your community.
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What does under DOT mean?
Questions regarding DOT requirements come up often. 10,000 lbs GVW (gross vehicle weight) and over are commercial vehicles that fall under the Department of Transportation regulatory requirements.
What is the difference between GVW and payload?
GVW or Gross Vehicle Weight is the entire weight of the vehicle including the payload. The payload weight represents the amount of cargo you are hauling.
What is a self-powered unit and a vehicle-powered unit?
A self-powered unit has its own fuel source and will run independent of the truck. This is the heaviest and most expensive option. While vehicle-powered units run off the engine via a compressor mounted on the engine. These are less expensive and lighter in weight but you must run the truck or plug the electric standby into shore power.
What does K-factor mean and why is that important?
K-factor is a term that stands for the overall insulating value of the container (truck body). Quite simply the lower the K-factor the better the truck body will be able to maintain a given temperature and require less energy to do so.
How much lighter is a Poly Van vs a US spec body?
Poly Van bodies are very light. On average we estimate we are 75-150 lbs per foot lighter than a traditional sheet and post foamed in place body. These weight savings translates to less fuel burn and less CO2 emissions, along with added payload, the most important benefit.
