How Small Businesses Can Help the Community

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.