Strategies to Make a Business Competitive

On the one hand, if the ever-increasing number of users who buy online offers ample opportunities for development even for local companies that deal with logistics, on the other hand it requires constant efforts and investments to try to keep up with the trends of a constantly evolving sector. Obtaining a competitive advantage for a company that operates in logistics services is not easy: it is necessary to be able to count on qualified structures and personnel, to have resources to invest and new technologies to employ.

These are conditions that are not lacking in the structure of large, consolidated groups, capable of deploying significant budgets to support competitive growth actions and strategies, but which are often not present in smaller entities such as start-ups and SMEs. The latter, in fact, try to respond to changes and evolutions in the market by optimizing their operational efficiency but demonstrate that they suffer from a lack of resources to dedicate to the development of their business. However, there is no shortage of solutions to build a competitive advantage: small and medium-sized businesses that operate in logistics services can choose the path of franchising affiliation and avail themselves of the collaboration of large specialized players capable of identifying competitive tools and strategies useful for growing the business. This consolidated business model allows small local businesses to grow within structured groups that are able to make the strength of their brand and their network available to new members into a collaborative relationship that encourages personal initiative.

What are the competitive strategies for an SME that operates in logistics services?

The evolution of the market and, above all, the changing needs of a clientele that is increasingly attentive to the quality of services have made it a central element of the purchasing process, an element to be developed and on which to orient the company's competitive strategies, trying to beat the competition. 

To create a competitive advantage in the company, it is therefore necessary to adopt strategies capable of guaranteeing a high level of services. Let us examine what the main ones are. 

Investing in training 

For SMEs and small businesses, training and updating staff is not easy: this operation can in fact require significant investments in economic terms. Yet it is an absolutely central element: the competitive advantage of a company often depends on the richness and variety of professional profiles present within it and therefore on the ability of employees to understand the changes in progress and transform them into a competitive advantage. Franchising allows you to come into contact with a business structure that offers assistance and continuous training, essential for learning to effectively manage the procedures and changes in progress. 

 Implementing corporate digitalization 

According to the Digital and Economic Society Index 2022, only 55% of European small and medium-sized enterprises have reached at least a basic level in the adoption of digital technologies. Digital transformation is a fundamental element in the competitive strategies of an SME, especially in a sector such as business and private services, communication and marketing, which is increasingly characterized by the use of automation technologies and processes. The lack of reactivity towards innovation represents a potentially penalizing element that can mean losing customers and ground against the competition. Becoming part of a franchising group represents a solution capable of responding to the needs of the market and customers, since it can allow access to advanced processes and technologies capable of optimizing production processes and offering the user a satisfying experience. 

 Strengthening the company image 

Small and medium-sized businesses do not always have a budget to allocate to building a coordinated image capable of expressing the values ​​and reliability of their brand. Neglecting the image that your company projects on the market and on users, however, is a serious mistake that risks compromising the possibility of selling your services: according to research conducted by MarketingSignals, 37% of the failures of start-ups that deal with e-commerce are caused by the lack of investments dedicated to the visibility and recognition of the brand in the target market. Choosing to join a large player in the sector can improve the competitiveness of companies that operate in services, since it allows you to exploit the advantages that derive from the reputation of a recognized brand. 

Improve management of demand peaks 

A competitive business today must be flexible, agile and scalable: in other words, it must be able to predict the increase in demand and adapt to sudden changes, sometimes completely unexpected, which concern the demand for products and services in a short time, continuing to guarantee high standards of workmanship and management. For small and medium-sized enterprises that provide businesses with logistics solutions and communications solutions, the lack of flexible structures, personnel and adequate technologies can be a penalizing element. For example, this might be during peaks in demand, periods of the year in which there is a strong increase in shipments or packaging of goods. Choosing to become part of a group composed of a large network of affiliates that uses consolidated procedures and technologies can represent a solution to face the changing needs of the market. 

The competitive advantage offered by MBE

With decades of experience, an established brand and a vast network of competent professionals, MBE franchising offers small and medium-sized businesses a wide range of integrated solutions for the optimized digital management of communication, shipping, logistics, printing and marketing services. 

Thanks to a team of experts and the MBE continuous training, Mail Boxes Etc franchising. provides the solution for SMEs that need support to increase their competitive advantage in the market and always offer the best service to their customers. 

Contact us to give your business a boost.