I recently had an experience with a national company (who will remain nameless), and I can literally say they had absolutely no idea what they were doing! Months later, I am still being billed for a service I no longer have, and I continue to receive emails from them, even though they’ve told me several times my account is “closed.”
That experience is a classic example of a business becoming “too big,” and why there is something to be said for doing business locally.
We “locals” understand the area business climate and the traits of our customers because we too are local customers. We have a vested interest in running a successful business and we know that what we do as a local business affects our community.
We have the ability to adapt and make changes based upon the business climate because we are here and experiencing it. We don’t need to turn to “the outside” to ask for change; we make our own changes. Additionally, there is a more personal approach when working with local businesses. Our customers are not just numbers; they are our neighbors.
Local business pride is immeasurable; to know we are contributing to the well-being of our community is a feeling a national company simply cannot relate to in the same way, because they are not based here.
Given the opportunity, I will always work with local.