A recent survey conducted in the US found that up to 86 percent of consumers were eager to support small, family-owned local businesses, even if they had to pay a little more to do so. Chris Lett, the family man behind Branigans Tyres, Burleigh, says he thinks this finding is also applicable to his business, even though the “pay more” part of the equation doesn’t apply to Branigans Tyres.
“The price point is one of Branigans big advantages,” says Mr Lett. “Locals know that they can get money-saving deals from Branigans Tyres. But even without that advantage, I think the fact that Branigans is a family-owned local business has influence.”
Mr Lett shares his reasons for agreeing that consumers prefer small, family businesses over national chains based on his personal experience.
People Like to do Business with People
The level of personal engagement is one of the big reasons why Mr Lett feels that being a family-owned local business is a decided advantage.
“If people were to choose between doing business with a brand and doing business with folks they can expect to see right there on the workshop floor, it would be unsurprising if they chose the latter option,” says Mr Lett. “Brands are very impersonal. Maybe there’s a local franchisee, and of course, he or she employs people, but you still don’t get the feeling that there is a really personal relationship.”
People Trust Family-Owned Businesses
When running a family-owned business, business owners have a strong sense of loyalty to both the family they work with and the community they serve. They know that the way they do business reflects on their family’s name, reputation, and position in the community. In Chris’s opinion, that means they work harder to give customers top-quality service and he feels that the public is aware of this factor.
“When you’re a franchisee, the franchise owners might receive a complaint and seek to address it with you – if they think it’s important enough. But it gets much more intense if Mum or Dad Lett is asking you why you let the family down,” he jokes. “It gives customers confidence. They know that they’ll be going straight to the top if they have any issues, not talking to somebody’s secretary who is secretly wishing they’d just go away.”
Family Businesses Try Harder
In closing, Mr Lett asserts that as a family business, Branigans Tyres tries harder. “When you’re a smaller business, you know you’re up against the big guys. You have to offer something they can’t or won’t offer. You need a competitive edge that’s going to make choosing your business an obvious advantage for customers. And you need to keep it up – especially if you’re hoping that your business will be passed on to the next generation.”
Aside from Branigans Tyres, Mr Lett says that he also likes supporting local businesses most. “It’s about being part of a community. You don’t get that feeling with the big chains and corporations.”
For further information, visit or call Chris and his team at Second Hand Tyres Gold Coast |Branigans Budget Tyres by contacting the Service Centres in Burleigh Heads (07) 5535 2660 or Southport (07) 5591 8633.
Syndicated by Baxton Media, The Market Influencers, Your Digital Marketing Agency.
