For better or worse, Brexit involves a convoluted and messy negotiation process. The wait for a deal to be cemented isn’t easy, and the period of limbo can cause many businesses to get itchy feet, paranoid and in the end, act irrationally. Ultimately, the stress is tenfold for people working to tight deadlines; such as those staffing the delivery industry.
The delivery business has always been exemplary of efficiency and know-how. There is nothing they can’t do. No package is too demanding and no item is too heavy, making them an essential aspect of all things trade. Consequently, let’s look at how Brexit may affect the quality and efficiency of your deliveries.
Staff Departures
A business is as good as its staff. After all, they make sure everything runs properly and legally, as well as perform their duties to the highest possible standard. The same is true in delivery and distribution, working to deadlines so that customers are never left waiting or disappointing. Truly, their efforts are commendable.
It is because of how vital they are that staff departures due to Brexit could be interpreted as the beginning of the end for a business. The 6% of EU citizens working in UK retail are concentrated in the warehouses and distribution services, causing enormous issues. Ultimately, EU workers are leaving because of Brexit, whether victims of xenophobia, or to build their lives in a place with more certainty for their future. Obviously, understaffed distribution departments mean deliveries can’t physically happen.
Price Hikes
You can say what you like about the EU, but one advantage that none can disagree on is the benefit of free trade. As it stands today, goods being delivered do not have to wait at the border to be VAT checked. A lot of the admin hassle is cut out by being a member of the EU, but that is bound to change due to Brexit.
Whether it’s VAT, taxation, tariffs or businesses on either side of the Brexit line playing hard to get, price hikes are to be anticipated. This is to be especially expected in the event of a hard Brexit. Delivery companies will need to brace for some degree of price changes here though, as will the customers using their courier services. Many additional costs are likely to be inbound, causing grievances for both sides.
Nationwide Demand
There’s a lot to be said for international trade within the EU. The fact that businesses can strike up partnerships overseas, develop relations and work together can achieve wonders for any industry. Unification was always better than segregation for the businesses who prized making contacts and expanding beyond their homeland, but again, this can all change.
Should regular and lucrative trade become nigh on impossible between businesses of Britain and the EU, nationwide shipping will no doubt see an increase in popularity. This would no doubt be an effort to compensate for the loss of international trade, boosting business deals through the only means left on the table; trading with domestic businesses.
