The enthusiastic crowd agreed that local businesses should stand together and ensure that they deliver the kind of service, products and prices that will entice locals to do all their business in our own town. There are still too many individuals and businesses who do their business elsewhere. The effect of this is far reaching - stock levels get lower, prices increase, loyal customers disappear, businesses close down and unemployment increases, which places an even bigger burden on local ratepayers.
"By ensuring that our money stays in Mossel Bay, we do not only help to create and sustain job opportunities, we will also stimulate and grow our own economy," said Pierre Venter, chairperson of the Chamber.
"We should all be proud ambassadors for our town and accept responsibility for the quality of service we deliver. We must become a cohesive team, a strong chain with no weak links."
He continued that, in order to become leaders, local businesses just have to adhere to one very simple and basic discipline: do what they have promised to do. Or even better still, under promise and over deliver. That way, customers will not only be surprised, but you will astounded!
The Business Chamber made posters available to its members free of charge and encouraged them to display these posters as far and as wide as possible. Non-members can also obtain these laminated posters at a cost of R20 each. More posters and bumper stickers will also be made available shortly.
The Mossel Bay Advertiser has committed to make space available for the promotion of the Buy Local campaign. The Chamber is also in the process of developing a special advertising page, where participants can promote their businesses.
Members were also invited to submit 'good news' stories and the Chamber will, on a regular basis, publish these stories. At the same time, businesses guilty of poor or indifferent service will also be exposed and eventually be 'blacklisted', as they are the ones that give Mossel Bay a reputation for bad service. Most Mossel Bay businesses are proud of their service levels, but we must get rid of the bad apples, Venter said.
There was also a plea from the floor that parents should refrain from sending their children to schools outside of Mossel Bay. Local schools are comparable to the best elsewhere and therefore, parents should rather all work together to improve the local schools than sending their children elsewhere.
For further enquiries about the Buy Local campaign or to obtain posters and other material, please contact Ohna at admin@mosselbaychamber.co.za or phone her at 083 331 9333.
The launch of the Mossel Bay Business Chamber's Buy Local campaign this week was also attended by PetroSA, specifically to discuss procurement done by the company in order to stimulate local business. Photographed here is Municipal Manager Dr Gratz, representing the Mossel Bay Municpality, Schanien Meyer and Dean Pillay (PetroSA), Lynette Whittaker (Mossel Bay Business Chamber), Aletta Louw (PetroSA) and Pierre Venter (Chairperson, Mossell BAy Business Chamber). The Buy Local campaign, an initiative of the Mossel Bay Business Chamber, was launched this week at a meeting attended by almost 400 local businessmen.
