Some business owners think going green is only a waste of precious resources. This is especially true if they already have tons of loyal customers who always buy their offers and continue to get new clients each day. Why invest time and energy as well as a considerable amount of cash just to change your processes, train your employees again have them go through another adjustment period? Some companies are reluctant to make the switch, and they often have valid reasons too. Knowing the perks and drawbacks of going green as a business will help you decide which option is best for your company.
Possible Drawbacks If a Company Decides to Go Green
Costly Switch
The first reason why many companies still haven’t started going green is that the expenses that come with it can be costly. Sure, you can save more money by buying energy-efficient appliances and equipment for your business. But then, these are not always enough to counterbalance the costs of making the switch.
Higher Price Tags, Dissatisfied Customers
There are times when going green will increase the amount it needs to craft and deliver your offers. When this happens, one has the option to lower the quality of goods and services offered or to increase the price tag of offers instead. Businesses often choose the latter and can impact their customers who are unwilling to pay more than what they usually pay for in exchange for such offers.
Increased Data Risks
Most companies who go green are going paperless which helps reduce, if not eliminate their paper wastes, save time, space and money when storing business data and to ease the transfer of information among customers and employees. But then, this increases the risk of your business data getting lost, stolen, or compromised since everything is stored digitally. There are also times when the system will crash and you can end up losing pertinent files needed by your brand.
Being Labeled With Greenwashing
Some companies attempted to lure eco-conscious customers by deceiving customers into thinking they are now an environmentally friendly organization. If consumers believed such tactics, they can end up indirectly contributing to environmental harm by supporting such claims. If you are found guilty of greenwashing, you can lose customers and your business reputation will be tainted.
Undeniable Perks of Going Green
While there are risks associated with your business going green, there are also desirable perks that often outweigh the drawbacks. For one, you can use the savings you get for going green to increase our rainy day funds. You can also invest it back to your company or reward yourself and your employees to boost their morale.
Going green can boost your business efficiency and productivity while reducing costs and improving your brand image. This also helps keep your brand competitive and be able to reach out to eco-conscious consumers. Now that more consumers are leaning towards green and sustainable products, they will surely appreciate the fact that you are now supporting what they are advocating for.
There are also incentives and rebates you can enjoy making the green effort. You can get tax credits from the federal government. Even energy companies and some other corporations are offering incentives to businesses that already made the green choice.
Cost-effective Ways Businesses Can Start Going Green
One easy way to green your business is to start taking your business online. Going paperless and opting for a cloud solution in storing and managing your business data is more eco-friendly than relying on printed documents. You get to reduce your waste while improving the efficiency of your business data management.
Marketing online is another way to reach both your marketing and going green goals. For instance, you are a new insurance company wanting to reach more audiences while reducing the environmental impact of your marketing. You can start with creating a website for insurance brokers, optimize it to rank better in search engines, and reduce the need to waste tons of paper needed to market your brand offline.
For retail companies, the use of reusable products can be a good option. You can offer reusable shopping bags bearing your store’s name and logo at a minimal cost. You get to encourage your customers to avoid using single-use products while promoting your brand as an eco-friendly business.
If you have employees who can effectively tackle their tasks remotely, you can consider going remote. Your employees can work some days working at the comforts of their home, so they can experience more flexibility and work-life balance. Your business, in turn, can save more in terms of energy costs and make it look more desirable for both your customers and potential talents looking for an employee and eco-friendly company to work for.
Going green has its fair share of pros and cons. Most businesses are afraid of the costs, thus their reluctance to make the green switch. Thankfully, there are easy and low-cost ways to start going green so you can start greening your business even when you’re on a tight budget. This only goes to show that you can start slow when going green and that you don’t necessarily need to break your bank just to make your brand more eco-friendly.
