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Leverage Your Hedge

By
Jacob Shaffield
October 28, 2024
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Adaptability in business means preparing not just for the expected, but for every outcome that isn’t yet clear. Resilience isn’t just surviving change—it’s leveraging it.

Never before have business leaders been asked to prepare for such vastly different futures solely based on an election outcome. To stay competitive in today’s volatile economy, they must simultaneously meet consumer expectations during peak holiday demand, while also navigating the shifting tides of political and economic uncertainty. Many have increased inventories as a safeguard against potential tariffs, while holding off on capital intensive investments until more is known. For businesses without an agile workforce strategy, unwrapping these hedges could cause disaster in Q1.

Veryable's on-demand labor model empowers manufacturers and distributors to turn these hedges into strategic assets, allowing them to handle seasonal holiday spikes and leverage Q1 opportunities to boost market share, customer satisfaction, and profitability.

Here’s how Veryable enables companies to maximize the value of their hedges:

Unlock Market Share with Strategic Pricing and Inventory Flexibility

By holding higher inventory in Q4, businesses using Veryable’s flexible labor can maintain or lower prices in Q1, even as competitors face higher tariffs or inventory shortages. With labor that adjusts to demand, you can meet customer needs consistently and avoid the price hikes that competitors may need to compensate for tariff-related costs. This responsiveness can help you capture market share early in 2025, solidifying your position as a reliable, competitively-priced provider. Learn more about leveraging adaptable labor by reading our blogs for your industry or business.

Boost Customer Experience with Seamless Demand Management

Having inventory ready in Q1 while others are scrambling to meet demand ensures that your customers don’t face delays, backorders, or price hikes. Veryable’s agile labor model enables you to deliver orders quickly, enhancing the customer experience and reinforcing loyalty. Our case studies highlight companies that have improved service levels by leveraging flexible labor to handle demand fluctuations effectively.

Enhance Profit Margins by Optimizing Inventory Leverage

Those with hedged inventories can take advantage of high-demand periods and capitalize on premium pricing or lower inventory costs. With Veryable’s on-demand labor, you’re not tied to fixed costs, so your business can profit from efficient labor utilization without incurring unnecessary expenses. This margin optimization can increase profitability in early 2025, turning your Q4 hedge into a strategic advantage.

Achieve Agility Without Fixed Capital Commitments

For those who have held off on long-term investments, Veryable’s labor model provides the flexibility and scalability of fixed assets without the same commitment or risk. Instead of capital-intensive expansions, you can dynamically adjust your labor force to meet demand, responding quickly as the economic landscape shifts. No need to wait for the implementation of automation or construction of buildings - get instant productivity from your existing assets.

Protect Cash Flow with Lean Operations

Managing labor on an as-needed basis means you’re optimizing cash flow and maximizing liquidity, allowing you to allocate funds strategically and invest where they’ll have the most impact. Veryable’s model supports this lean approach, helping you reduce the burden of excess labor costs, particularly valuable when the market is uncertain.

Conclusion

Veryable enables businesses to maximize the value of their hedges, positioning them not only to handle immediate demand but also to outmaneuver less nimble competitors after the inauguration. In a season defined by uncertainty, adaptability becomes your advantage.


To learn more, visit our homepage for executives

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Jacob Shaffield
Jacob is the General Manager for Veryable in Houston, and previously for Central Kentucky and Southern Indiana – including Louisville, Lexington, and Evansville. Prior to Veryable, Jacob spent 20 years in logistics, marketing, ecommerce, and retail management roles – including as a VP for a furniture SMB and owner of e-commerce and brick and mortar retailers. With leadership from Fortune 10 to start-ups, he understands operational impact throughout the supply chain across many sectors.

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