By Stephen Basile, Chief Revenue Officer, Catania Oils
The federal trade court’s ruling on tariffs earlier this year, once again sent companies scrambling. Not because they were unwilling to adapt, but because no clear operational guidelines exist to help organizations respond consistently when new tariff rulings are announced. When suppliers, customers, importers, attorneys, and agencies interpret the same policies through different lenses, the resulting confusion costs companies far more than the tariffs themselves. Hidden labor costs, lost opportunities, and the strain of chasing a constantly moving target while maintaining day-to-day operations drain both budgets and morale. Conducting business in an environment where even the most basic information can shift overnight makes long-term planning significantly more difficult.
At Catania Oils, we’ve been navigating this reality every day. Without a playbook to follow, we’ve created one of our own. By prioritizing long-term trust and transparency, we’ve been able to weather the tariff storm while maintaining positive customer relationships and continuing to grow our business. Here are five strategies that have helped us navigate ongoing market volatility.
1. The simplest strategy is best
Tariff policy, refund processes, ongoing litigation, and agency guidance can all shift rapidly, meaning companies still don’t know when refunds will be processed or how much will be returned. While policy remains outside their control, companies can develop processes that minimize the impact of uncertainty on their business.
We’ve found that simplicity is the most effective strategy. Our intent is to handle any eligible refunds we receive in a uniform manner without charging a service fee. Using multiple refund methods or implementing fees requires more time, effort, and administrative burden for our team. A simple, uniform approach helps preserve resources and keeps the focus on our customers. It’s also easily adaptable if the goalpost moves again.
2. Stay true to your core values
Market volatility can expose how a company really operates, bringing its guiding principles to light for better or for worse. According to a recent CNBC CFO Council quarterly survey, the majority of the 25 CFOs polled about tariff refunds reported that their companies do not plan to share tariff refunds with customers, while others stated they weren’t considering applying for them.
Our priority has always been maintaining strong customer relationships. Handling tariffs refunds fairly and uniformly is not only the simplest choice for us operationally, it also ensures we maintain a positive reputation at a time when our customers are already facing increased uncertainty. Sacrificing long-term loyalty for temporary profit is shortsighted and goes against our core values. Core values are not only for stable markets, they matter most in volatile conditions, providing a path when the next steps are unclear.
3. Communicate proactively and consistently
Under typical circumstances, waiting for complete information before communicating is usually the right decision, but that’s not the case when the issue is out of your control and there is no clear timeline for answers. In volatile conditions, silence creates more anxiety for customers than imperfect information.
If you don’t have all the answers, share what you know, what you don’t, and what you’re monitoring. Don’t wait for final policy outcomes. It may be a long time before those answers are forthcoming. Consistent, proactive communication builds credibility and provides a sense of predictability even when the broader market is unpredictable. That consistency becomes an important advantage during volatile periods.
4. Nobody has all the answers
A constantly shifting policy environment creates increased pressure for companies and customers alike, specifically regarding the disbursement of refunds. At Catania Oils, we’ve even begun receiving emails from our customers regarding their expectations on how we handle this matter, and each one is asking for something different.
Ultimately, no company has all the answers on how to move forward. We’re all in a holding pattern, playing a waiting game as information slowly trickles out. Trying to force certainty where there is none only raises frustrations. Instead, companies should focus on what they can control: consistent communication and sound business ethics, principles that help reduce tension as the rest of the pieces fall into place.
5. Don’t lose sight of what matters
While tariffs have resulted in a direct cost increase for many companies, the hidden cost is the organizational energy diverted away from growth and innovation. Companies are spending valuable time and resources attempting to capture and understand a shifting landscape. In addition to the sacrifice of strategic time among executive teams, customer service and accounting teams are repeatedly pulled into additional research, recalculations, and policy tracking that interrupt normal operations. The administrative burden and lost opportunity cost of tariffs are significant, not only for businesses but for customers trying to track calculations on their end as well.
While some financial sacrifice is unavoidable, no amount of time, money, or effort can make answers appear out of thin air, so don’t use too many resources trying, especially when the rules are likely to change again. Growth and innovation are still among the most important pursuits a company can have, even amid volatility. Make sure they don’t fall by the wayside.
Navigating economic uncertainty is never easy, especially when there is no end in sight. By prioritizing trust and transparency with a strategy that emphasizes flexibility, fairness, communication, and continued growth, companies can emerge on the other side with stronger relationships and operations, and a clearer sense of purpose.
Stephen Basile is Chief Revenue Officer of Catania Oils, the Northeast’s leading manufacturer and private-label supplier of plant-based oils.
