strathcona county
DESCRIPTION
Economic Development and Tourism Survey ResultsTRANSCRIPT
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Business Visitation Survey
February 2012 - June 2014
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UNDERSTAND PROBLEMSGiving small businesses the opportunity to voice their concerns.
BUSINESS RETENTION STRATEGYFinding ways to strengthen relationships to help attract, retain and expand.
DISCOVER NEW WAYS TO HELP LOCAL BUSINESSESIdentifying a businesss needs that can be analyzed through primary data collection.
Purpose of business visitation survey:?
Executive Summary
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Survey Research Design
Total number of organizations who completed the survey 85 Direct one to one interviews done by a county representative with the small business
100%
$0
Direct qualitative and quantitative questions
Non-probability sampling, limited to what is easily accessible
Note: Information limited to what is easily accessible and personal judgment is used about the representativeness of the population under the study
REPRESENTATION
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Survey Data Analysis: Business DirectoryParticipation in Business Directory
Not part of Business Directory
No Response to Question
Part of Business Directory
81.18%
17.65%
1.18%0.00%
10.00%
20.00%
30.00%
40.00%
50.00%
60.00%
70.00%
80.00%
90.00%
Yes No No response
Participation in Business Directory
Out of the 85 that were asked
No Response to QuestionNot part of Business Directory
No Response to Question
Not part of Business DirectoryPart of Business Directory69
15 1
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Survey Data Analysis: Four highest expensesThe businesss four highest expenses presently
LABOUR RENT
SUPPLIES PERMITS
0.4%
0.4%
1.1%
1.8%
3.2%
5.0%
5.0%
5.3%
5.7%
6.4%
8.5%
8.9%
11.7%
15.2%
21.6%
0.0% 5.0% 10.0% 15.0% 20.0% 25.0%
Signage
Expansion Costs
Research and Development
Daily Operations
Insurance
Transportation
Training/Professional
Building Costs
Advertising/Marketing
Taxes
Utilities
Permits
Supplies
Rent
Labour
Four Highest Expenses
The graph shows the four highest expenses for these businesses. Respondents were given a list to select 4 choices, identifying the four highest expenses for their business. The four highest being:
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Survey Data Analysis: Greatest challenge
Under the Other category, the following comments were made:
Respondents were asked what they see as their greatest challenge over the next 5 years as an open ended question. Repetitions were found within the survey, and were formed into the following groups.
Potentially looking for an exit strategy. Succession information may be a large benefit to this business
Education of the next generation of business or franchisee [] Also would like to have high level and sophisticated business mentors global companies if possible we just have no where to turn at this time for that mentorship help.
Maintaining the property at this highest level in terms of the physical nature of the property now that it is getting older. Especially with all the competition coming in and that has come in.
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Survey Data Analysis: Where products/services are offeredWhere businesses primarily offer their products/services
Local 57.6%
Provincial 10.6%
National 7.1%
Local and Provincial 7.1%
No Answer 7.1% Provincial and
National 3.5%
International 2.4%
Local and National 2.4% National and International 2.4%
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Survey Data Analysis: Anticipated SalesPresent sales increasing, decreasing or remaining stable
71%Sales
IncreasingIncreasing
70.59%
8.24%
18.82%
2.35%0.00%
10.00%
20.00%
30.00%
40.00%
50.00%
60.00%
70.00%
80.00%
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Survey Data Analysis: Present SalesAnticipated sales increasing, decreasing or remaining stable
76%Sales
IncreasingIncreasingIncreasing
76.47%
14.12%7.06%
2.35%0.00%
10.00%
20.00%
30.00%
40.00%
50.00%
60.00%
70.00%
80.00%
90.00%
Increasing (65) Stable (12) Decreasing (6) No Response(2)
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Survey Data Analysis: Receiving information on industry
10.3%
15.5%
17.5%
18.2%
18.6%
19.9%
0.0% 5.0% 10.0% 15.0% 20.0% 25.0%
Other
Seminars/Conferences
Membership
Newsletter/Magazine
E-mail from associations
People in your industry
How respondents receive information about their industry
E-MAIL FROM ASSOC. (18.56%)
PEOPLE IN INDUSTRY (19.93%)
The top two ways the respondents receives information about their industry:
Under the others option, some answers were:1. Web search2. Customer and clients3. Personal and professional experience4. Word of mouth5. Trade show
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Survey Data Analysis: Employee Count and Categorization
The size of a business determined by employee numbers
Micro: 1 4 employeesSmall: 5 49 employeesMedium: 50 199 employeesLarge: 200+ employees
The majority of our respondents were micro and small businesses.
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Survey Data Analysis: Obtaining Start up Funding
Personal (50), 58.8%
Financial Institution (18), 21.2%
No answer (9), 10.6%
Family investment
(6), 7.1%
Other (2), 2.4%
Where businesses obtained their start-up funding
Some of the financial institutions that were named include:
1. Business Development Bank of Canada
2. Alberta Treasury Branches (ATB Financial)
3. Royal Bank of Canada (RBC)4. Local Bank
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Survey Data Analysis: WorkforceWhere businesses are spending the majority of their time
0.0%
13.7%
13.7%
22.2%
24.8%
25.6%
0.0% 5.0% 10.0% 15.0% 20.0% 25.0% 30.0%
Other (0)
Attracting Employees (16)
N/A (16)
Training New Employees (26)
Retaining Existing employees (29)
Developing existing employees (30)
The category N/A applies to those who do not have employees for their business and are not looking for employees.
26%Of respondents with employees spend
the majority of their time developing
existing employees
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Survey Data Analysis: Public Transit SystemBusinesses affected by Strathcona County Transit System
Yes
No
No Response
Affected by
transit
30.6%
58.8%
10.6%
The majority of responses of those who responded yes described that they were affected negatively, as one business described:
Lack of service. Would attract more employees if we had a better system
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Survey Data Analysis: Business in Strathcona County Positives of doing business in Strathcona County
Accessibility, 11%
Attractive Business Tax, 15%
Community Support, 40%
Good location, 11%
Growing opportunities, 6%
High standard of living, 8%
No response, 4% Other,
6%
As one of the business stated:
[It is the] community support, both residential and business community, also rural/urban development here, attractiveness to young families, [and] housing development.
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Survey Data Analysis: Business in Strathcona County Negatives of doing business in Strathcona County
Under rules and regulations:- Signage bylaw brought up multiple times
Under the other category:
- Light synchronization (for roadways)- Not having an urban centre (such as a
downtown)- Neighbors- Lack of understanding for small
businessesNothing Negative ,
27.1% Other, 15.3%
Regulations and permits, 18.8%
Staffing, 5.9%
Taxes, 1.2%
Transportation, 11.8%
Government, 7.1%
Infrastructure, 5.9% Lack of small
business programs, 4.7%
No comment, 2.4%