BRE-Apr 2014Economic Development Authority (EDA) Business Retention and Expansion Study
City of Scandia
Date: _______________________________________
Company Name: _______________________________________________________________
Address: ______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
Survey Participant: __________________________________ Title: ___________________
Phone: ____________________ E-mail: _________________________________________
Website: ______________________________________________________________________
Name of Corporate Headquarters (if different than above): ______________________________
Address: ______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
Phone: ___________________ E-mail: _________________________________________
Website: ______________________________________________________________________
Thank you for participating in the EDA’s Business Retention and Expansion Study. The program is sponsored by the Scandia Economic Development Authority.
Objective of the BRES program:
To gain an understanding of the business community’s views of the local government and economy.
To determine company plans for expansion or relocation.
To strengthen the communications bridge between the business community and local government.
To establish concrete data to aid strategic planning efforts.
How is your firm structured?
___ Corporation (public)
___ Corporation (closely held)
___ Partnership
___ Sole Proprietorship
___ Other (specify)______________
Do you own or lease this location?
___ Own
___ Lease
If you currently lease, when does the lease expire?
What year was this business established at this location?
Do you believe your product/services have unique qualities that give your business a competitive advantage?
___ Yes
___ No
___ Don’t Know
If yes, please describe these unique qualities.
What are the major products/services offered by this establishment?
First Major product/service:
Second Major product/service:
Third Major product/service:
Fourth Major product/service:
What percentage of your sales come from each of the major products/services identified above?
1% to 24%
25% to 49%
50% to 74%
75% to 100%
Percent of sales: first major product/service
Percent of sales: second major product/service
Percent of sales: third major product/service
Percent of sales: fourth major product/service
How many employees currently work at this establishment?
1 to 5
6 to 10
11 to 15
16 to 20
21 to 25
26 to 50
50 or more
Full Time
Part Time
Temporary
How many employees worked at this establishment three years ago?
1 to 5
6 to 10
11 to 15
16 to 20
21 to 25
26 to 50
50 or more
Full Time
Part Time
Temporary
How many employees (estimated) will work at this establishment three years from now?
1 to 5
6 to 10
11 to 15
16 to 20
21 to 25
26 to 50
50 or more
Full Time
Part Time
Temporary
If you reported part time employees, how many are:
Seasonal:
___ 1 to 5
___ 6 to 10
___ 11 to 15
___ 16 to 20
___ 21 or more
Year Round:
___ 1 to 5
___ 6 to 10
___ 11 to 15
___ 16 to 20
___ 21 or more
If seasonal, when are your busy seasons (select all that apply):
___ Spring
___ Summer
___ Fall
___ Winter
Did your firm’s employment change over the last five years?
___ Yes
___ No
If yes, please check three (3) main reasons for the employment change over the past five years:
___ Technological changes
___ Changes in management
___ Growth in demand, or lack of demand
___ Number of contracts
___ Business did not exist five years ago
___ Improved or decreased efficiency
___ Government regulation
___ Increased competition
___ Renovation/expansion
___ New products/services
___Entered new markets
___ Change in subcontracting
___ Corporate decisions/policies
___ Other:
What is your current employment hiring state?
___ Increasing workforce
___ Downsizing
___ Stable
What resources are you currently using to locate new employees?
___ Ad in metro-wide papers
___ Ad in local community papers
___ Placement office of four-year or two-year colleges
___ Private search firms
___ Referrals from existing employees
___ Job service
___ Temporary agency
___ Hire our own apprentices
___ Promote from within
___Local job fair
___ Internet
___ List Other:
If more than 50% of your employees live outside of Scandia, please indicate why you think that is the case?
If your workforce was to expand by 10%, would there be affordable housing for these workers within 30 minutes of your place of business?
___ Yes
___ No
___ Uncertain
From your perspective as a business person, please rate housing opportunities in this community for OWNED homes.
Excellent
Above Average
Average
Below Average
Very Poor
Quality
Availability
Affordability
Location
From your perspective as a businessperson, please rate housing opportunities in this community for RENTAL housing.
Excellent
Above Average
Average
Below Average
Very Poor
Quality
Availability
Affordability
Location
How would you rate the local labor force?
Excellent
Above Average
Average
Below Average
Very Poor
Quality
Availability
Quantity
Stability
Please indicate where most of your employees live.
___ Within 5 miles of business location
___ Within 5 to 20 miles of business location
___ More than 20 miles from business location
Please select the category that best describes your company’s gross sales in 2013?
___ Under $25,000
___ $25,000 to $99,999
___ $100,000 to $199,999
___ $200,000 to $499,999
___ $500,000 to $999,999
___ $1 million to $2.49 million
___$2.5 million to $4.9 million
___ $5 million to $9.9 million
___$10 million or more
Which of the following strategies do you currently use to increase your sales during less busy days and hours?
___ Nothing
___ Advertise
___ Offer product promotion
___ Extend days and/or hours of operation
___ Change product/service offerings and/or mix
___ Other: ________________
Does your company have a website?
___ Yes
___ No
If no, what is your main reason for not marketing over the internet?
___ No Internet Access
___ Slow Internet connection
___ No IT support
___ Cost
___ Time commitment
___ Need more information
___ Other: ____________
What are the three (3) types of advertising you use the most?
___ Yellow Pages
___ Daily Newspaper
___ Weekly newspaper
___ Weekly shopper paper
___ Radio
___ TV
___ Billboards
___ Direct mail advertising
___ Visitor’s guide
___Magazines
___ Brochures/flyers/shopping bags
___ Other: _______________________________
Do you share advertising expenses with other businesses to promote your business area?
___ Yes
___ No
From the list below, please check the top five (5) factors likely to have a major impact on your business in the next three (3) years.
___ New products
___ Changing customer tastes
___ Demographics
___ Higher consumer spending
___ Foreign competition
___ Domestic competition
___ Raw material shortages
___ Energy Costs
___ Transportation
___ Wage rates
___ Raw material costs
___ Financing availability
___ Taxes/government policies
___ Other: ____________________________
Please check which of the following best describes your company’s business activity.
___ We have too much business, capacity is strained
___ Business activity is just right
___ We have too little business activity; excess capacity
___ Wide seasonal or cyclical variations in demand
Over the last 3 years, have any of these business factors increased, stayed the same or decreased?
Increased
Stayed the Same
Decreased
Number of customers
Sales-Total Revenue
Profits
Employees-Full Time
Employees-Part Time
Employees-Year Round
Employees-Seasonal
Over the next 3 years, do you think the following factors for your business will increase, stay the same, or decrease?
Increase
Stay the Same
Decrease
Number of customers
Sales-Total Revenue
Profits
Employees-Full Time
Employees-Part Time
Employees-Year Round
Employees-Seasonal
In general, how do you meet or become acquainted with service providers?
___ Someone you know referred/recommended the service provider
___ You knew the service provider before they started working for you
___ Referral by a trade association or professional organization
___ Competitor used them
___ Advertising or direct mail or yellow pages
___ Unsolicited cold call
___ Article in business publication or newspaper
___ Service provider newsletter/web page
___ Other: ____________________________________
Check the three most important factors in evaluating and selecting a service provider.
___ Experience of service provider
___ Service provider’s knowledge of your industry
___ Proximity to your location
___ Price
___ Service provider’s approach or methodology
___ Service provider’s reputation
___ Recommendation from a trusted source
___ Personality or “likeability” of service provider
___ Credentials of service provider
___ Referrals from other clients
___ Other: __________________________________________________
Check the areas that you have used external service providers for in the past three years (select all that apply:
___ Business management
___ Design or engineering
___ Manufacturing operations
___ Quality related issues
___ Environmental and safety
___ Information technology
___ Organizational development
___ Marketing/sales
___ Financial/accounting
___ Human resources development
___ Other: _____________________________________________________________
To meet your current or recent financial need, what type of capital are you considering or did you consider?
___ Equity Capital
___ Debt Capital
If you plan to use debt capital, which of the following financial institutions do you plan to use or did you use?
___ Commercial bank
___ Savings and loan
___ Federal loan program (USDA, SBA)
___ State Economic Development Loan (DEED, Regional Commission, or Foundation)
___ Other: ______________________________________________________
When you sought your most recent loan, what types of activities or facilities did (do) you hope to finance.
___ Purchase of land without buildings
___ Purchase of land with buildings
___ New building construction
___ Building expansion
____ Building renovation
____ Operating capital
___ Inventory
___ Machinery or equipment
___ Other: _________________________________________________
Please provide information on your firm’s credit experience for the past three (3) years in each of the following categories.
Able to obtain desired credit
Able to obtain some credit
Unable to obtain
Don’t know
Not applicable
Short term loans (<1year) secured
Short term (<1year) unsecured
Long term loans
(1-5years)
Long term loans
(>5 years)
Commercial mortgage
Home equity loan for business purposes
Line of credit
Equipment financing or lease.
Have you made any of the following changes in the last 3 years?
Yes
No
Changed mix of goods/services
Added or subtracted product lines
Entered new markets
Modernized product technology
Adopted labor-saving technologies
Made other capital improvements
Will you be expanding/improving your current building or equipment?
___ Yes
___ No
If yes, do you face any constraints?
___ No constraints
___ Need financial assistance
___ Need planning/design assistance
___ Need to acquire land
___ Other: ___________________________________________
Are you considering another (additional) branch or store?
___ Yes
___ No
If yes, what location are you considering?
___ Elsewhere in Scandia
___ Elsewhere in Washington County
___ Outside the county, but in Minnesota
___ Outside the state
___ Undecided
If yes, when will you open the new branch or store?
___Within 6 months
___ 6 months to a year
___ 1-3 years
Are you considering moving, selling or closing this business?
___ No
___ Considering moving
___ Considering selling
___ Considering closing
What conditions influence your decision regarding moving, closing, or staying put? (select all that apply)
___ Market conditions
___ Overcrowded building or space
___ Land locked or expansion limited
___ Transportation problems
___ Crime or vandalism
___ Low worker productivity or unavailability of workers
___ Environmental concerns
___ Building code problems
___ High local taxes
___ High state taxes
___ Lease expiration
If moving, selling, or closing, when?
___Within 6 months
___ 6 to 12 months
___ 1 to 3 years
___ 3 years or more
___ Don’t know
If moving, where will you move?
___ Elsewhere in Scandia
___ Elsewhere in Washington County
___ Elsewhere in Minnesota
___ Outside of Minnesota
___ Undecided
Any other plans for business changes over the next three years? (check all that apply)
___ No change
___ Change in mix of goods or services
___ Add new product or service lines
___ Add new technology
Do you have enough room to expand?
___ Yes
___ No
Does your store/storefront need updating or “cosmetic” improvement?
___ Yes
___ No
Where do you see additional expansion or growth in your business?
___ New building or addition
___ Additional employees
___ Additional equipment or new technology
___ New training program for employees
___ Additional financing
___ Other: _________________________________
What, if any, conservation or “green” actions have you taken or do you plan to take with your business?
If you face constraints on renovation or expansion, what are they?
___ Would have an inadequate financial return on investment
___ Inability to get a loan
___ Insufficient space available for expansion
___ Environmental or pollution control limitations
___ Planning and zoning restrictions
___ Governmental regulation prohibits expansion
___ Shortage of adequate labor
___ Shortage of adequate housing for labor
___ Other: _________________________________
What overall grade would you give the community as a place to do business?
___ A (excellent)
___ B (above average)
___C (average)
___ D (below average)
___F (poor)
In the last 3 years, did the community’s business climate get stronger, weaker, or stay the same?
___ Got stronger
___ Got weaker
___ Stayed the same
What overall grade would you give the retail shopping in the community?
___ A(excellent)
___B(above average)
___ C (average)
___ D (below average)
___ F (poor)
Is your firm having any problems with local community services?
___ No
___ Yes. If so please specify: _________________________________________________________
What is the most significant thing Scandia could do to help improve your business activity?
What specific concerns would you like to see addressed?
Do you live in Scandia?
___ Yes
___ No
Why or why not?
Rate the improvement needs in Scandia
Needs significant improvements
Needs improvement
Does not need improvement
Not applicable
Appearance of buildings
Appearance of business signs
Cleanliness of sidewalks
Cleanliness of streets
Congested streets near your business
Parking near your business
Pedestrian access to your business
Street lighting
Variety of stores
If your firm (or one just like it) was trying to select a new location, how important would each of the following community factors be in this decision?
Critically important
Above average importance
Average importance
Below average importance
Not at all important
Wage rates
Transportation costs
Energy costs
Local taxes
State taxes
Interest rates
Workers’ compensation rates
Unemployment insurance
Employee health care costs
Availability of labor
Availability of raw materials
Availability of credit
Proximity of four-lane highway
Airport facilities
Availability of industrial site
Availability of housing
Availability of quality water
Availability of public transportation
Telecommunications quality
Broadband Access
Please indicate whether you believe the cost of doing business in your community is high, acceptable, or low.
High
Acceptable
Low
Does not apply
Building costs
Corporate taxes
Environmental regulations
Health care
Inventory taxes
OSHA requirements
Payroll taxes
Property taxes
Public utilities
Transportation of product to market
Workers compensation
From your perspective as a businessperson, please rate the following amenities and services in Scandia.
Excellent
Above average
Average
Below average
Poor
Does not apply
Roads, highways and freeways
Snow and ice removal
Street/sidewalk cleaning
Street repairs
Water supply
Solid waste disposal
Sewers/septic
Natural gas service
Internet access
Electrical service
Cable television service
Telecom infrastructure
Public transportation
Rail service
Air service
Fire protection
Police protection
Emergency medical services
Hospitals
Medical care, doctors
Schools (k-12)
Technical/vocational schools
Excellent
Above average
Average
Below Average
Poor
Does not apply
Access to higher education
Quality higher education
Hotel facilities
Conference facilities
Recreational facilities
Recreation services
Housing opportunities
Labor force quantity
Labor force quality
Proximity to major suppliers
Proximity to major market
Overall quality of life
With which local school district are you most familiar?
___ Forest Lake
___ Chisago Lakes
___ Stillwater
___ Home school
Please rate the following characteristics for K-12 for the school system you checked in the previous questions.
Excellent
Above average
Average
Below average
Poor
Don’t know
Quality of instruction
Quality of facilities
Quality of teaching resources (computers, books)
Quality of curriculum
Number of curriculum choices
Quality of sports programs
Quality of music/arts programs
From the following list of features, please indicate those that enhance or detract from a positive business environment in Scandia.
Strongly enhance
Neither enhance nor detract
Strongly detract
Safe environment
Shopping/professional services
Recreation/entertainment/cultural activities
School systems
Library systems
Highway infrastructure
Housing opportunities
Local business environment
Location
Wage rates
Cost of living
Rate your level of success with the marketing strategies listed below.
Excellent
Very good
Good
Fair
Poor
NA
Directory listings (yellow pages, etc)
Daily newspaper
Weekly newspaper
Weekly shopper paper
TV
Radio
Billboards and other signage
Window displays
Direct mail advertising
Web page
Email/internet marketing
Visitor’s guide
Magazines
Brochures/flyers
Referral program
Frequent buyer/shopper program
Give-aways
Donations/sponsorships
Word of mouth
Other
Which of the following market research methods do you use (select all that apply)?
___ Personal interactions/interviews with customers
___ Track customer purchases
___ Response cards by mail
___ Focus groups
___ Census/other data
___ Information from Industry Association
___ Hire market research consultants
___ Other: ______________________________________________
___ I don’t do market research
What are your thoughts on store hours?
___ I am open all the hours I need to be
___ I can’t be open more hours for personal reasons
___ I would like to be open more hours, but I can’t afford the staff
___ I would like to be open more hours, but I can’t find good staff
___ I would be open more hours if I were sure of sales
___ I would be open more hours is everyone else were
___ I have been open evening hours in the past and it was not worthwhile
___ Other: _________________________________________________________________
Have you had evening hours in the past?
___ Yes
___ No
If yes, how many evenings (past 6pm) per week were you open?
___ 1
___2
___ 3
___ 4
___ 5
___ 6
___ 7
Why did you discontinue evening hours (select all that apply)?
___ Personal reasons
___ Difficulty hiring staff for evenings
___ Not cost effective
___ Other stores in Scandia were not open evenings
___ Other: _________________________________________________________
Please rate the degree you are experiencing the following challenges in your business.
Major challenge
Minor challenge
No challenge
Don’t know
Poor building condition
Conflict with building owner or tenant
Expensive rent
Product delivery or loading challenges
Insufficient financing
Internet competition
Language barriers
Shoplifting or employee theft
Vandalism
Perception of safety
Public using your bathroom
Traffic flow/signage
Congested streets near your business
Road construction
Street closure for events
Streets not clean
Sidewalks not clean
Lack of pedestrian traffic
Insufficient parking
Signage
Restrictive business regulations
Smoking ban
Competition from Forest Lake
Other:
If financial assistance were available, would you consider building improvements such as façade work or new signage?
___ Yes
___ No
___ Don’t know
Considering all factors, how would you rate the overall atmosphere in your local shopping area?
___ Excellent
___ Very good
___ Good
___ Fair
___ Poor