Business Visitation Survey

February 2012 - June 2014

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

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

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

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:

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.

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%

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%

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)

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

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.

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

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

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

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.

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%