All 1,885 locally-based, licensed Airdrie businesses are encouraged to tell the City what they think.
Airdrie economic development is hosting the second Business Satisfaction Survey, beginning March 18, in hopes of learning more about what businesses owners are thinking.
“The Business Satisfaction Survey is a useful tool in gaining feedback from our business community,” said Mayor Peter Brown. “We want to ensure we continue to offer services that meet the needs of our customers and an environment that is favourable to business success.”
The first survey was held in 2011 and collected information on a number of topics related to the economy, the business-operating environment in Airdrie and the City’s business-related services. The primarily web-based survey will be conducted by Banister Research & Consulting Ltd. and is open to businesses of all sizes, including home-based, store front and industrial.
“The business community is our customers so it is really going out and checking with them,” said Kent Rupert, team leader of Airdrie’s economic development department.
Rupert added it is vital to get the business community’s perspective on the provincial and local economy, their long-term outlook and ability to attract and retain employees.
According to Rupert, in 2011, 89 per cent of businesses said they enjoyed operating within the city.
Rupert said he is excited to see the results of this year’s survey, to be released June 3.
“The 2011 survey gave us our baseline and now we can see how we are doing,” said Rupert, adding the survey may assist staff in determining which programs and services the City will offer as well as any necessary changes to its business processes, such as licensing.
He encourages businesses to provide feedback online, adding in 2011, 39 per cent of businesses completed the survey on the web.
“We want to grow that number to over 50 per cent,” said Rupert. “Not only is an online survey easy and convenient for business owners, it’s a much more cost-effective way for the data to be collected.”
According to a City press release, businesses will receive an email invitation for the survey on March 14 and survey link from the consulting company on March 18.
If businesses complete the survey by April 1, 2013 they will be entered in a draw to win a Genesis Place annual pass.
According to the release, it takes less than 10 minutes to complete the survey. All responses are completely confidential and results will be aggregated.
The survey closes April 7. Depending on the response to the web survey, Banister may survey some businesses by telephone.
For more information, contact the economic development department at 403-948-8844 or online at www.airdrie.ca
To view results from the 2011 survey, go to airdrienow.ca
