As small business week approaches, Hope’s economic development organization wants to hear from businesses in a virtual format this year.
What normally would happen on the week of Oct. 18 to 24 would be a business walk, where volunteers with AdvantageHOPE visit the local businesses in town to find out how their businesses are doing. This year, as the COVID-19 pandemic continues, AdvantageHOPE is instead asking businesses to submit a survey instead.
The survey will include the standard questions about how many are employed at a business, what are the highlights and difficulties of running a business in Hope as well as what services businesses might need. As AdvantageHOPE is working on updating their economic development strategy which ends at the end of 2020, businesses will also be asked what they would like to see emphasized in a future such strategy.
The organization usually gets around 50 to 80 surveys returned, a staff member at AdvantageHOPE said, yet with the online survey being more accessible a higher response rate might be possible. Responses are then analyzed and trends are identified.
The survey will be available on AdvantageHOPE’s Facebook page and website (advantagehope.ca) on Oct. 21. For those who want to get a paper copy of the survey, they can request one by phoning 604-860-0930 or emailing economicdevelopment@hopebc.ca ahead of Oct. 21.
Do you have something to add to this story, or something else we should report on? Email:
emelie.peacock@hopestandard.com