By Grace Baker
Barriere businesses want to know how they can best serve the residents of Barriere and area.
Recently the Barriere Chamber of Commerce business members were given the opportunity to complete a Small Business Survival Questionnaire. The questions were focused on what the businesses wanted and felt would be most beneficial to them.
The results were interesting and indicated that Barriere businesses are technologically savvy. There was a strong interest on behalf of the businesses to work with social media such as Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn in order to connect with their customers. According recent online studies 43% of North American businesses use social media to connect with customers and 63% experienced an increase in revenue.
A Gallup G12 poll draws the conclusion that social media increases employee satisfaction which in turn increased customer satisfaction and loyalty, a situation where everyone wins. Many Barriere businesses are aware of this and hope to create the same for their employees and customers.
In addition to social media, businesses identified marketing, sustainability and team building as other things they’d like to work on. This was followed closely by Strength Building, Green Business Options and Building Local Knowledge.
When they were asked what they felt businesses in Barriere could change or improve, the majority answered improve their image, yards and curb appeal. The Chamber at its June 7, 2011 meeting discussed working together with the businesses, artists and the District in order to get this accomplished. Ideas are still pending. If you have any ideas please contact the Chamber at 250-672-9221 or email the Chamber at bcoc@telus.net.
Other areas of improvement included more local area knowledge, attitude, co-op marketing, improved web sites and increased networking.
The Chamber is hoping to work together with Thompson Rivers University, the District of Barriere, and the Barriere Employment Center to provide opportunities for businesses and the public to address these needs.
The response was quite good but if there are any businesses who would still like to respond, please feel free to complete the questionnaire you were mailed and return it to the Chamber. The Chamber would like to hear from all the businesses and employees in the area.
The businesses attending the last meeting of the Chamber expressed a strong interest in gathering the views of the public and non-member businesses including home-based ones. It would really help businesses improve their service to you if you could complete the following survey and return it to the Barriere Chamber at 4353 Conner Road at the Visitor Information office or call 250-672-9221. You can also email bcoc@telus.net or you can mail this survey to Barriere Chamber of Commerce at Box 1190, Barriere, B.C. V0E 1E0.
The Chamber of Commerce and its members appreciate your input. Thanks so much for taking the time to help us and the community.
SURVEY
* Please answer the questions on a piece of paper and return to the Barriere Chamber of Commerce
(address above)
1. What do you think the businesses in Barriere could do to improve their services to you?
2. Do you buy items on the internet? What type of things do you buy?
3. Would you buy local items on the internet if they were available to you?
If yes, what types of things would you buy?
If no, why not?
4. Would you participate with the local merchants via Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn?
5. Are there any types of courses or workshops that you wish would be offered in Barriere?
6. What types of products or services would you like to have available to you in Barriere that aren`t available now?
7. How much do you know about the services in the area (rate from 1 to 10)?
Not much_________ Everything___________
8. How do you think businesses could improve their image or curb appeal?
9. How friendly and helpful is the service you get in Barriere on average from 1 to 10?
Bad attitude________ Really great_________
10. Is there any business that has particularly good service?
11. Of course we`d all like to have lower prices but on average, what do you think about the price of local products and services ?
12. How much money do you have to save to make it worth your time to go to Kamloops or Clearwater to shop?
13. Is there something that you regularly go elsewhere to get because of the local price being too high?
14. How often do you shop in another town or area?
15. How much do you spend in other towns or areas in a year (Just a ballpark amount is fine)?
16. Is there anything else that you`d like the businesses of Barriere to know?