City to show it appreciates local businesses

Looking to show that Maricopa appreciates the businesses that call this city home, Maricopa will mark its second-ever Business Appreciation Week Oct. 15-19 as part of the city’s economic development efforts.

Efforts of this event will center on a series of personal survey visits to business owners by qualified city government and Maricopa Chamber of Commerce representatives.

The purpose of the program is to develop a relationship with companies doing business in Maricopa, especially those who do not interact with city government as a result of demanding schedules, business location and other operational considerations.

According to City of Maricopa Management Assistant Danielle Casey, the major change this year is that businesses with a Maricopa address (i.e. based in Maricopa either through storefronts or their main mailing addresses is local making them most likely home-based, etc.) have swollen to more than 500.

While the economic development department makes visits year-round, through the assistance of city staff, council and chamber representatives, the goal is to visit a random sample of 50 local businesses during the week of Oct. 15.

According to the economic development department, obtaining key data about the existing business community in Maricopa will allow for improved understanding of the city as a business locale, and will help to create an “early warning system” of business intelligence in terms of opportunities and challenges that inevitably will occur as the city develops.

Casey said another great development is that the survey collection and data captured last year was done in-house and independently, and the survey was fairly simplified.

“This past spring, through our membership with the Central Arizona Regional Economic Development Foundation, we were able to join the Building Bridges to Businesses program sponsored by Arizona Public Service, which provides Maricopa free of charge access to the E-Synchronist program – a sophisticated survey instrument and customized computer software that helps define, analyze and report community-specific information,” Casey said. “This tool is used by a majority of cities across the state, allowing us to track and compare our trends across time.”

For businesses wanting further information about the program or those who would like to schedule a visit for their business, contact Maricopa’s economic development department at [email protected] or call (520) 568-9098, ext. 240.