University of Hartford/ Upper Albany Main Street
Needs Assessment

Interview Questions

As part of the work of Upper Albany Main Street, we're conducting a "needs assessment" of representative businesses. Thank you for agreeing to participate. We have a series of questions we'd like to ask about your business. Then we'll study the answers and write a little summary report for you. We are also trying to understand the needs of businesses like yours so that we can develop training materials to help you. Everything you say is COMPLETELY CONFIDENTIAL. If there're any question that you don't want to answer, that's perfectly fine - don't worry about it, and please add any information about your business that you think it will be helpful for us to know."

Please Enter Your Zip Code:

 Business Background:

1. How many years has your business been in operation?
 years

2. What type of business do you operate?  

 Technical Operations:

3. How do you structure your business hours?

 Hours are clear and consistent
 Hours change daily or weekly
 No formal hours
 Don't know/not applicable

4. If an employee was out unexpectedly, are there other employees who can do his/her job?

 Yes
 No
 Sometimes
 Don't know/not applicable

5. Does your business have at least one computer?

 Yes
 No
 Have computer access
 Don't know/not applicable

6. Have you had any computer training?

 Yes
 No
 Some
 Don't know/not applicable

7. How do you use the internet? (Please check all that apply)

 Order supplies
 Credit card(swipe) machine
 Advertise/communicate
 Check e-mail
 Conduct online banking
 Point of sale scanners
 ATM (swipe + pin code reader) machine
 Do not use
 Other

 Customers:

8. Who are your customers? (Please check all that apply)

 Consumers
 Businesses
 Institutions
 Other

9. How do you keep track of your customers?

 Formal data base (on computer)
 Informal data base
 Don't track
 Don't know/not applicable

10. If you advertise, where do you advertise? (Please check all that apply)

 Local Newspaper
 Neighborhood Newspaper
 University or school newspaper
 Web Advertising
 Radio/TV
 Store Front Window
 Flyers
 Do not advertise
 Other

11. Do you communicate regularly with your customers?

 Yes
 No
 Occasionally
 Don't know/not applicable

12. How do you communicate with customers? (Please check all that apply)

 Email
 U.S. Mail
 Phone
 Internet
 In person
 Other

 Leadership:

13. Do you have a written business plan?

 Yes, specific goals
 Working on one
 No
 Don't know/not applicable

14. How often do you participate in programs that work with small businesses?

 Regularly
 Occasionally
 Never
 Don't know/not applicable

15. If you have participated in programs that work with small businesses, name one that was particularly helpful.

 Office / Production Space:

16. Approximately how many square feet is you business space? square feet

17. Estimate the current value of your equipment and machinery. $

18. If you have a physical space for your business, do you own or rent the property?

 Rent
 Own
 Own/rent
 Don't know/not applicable

19. If you rent, what do you pay per month for rent only? $

20. If you need a fax/copy where do you go?

 Have a fax/copy machine that handles my needs
 Kinkos (or similar copy shop) or neighboring business
 Don't need
 Don't know/not applicable

21. Estimate how much you spend each year on energy, including electricity, heat, and hot water. $

 Supplies:

22. What type of inventory system do you use?

 Fully computerized inventory system
 Informal/paper inventory system
 Don't keep up with inventory
 Don't know/not applicable

23. How do you place your orders?

 Phone/mail/fax
 Internet
 Don't place orders
 Don't know/not applicable

24. How well does your method of ordering work?

 Good
 Average
 Poor
 Don't know/not applicable

 Employees:

25. How often do you provide training for your employees?

 Regularly
 Occasionally
 Never
 Don't know/not applicable

26. Please list the number of employees with their level of education (including yourself).

Some high school
Completed high school
Some college
Completed college
Graduate studies

27. How many male and female employees does your business have?

Male
Female

28. How many full time and part time employees do you have?

Full time
Part time

29. If you provide benefits, which benefits do you provide? (Please check all that apply)

 Vacation
 401k
 Retirement
 Health
 Disability
 Family and Medical leave
 Do not provide
 Other

30. How do your employee wages compare to others in your area?

 Higher
 About the same
 Lower
 Don't know/not applicable

31. What kind of written employee policy manual does your business have?

 Formal policy
 Informal policy
 None
 Don't know/not applicable

32. Are all of your employees familiar with your employee policies?

 Yes
 No
 Some
 Don't know/not applicable

 Professional Services:

33. If you have insurance, which types do you have? (Please check all that apply)

 Liability
 Fire/theft
 None
 Other

34. What banking services do you use?

 Cash only
 Checking
 Personal and business
 Savings
 Loan
 Credit card
 Line of credit
 None
 Other

35. If you have a loan or are applying for one: What are you hoping to achieve through the loan?

 Expansion
 Purchase inventory
 Equipment
 Real Estate
 Operating Capital
 No loan

36. Please check all the professional services that you have used.

 Accountant
 Lawyer
 Real Estate broker
 Business consultant
 Information Technology
 None
 Other

 Administration / Finance:

37. How do you track your finances?

 By computer
 Hand written paper records
 Don't track
 Don't know/not applicable

38. Do you keep written records of your employees, such as attendance?

 Yes, formally
 Yes, informally
 Don't keep written records
 Don't know/not applicable

39. How do you handle payroll?

 Internally
 External payroll service
 No payroll
 Don't know/not applicable

40. How do you track budget?

 Use a computer to analyze and report
 Informal tracking
 No budget to track
 Don't know/not applicable

41. What is the approximate total annual sales revenue of your business? $

42. Do you consider your business profitable?

 Yes
 No
 Somewhat
 Don't know/not applicable

43. What type of security does your business have? (Please check all that apply.)

 Cameras
 Alarm System
 Neighborhood watch
 Security guard
 Guard dog
 Do not have any security