SUNNYVALE BUSINESSES RESPOND FAVORABLY TO CITY SERVICES AND SUPPORT

SUNNYVALE, Calif. – More than 90 percent of surveyed business customers in Sunnyvale say they are happy with the service they receive from City Hall’s One-Stop Permit Center, strengthening Sunnyvale’s reputation as a business-friendly city. In a 2003 Touchpoll Survey Solutions poll, nearly 92 percent of survey respondents reported satisfaction with their overall experience at the Center, and almost 80 percent indicated they had been served in ten minutes or less.

Reacting to local economic conditions and business concerns, Sunnyvale launched a broad-based marketing campaign in late 2002 designed to highlight the role that sales tax plays in funding City services. As part of the Sunnyvale Supports Business campaign, local businesses were surveyed to gauge their level of satisfaction with the City’s efforts to support the local business community.

Last year, the City commissioned a separate independent research study to help Sunnyvale officials assess the City’s performance with its businesses. Conducted by Godbe Research & Analysis in April and May 2002, this study evaluated broader perceptions held by business owners and executives engaged in a variety of transactions with the City. Nearly 95 percent of the respondents considered Sunnyvale to be business friendly and 89 percent said they would recommend building in Sunnyvale.

Various business-specific tools have been developed to encourage the establishment, growth and longevity of Sunnyvale businesses. The City has published Making Business Easy in the City of Sunnyvale, a kit which includes a complete reference guide to business resources, key City contact listings and other useful information for building a successful business in Sunnyvale. An e-mail campaign is also being developed to take the pulse of business owners in the City and to facilitate communications between businesses and the City. Finally, a series of ongoing business workgroups focusing on issue prioritization, business support strategies, business-to-business marketing and other topics is currently underway.

Economic growth in Sunnyvale is driven by a partnership between the City and the business community that is built upon the foundation of innovation and creating opportunity.  Sunnyvale's Economic Development Division works directly with businesses as the first and continuing link to City government, anticipating their needs while maintaining a dynamic environment for pioneering new processes and technologies.

More information on Sunnyvale’s economic development activities is available on the City’s Web site at www.ci.sunnyvale.ca.us or by calling (408) 730-7607. For TDD, call (408) 730-7501.