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Business Visitation Program (BVP)
The Driving Force to Improve Maine's Business Climate

What is Business Visitation?
The Business Visitation Program gathers concise, accurate, and up-to-date information about the needs of a region's existing businesses.

Job Creation - Our goal is to stimulate local economic growth by assisting businesses which are already in operation. Why? Because 80% of all new jobs come from firms which are already in existence. Before your community can assist its firms, however, you must pinpoint businesses' problems, concerns, and opinions. The Business Visitation Program enlists local volunteers to visit businesses to gather information about their development problems, economic concerns, and opinions about the communities ability to grow business. Results are assessed through a referral network to local and state programs which assist the business with their questions problems, and concerns.

Why Start a Visitation Program?

retain jobs;
improve the business climate;
implement the program locally;
expand and increase businesses and jobs;
identify problems local businesses face and create solutions;
connect businesses with the resources they need to grow and thrive;
increase communication between businesses, local communities and state government;and
coordinate future economic development through a statewide database.

Providing Business Assistance- The Business Visitation Program provides sound business assistance. It links businesses with a variety of financial, technological business planning, marketing and job training resources. for instance, if a firm has had difficulty recruiting trained employees, as a part of the Department of Labor's Employer Assistance Division, BVP staff can ensure a rapid referral to the Department's training program such as the Governor's Training Initiative or the the Maine Apprenticeship Program. Likewise, if a firm wants to develop a blueprint for the future, the BVP introduces the owners to local business development officials who help create a comprehensive business plan. Strict confidentiality is maintained at all times.

What do you need to Start?

In order to establish a successful Business Visitation Program, a community needs the following:

A local chamber of commerce as a sponsoring group, and someone willing to be the coordinator. A local/regional economic development group or town official may also be the sponsoring agency.
Understanding the need for confidentiality.
A local task force and volunteer interviewers.
Commitment of time and resources to complete the initial Business Visitation Program.
Willingness to follow up on expressed concerns over legal issues.
Understanding that the Business Visitation Program is an ongoing effort, not a one-time event.

Business Visitation Steps -

Task Force
On-Site visit
Questionnaire
Report
Problems and Concerns
Referral to Resources
Positive Results

How to Get Involved: For an application please contact your local Maine CareerCenter, or contact the BVP Program at the

Bureau of Employment Services
55 State House Station
Augusta, Maine 04333-0055
Phone: (207)623-7981
Fax: (207) 287-5933