Tag Archives: VT ACCD

Fishing for answers: VT Commerce and Community Development survey

local/regional,

This June the Vermont Agency of Commerce and Community Development ran an online survey that reached out to gather residents’ and non-residents’ opinions and for “insights on living, working and doing business in Vermont.” The idea, they say, was to measure the strengths, opportunities, and challenges the respondents faced and how the ACCD can help. 

Of course you can’t source everything in state but I found that two out-of-state companies are prominently involved in the survey. The ACCD contracted with Qualtrics.com — an “experience management company” co-headquartered in Provo, Utah; Seattle, Washington; and with offices in Dublin, Ireland — to run the roughly 20-question (fewer for non-residents) poll. Separately, the agency’s Think Vermont Ambassador website is powered by a second out-of- state company: socialtoaster.com out of Baltimore Maryland. Their list of services offers a variety of plans (named like healthcare plans) called Bronze, Silver, Gold and Platinum; fees start at $1,500 per month and run to $5,000 monthly for Platinum.

The agency’s survey contained a variety of questions along the lines of: name what you like and don’t like about Vermont lifestyle/business climate, and a series of multiple-choice rating questions about who is the most important audience for economic development marketing. But not too far in it feels as if they’ve baited a hook. Can you spot the prompt and possibly the ACCD’s preferred response here on question number four? 

At the end of the Vermont residents’ version of the survey participants were asked if they would care to join the “Think Vermont Ambassador Program.”

Think Vermont Ambassadors can, they say, “share national rankings and news coverage of Vermont’s thriving industries, game-changing entrepreneurs, socially responsible companies, vibrant communities, world-class outdoor recreation opportunities, education, culture and so much more. For anyone curious about getting an ambassadorship to Think Vermont by all means follow the link.

When launching Think Vermont, Governor Scott said the Agency of Commerce and Community Development’s “Think Vermont will tell unique and positive stories about Vermonters and Vermont businesses.”

And, as we all know, nothing says “Think Vermont” more than hiring plenty of out-of-state businesses for prominent jobs.

FLASH, BANG: “Move to VT get $10,000” Small print: poof gone!

Business, local/regional, ,

And “the payout is immense” screamed one story. Hmmm ten grand to relocate to Vermont? Sounds almost too good to be true! Well you don’t have to look too far to see that the promoted media campaign is running a few miles ahead of the actual plan. The fine print should cause anyone taking this bait seriously to hold off packing their bags.

The media grabbed it and ran with it: Vermont, the stories said, will reimburse out-of-staters $10,000 to move here provided they work remotely for a company not located here. The goal, the state says, is to encourage tech workers and young families to move to the state. In turn the theory is this will help grow our work force, boost our tax base, and we Vermonters will all live happily ever after. According to the Burlington Free Press, the program – which was passed unanimously in the legislature – originated when  Sen. Ginny Lyons, D-Chittenden,  wondered what it would take to get more workers like her son-in-law, who works remotely  while living  in Vermont, to move here.

like that Flash

The man charged with running the offer and managing the payouts, Governor Scott’s  secretary for the Agency of Commerce and Community Development Michael Schirling explains: “[It’s] very important to note from the outset that we have to design a program that we have not yet begun to contemplate the details of,”  Schirling said. “And there will be parameters around, you know, which of the allowable areas can be reimbursed for what amount over the two-year reimbursement period that’s allowed by the law.”

Basically it’s not that a remote worker who moves to Vermont gets a guaranteed $10,000 — which Schirling notes some of the recent buzz around the plan seemed to imply — but how they decide who gets how much is still being figured out.

In addition to not having worked out vital details of the plan, Sec. Schirling appeared unaware the roll-out was going to happen so soon and how the word about it spread. He told VtDigger.com he wasn’t sure what company among the ones they use for to promotion was behind the media blitz representing the valuable state brand. “I don’t know if it’s special PR. We have a company that we use, among many, that does some of our economic development marketing and helps with placement,” he said.

The State of Vermont and the Scott administration is pushing the brand and move-to-VT in particular hard.But even a good brand can begin to look foolish or desperate for attention. Especially if the details are not ready and the reward smaller than advertised. It’s just flash & bang, and then poof it’s gone.