The COVID-19 crisis has economic impacts as businesses either lose customers, lose part of their supply chain or anticipate a slowdown of business in upcoming months.

Since payroll is one of the largest expenses for most businesses you may be looking at your staffing levels. In this video, we discuss:

• Adjusting staffing for Coronavirus: scheduling adjustments or work from home plans
• Things to consider if you need to do a layoff or reduction in force (and what the difference is)

Thank you to Darcey McAllister with HRT Northwest for some great tips on how to weigh the options and best meet the staffing reduction challenges caused by COVID-19!… Read the rest

Guest Blog Contributed by Chamber Member
Laurie Tarter of Laurie Tarter, LLC

The holidays are a great time for businesses and nonprofits to express appreciation and connect with customers, donors, and clients in a more personal way. Instead of your standard social media post with the same old boring and predictable graphic, share a heartwarming video to express your appreciation. A holiday video can bring a smile, a laugh, make someone tear-up, or simply remind your customers of the great things you’ve shared this year. Either way, it’s much more memorable than a simple picture or text.  A bonus for creating a video is that you can also load it on your website and share it in an email too!

It does not have to be a professional production… use your phone and make it festive and fun!… Read the rest

Do you have 2 to 50 employees? If so, we have great news for you!

Your Chamber has been working tirelessly for well over 2 years and with the assistance from our very own Gladys Boutwell of WHA Insurance, the Oregon State Chamber of Commerce has the first endorsed health plan!

What does that mean? It means that if you are a member of a Chamber of Commerce, like ours, and that Chamber is a member of the Oregon State Chamber, which we are, you can sign up for this health plan for your business and employees. This plan allows for a reduced rate to be passed along to members with 2-50 employees! 

This has been a long awaited plan. Please contact your Chamber for information on how to apply by emailing holli@wilsonvillechamber.com… Read the rest

Guest Blog Contributed by Chamber Member
Kyle Bunch of American Family Insurance

If you want to build lasting, meaningful relationships with your customers, it’s important to pay attention to their needs. Improve your business by focusing on your client’s story — exploring their frustrations and their joy — and that can help you understand what drives them. You’re also able to build empathy for your clients by interacting with them regularly, and that feedback can help you create a strategy for retention.

To win repeat buyers and build brand loyalty, as a business owner, you’ve got to be able to anticipate customers’ practical and emotional desires and respond to them. That means seeking out as many points of contact as possible to really appreciate your customer’s buying behavior.… Read the rest