Township of Esquimalt demonstrates best-practice business engagement with Monitor CRMS
Township of Esquimalt, BC, Canada
Overview
The Township of Esquimalt, a small and dynamic community of 18,000 residents on Vancouver Island, British Columbia, embarked on a transformative journey in economic development with the introduction of its first-ever Economic Development Officer (EDO), Terése Finegan. Tasked with building a foundational strategy for business engagement, Esquimalt adopted Monitor CRMS as a central tool for managing business relationships, facilitating communication, and driving data-driven decision-making.
The Challenge: A Blank Slate
Although previous task forces and council initiatives made some efforts, Esquimalt had never established a structured or consistent approach to engaging with businesses. Relying solely on basic contact details gathered through the business license process and a simple Excel sheet listing local businesses, Terése faced the significant challenge of organizing, tracking, and building meaningful relationships with the local business community effectively.
“I came into an office, blank computer, nothing... So, you know, got my hands on an Excel sheet of businesses and thought, okay, what do we do with this?”
Recognising the need for a robust system to manage economic development efforts, Terése sought a solution that could streamline communication, enhance relationship-building, and provide valuable insights for decision-making.
The Solution: Implementing Monitor CRMS
Monitor CRMS was one of the first tools Terése introduced as part of Esquimalt's three-year economic development action plan. It established a structured framework for categorising businesses, tracking interactions, and fostering proactive engagement with the local business community.
“Having Monitor right from the get-go has been so helpful in getting up to speed super quickly with the businesses in the community.”
With around 800 businesses in Esquimalt, Monitor CRMS enabled the economic development team to tag businesses by industry classification (NAICS codes) and tailor communication efforts based on these segments.
Key Benefits and Impact
1. Proactive Business Engagement
For the first time, Esquimalt had the ability to communicate directly with businesses in a strategic and structured manner. The Economic Development team used Monitor CRMS to send tailored Electronic direct mail (EDMs), keeping businesses informed about council initiatives, projects, and opportunities.
“Several businesses contacted me after receiving the first newsletter with positive comments. ‘This is amazing! It floated right to the top of my inbox. These were exactly the things I needed to know about.’”
This targeted approach reduced the burden on businesses by distilling relevant information, ensuring that crucial updates reached them without overwhelming their inboxes.
2. Data-Driven Decision Making
Monitor CRMS provides valuable insights into business interactions, enabling Esquimalt to identify trends, monitor engagement, and adjust strategies accordingly. (Advanced Engagement and Reporting module)
“If a director asks me a question, I can immediately pull up the data and say, ‘This issue is taking up 80% of my time right now. This is where we need to focus our efforts.’”
By tracking inquiries and business needs, the system allows the economic development team to prioritize initiatives that aligned with council and community priorities.
3. Efficient and Targeted Outreach
One of the most valuable features of Monitor CRMS was its mapping and segmentation capabilities, which proved highly useful in coordinating communication with businesses during Esquimalt’s Active Transportation Plan—a project involving major infrastructure changes that directly affected local businesses.
“I drew a line along the main road corridor in the map, tagged those businesses with ‘ATP’, and sent out a targeted newsletter—all in five to ten minutes.”
This precise outreach eliminated the need for manual searches and ensured that affected businesses received timely and relevant updates.
4. Emergency Management & Business Resilience
Monitor CRMS also played a supporting role in emergency management efforts. When the township needed to update its Essential Services Providers (ESS) List, Terése was able to quickly identify and reach out to relevant businesses.
“Our emergency management coordinator needed to invite businesses that might want to sign up to the ESS program. Instead of spending hours sorting through lists, I used Monitor to segment the data through the mapping and tagging tool and send a direct EDM in just a few minutes.”
“Our emergency management coordinator wanted to reach businesses that might want to sign up. Instead of spending hours sorting through lists, I used Monitor to pull the data and send a direct EDM in just 5–10 minutes.”
This rapid response capability is critical in times of crisis, ensuring that businesses are well-informed and able to contribute to emergency preparedness efforts.
The Future: Scaling Engagement and Efficiency
Esquimalt continues to expand its use of Monitor CRMS to strengthen business engagement and economic development initiatives. The system enables long-term relationship-building by ensuring that past interactions, meeting notes, and business needs are documented and easily accessible.
“An industry contact recently reached out to schedule a meeting. I quickly checked Monitor and saw that one of their colleagues had reached out a few months earlier. This allowed me to reference that previous conversation, showing that we are attentive and engaged”
Additionally, the ability to measure engagement—such as tracking email open rates—helps refine outreach strategies for maximum impact.
Lessons for Other Municipalities
For municipalities facing similar challenges in business engagement, Esquimalt’s experience highlights several best practices:
Start with a structured CRM: Having a centralised system ensures consistency and efficiency.
Segment and target communications: Using industry codes and mapping tools allows for precise engagement.
Use data to inform strategy: Tracking interactions helps align efforts with business needs.
Prioritize efficiency: A well-implemented CRM can save hours of administrative work.
Build long-term relationships: Maintaining a record of business interactions fosters trust and collaboration.
Conclusion
Esquimalt’s implementation of Monitor CRMS has transformed the township’s economic development approach, enabling efficient communication, data-driven decision-making, and proactive business engagement. By leveraging a structured system, Esquimalt has set a strong foundation for supporting its business community, making it a model for other municipalities across Canada.
“For any council uncertain about adopting it, take it from those of us using it—the benefits far outweigh the initial learning curve. It’s saving time, enhancing engagement, and ultimately strengthening the local economy”
Esquimalt’s journey serves as a testament to how strategic CRM implementation can empower local governments to better support their business communities while enhancing overall economic development outcomes.