By L. Michael Treadwell
ooc@oswegocounty.org
www.oswegocounty.org.
Like with private business, economic development technology and software is always evolving to be more effective and efficient in external and internal communications with clients, stakeholders and staff.
During 2022, Operation Oswego County, Inc. is investing in three technology and software platforms to improve our ability to provide economic development services.
OOC recently became a subscribing member of Global Site Location Industries (GSLI). It is an online software technology platform that connects economic development organizations, like Operation Oswego County, with businesses and site selectors looking globally to identify the best sites for relocation and expansion. GSLI acts as a curator of the process. They identify potential projects, evaluate them to determine if they are qualified leads, and then distribute this information to economic development organizations. The economic development organization can then submit properties in their area, if they are a good fit for the project. This makes OOC staff more effective, spending less time identifying and qualifying leads and more time trying to attract good companies to Oswego County. GSLI also assists the member communities to distribute their marketing materials to the companies and corporate site selectors who utilize their software.
OOC has also acquired new customer relationship management (CRM) software to assist in internal communication between staff and the businesses we serve. Benefits of the software are that staff can access the CRM from the office or the field, allowing them to access records and communicate in real time about companies during site visits, business surveys and stakeholder meetings.
This allows all staff to stay up-to-date on current projects and allows us to develop detailed reports, analyses, and metrics much more efficiently. It will certainly streamline how we perform our day-to-day work and should make us more effective when dealing with our clients and partners.
‘Investments in technology and software will improve how we reach potential investors and talent, how we interact with staff, businesses and stakeholders and will increase overall investment in Oswego County going forward.’
As a key initiative in the county’s economic advancement plan, OOC is working on the development of a collaborative economic development website portal. It will include all economic development stakeholders and critical community partners. It will act as a destination website for individuals and businesses wanting to learn more about living, working, playing and doing business in Oswego County. The web portal will act as a user-friendly, virtual kiosk. Within a few clicks, visitors will be directed to business development resources, workforce resources, tourism resources, housing and other pertinent information depending on their specific interests and needs. The portal will also be designed as a place-marketing website and could be used as part of an advertising campaign to attract businesses and talent to Oswego County.
‘[This new technology] will certainly streamline how we perform our day-to-day work and should make us more effective when dealing with our clients and partners.’
These investments in technology and software will improve how we reach potential investors and talent, how we interact with staff, businesses and stakeholders and will increase overall investment in Oswego County going forward.
If you’d like more information about OOC or economic development services in Oswego County, call my office at 343-1545 or visit our website at www.oswegocounty.org.
