VBIC was officially developed in
fiscal year 2002 through the use of existing resources,
including experienced economic developers who began
staffing the call center. It was designed to improve
communication, reduce service redundancy and provide
businesses with easier access to resources. The need
for increased access to information via a centralized
entry point was sparked by the efforts of a the small
business initiative steering committee, comprised of
business, educational and state agency leaders
throughout the Commonwealth.
The VBIC representatives respond
to a range of inquiries from simply “getting
started” to other very business specific
questions. The four man VBIC team can be reached by
telephone, e-mail or letter and typically respond to
business related inquiries within 24 hours of receipt.
Now, with the development of the
business portal, users can navigate the state’s
business services on their own, contact VBIC via a
“live chat” option, or simply call or email
VBIC representatives.
“The VBIC is great for those
who are unable to find what they are looking for, for
those who have a very specific business questions or
those that simply feel they need to speak to a real
person,” said VBIC representative Will Vehrs.
“But by simply navigating this new portal, many
users may be surprised just how quickly they find what
they need.”
The multi pronged approach to state
business assistance is a necessity according to DBA
Existing Business Services Manager Wayne Waldrop, who
insists that not all business services can be
automated.
“Since every business is
different and every business has different risk levels,
all we can do is provide them with information,”
he said. “Business owners wear many hats, so
their time is precious. We hope this portal can save
them unnecessary steps.”
