Last month, Smith Optics held its annual Dealer Advisory Board Meeting with key retailers from different channels of trade. The Dealer Advisory Board provided strategic input to all aspects of the company then enjoyed a day of snowboarding/skiing in Sun Valley. The retail board offered direction on Smiths marketing, advertising, promotions and sunglass, goggle and helmet product lines.
“The input we received from the previous Dealer Advisory Board meetings directed us to provide a lifetime warranty for our products, expand our polarized offering and improve our dealer communication,” said Blair Clark, Smith Optics Senior VP of Sales and Marketing. “This year, we brought together vastly different retailers from each of our channels of trade. For some of the retailers, Smith Optics is the market leader in their store and for others were more challenged, but it was enlightening for the dealers and Smith employees alike to hear the unique challenges we face in different segments of the market.”
With a diverse group that included snowboard shops, surf specialty dealers, resort businesses, outdoor shops, sunglass specialty and optical retailers the dialogue was very lively and the comments from the group will help Smith Optics pave its path toward the future.
“Having had the privilege to attend both dealer advisory meetings has been an extremely valuable experience,” said George Lesure of EMS. “The opportunity to exchange ideas and opinions about the state of the sunglass business in general and Smith specifically is tremendous. To be empowered to review and comment upon future product and direction of the Smith brand is a path that would serve many companies well. I applaud the Smith team for having the foresight and courage to bring such a diverse retail group together, and even more so for listening, considering and acting upon all that was thrown at them from sources all over the specialty retail spectrum.”
“I feel the meetings were very beneficial for Smith and for Milo,” commented Josh Roberts from Milosport. “I look forward to seeing many of the items we discussed be implemented by Smith. I was also able to learn from the other business on what is working for them in their respective markets. I had a great time and learned a lot.”
“The take away was learning from other dealers, in different markets, what specific needs their customers are requesting,” added Roberta Johnson from sportsvisionbend. “Now we have a greater appreciation of how hard the task at Smith Optics is to be all things to all channels of retail. It is great to know someone is listening to the dealer base.”
