 Poster: A snowHead
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Cheers, Latchigo. Have a nice afternoon.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Returning to the subject:
| Latchigo wrote: |
| David Goldsmith wrote: |
| I admit that we used to spin a yarn or two, but most people left the shop with a beam on their face. |
....and there's us Snowheads thinking you were a paragon of virtue, an earnest and incorruptible seeker after the truth.  |
Well, it's worth a shot!
Working in a ski shop is working to the 'business drive' of the owner. The ski shop I worked for in 1975-7 was a money magnet. Alpine Sports, 309 Brompton Road, South Kensington. Alpine Sports had the most powerful chain of ski shops in town. Marketing Director was Mike Browne, who went on to found Snow+Rock.
Ski equipment was phenomenally easy to sell in those days. Sales of skis in the UK were several times what they were in the 1990s and (I think) the 2000s. Marketing hype fell from the sky like a morning snowstorm. We got caught up in it. We were young and easily influenced!
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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David Goldsmith, I bought skis from Alpine Sports- Dynamics. Alpine had a branch opposite Charing Cross station. I had skied with someone who worked there.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Interesting. That would have been when Alpine Sports was approaching its death throes. Smallzookeeper confirmed to me a while back that Martin Green, who started Alpine Sports in (guessing here) about 1971, still has a booming snowboard store in Chamonix. Don't know its name.
I was focused on skateboard hardware in my last year at Alpine Sports. The company made a mint out skateboards - completely stole the market during the big boom.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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p.s. I also remember a crap, but extremely tough, Alpine ski bag I got.
There was no zip. You just pushed the skis in the open end and tightened a strap to keep everything in place.
You needed a lot of room to pack and unpack them.
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Yeah, I had one of those. No BS there!
Everything that came out of Alpine Sports was 'tough and long-lasting' .... the place was an endurance test!
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Latchigo, It was cotton or canvas wasn't it - I had one too.
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David Murdoch, Yes navy canvas or cotton with white Alpine Sports logo.
Two metres of ski plus two metres of bag laid across the floor. You had to wiggle the poles into place part way through the packing process.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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David Goldsmith, Zero-G is Martins latest incarnation of his camp approach to all mountain! The Large-one worked for him too. 
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No zip to fall apart. I'm embarrassed to admit I may still have it!
What are the best, BS-free, ski bags these days? Anyone have any views?
[Edit: the zip remark is about the ski bag, not my former boss]
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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SMALLZOOKEEPER, next time you see Martin Green ask him what he thought of skiing on some Italian skis called 'Maxel Hot Run'.
Then I'll tell you what I thought about skiing on them. The man was a hoot. Hugely provocative, hated authority. The directors of Alpine Sports spent a significant percentage of the profits on (not) paying parking tickets.
There was also a legendary bankruptcy auction of ski equipment. Ask him about that!
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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David Goldsmith, It will warm your heart to know, nothing has changed. I think he's a breath of fresh air.
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He once turned up at the UK ski trade show, which was held at that time in Harrogate, with an 'anti-bull$h1t aerosol'.
This was liberally sprayed at several ski equipment distributors' stands.
Just thought I'd bring things back to topic.
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You know it makes sense.
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SMALLZOOKEEPER, Sorry, had to go and do some work but in my absence I see that the thread shagger has been playing around. Ok so Crunchie's are Salomons, light and insubstantial, whereas Snickers are solid and interesting which would equate to...what in terms of ski?
I guess that most BS is talked because the buyers/renters don't understand all the technical details of the product (and probably don't want to) so they get what they deserve?
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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halfhand, On the nose. It is all about client/salesperson relations. But you need to get your selves informed in advance. SNOWHEADS is good for that.
FULL CIRCLE!
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Poster: A snowHead
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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halfhand, I'll take 2 king size Snickers, cheers.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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I have to say though, Salomon's marketing department is brilliant. They manage to sell so many skis!
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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veeeight, I think the Marketting Budget is 30% bigger than R&D! 
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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SMALLZOOKEEPER, When one knows little of a subject one should keep it zipped 
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LARGEZOOKEEPER, That's direct, would you suffer the same? After all......................................................
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I witnessed, at first hand, the launch of the Salomon ski in 1990. It was brilliantly timed for the first bite of winter - 30 November, or thereabouts - at Val Thorens.
Except that Val T had no snow! The whole circus was moved, in haste, to Saas Fee in Switzerland ... where the assembled ski equipment hacks were handed Val T promotional stuff! We had arrived in a fleet of Renault Espaces, with the first call at Salomon HQ in Annecy, where we were addressed by Georges Salomon.
The skis - hundreds of them - were assembled on the glacier above Saas Fee, with hundreds of competing manufacturers' skis. We tested them and compared them ...
... and that is where this tale must end for the moment, though it was merely the beginning of a most intriguing journey ... and some aspects of BS that still intrigue me to this day.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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<<< "monocoque construction" >>>
That was classic Salomon!
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I'm sorry, i didn't realise this thread was for flashbacks to days of old for past it skiers  , I was mistaken for thinking we were talking about quality sales technique 
For what its worth - having been a very successful business to business sales person for over 12 years, I can say that 90% of salesmen/women/people do BS to get the deal, especially if comission is involved - I myself have been guilty of such a crime, however, when one gets burned one ceases to mislead the public and sell them what it is they actually want instead, after laying out all options and informing said customer.
Marketing is one thing, but sales is another - never the twain shall meet, for example - McDonalds advertise constantly on TV, doesn't mean I would eat their awful Shizzle.
There are those that WILL be sold to and those that WONT, each situation and person is different and requires differing approaches, not always BS which is why so called SALES TRAINING does not work, people are not robots.
I myself know my abilities, know what i want after doing my own research and purchase at the cheapest price, if I dont get a good deal first off I go elsewhere - others should do the same!
for the record I WISH I MADE 100% MARGIN ON ALL MY PRODUCTS (coughs - K2 skis - coughs)
A
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| adam_button wrote: |
...for the record I WISH I MADE 100% MARGIN ON ALL MY PRODUCTS (coughs - K2 skis - coughs)
A |
You do KNOW what 100%, means don't you?
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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yes lol
A
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adam_button, not sure where you got that figure from, but it's not factually accurate, according to Bill Nichol, who you must know better than I do, if he's telling you different information.
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You know it makes sense.
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btw, my post above ties back into the title, as I am calling the previous poster on his BS!
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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SMALLZOOKEEPER, so what chocolate bar are Rossignols then? And what type of skis are my favourite bar Giant Mars?
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Poster: A snowHead
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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David Murdoch, 
Did you ever try them?
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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Wow, no wonder you wanted them when you were a kid, what were you after - Darth Vader black or the orange things?
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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marc gledhill, I tried them on many, many times in Alpine Sports, Sauchiehall Street, Glasgow. My Parents are loving and generous people But I'm afraid the budget only stretched to Nordica Comp GT Juniors. (Probably as uncomfortable as the Hansons...)
FenlandSkier, BOTH! ALL! And Fischer Racing Cuts too! (not that I'd really have known what to do with them!)
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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David Murdoch, I worked there in 1980, did I serve you
David Goldsmith, Were you ever at 114, I spent some time there with Dave the Aussie, Ripple and Piglet although I was mainly based at Holborn with Aaaaangie, Flick etc.....
By the way Martin sends his love
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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LARGEZOOKEEPER, probably! We're in town Saturday, fancy a beer?
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David Murdoch, I'm in Portillo right now, back on the 9th, love one then
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LARGEZOOKEEPER, if you see Mike Rogan, say hello from me.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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LARGEZOOKEEPER, I want to work with people called RIPPLE and PIGLET!
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marc gledhill, I skied in Hanson boots on Cairngorm in the winter of 1975-6. We had a little team of promotional skiers up on the hill, kitted out in all the latest tech. Hanson were pretty dreadful (if stunningly distinctive) boots, because the unadjustable shell offered inadequate heel hold-down. The introduction of the first Salomon rear-entry SX90 in around 1979 swept them away. Then rear-entry almost monopolised the market for years, but Hanson bit the dust. Salomon were incredibly influential, but their patents frustrated all serious competition.
LARGEZOOKEEPER, I was mainly at 309 Brompton Road, but when Alpine bought The Ski Shop in Notting Hill Gate I worked there for a while. Then, back to 309 for the skateboard boom. Give Martin my warmest regards, and tell him I still remember that bulging envelope of tenners he gave me as a Christmas bonus once. Nice touch!
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