Before I left France I was interviewed by the manager of the Polaris Club in France. It is their riders club, and currently has close to 12,000 members. This article showed up in their second quarter magazine that goes to all members and dealers. Who knew I would leave my mark in France???? You can click on the image to see a larger version.
Here is the English translation:
1. Can you to present yourself (name, first name, acts. ...), to describe us the role that you hold with Polaris Inc and we to explain your mission in Europe?My name is Beth Shimanski. I am in my third year with Polaris. I am the International Marketing Specialist. My job is to help create a strong brand for Polaris around the world with our subsidiaries and distributors. We currently have 8 subsidiaries and 43 distributors. I work with each of them to help them market Polaris in their countries by providing tools that are created from the different product groups in the US. We work to make Polaris a quality brand around the world. I also work to help them work better together and learn form each other.
My assignment in Europe was to better understand what it is like to work in a subsidiary. I also am learning how Polaris France works with the press, dealers, customers and more. I have been able to attend the dealer meeting, the SIMA exhibition, and the Monaco Quad Masters event. My job is to help all of the international team better communicate and share ideas so we can build a more consistent Polaris brand around the world.
Part of my assignment is also to bring back best practices from France and Europe to the US and help the US groups better understand what we need internationally to build the Polaris brand. I hope to open the lines of communication more and help Polaris grow even more around the world.
2. You were athlete of high level in swimming, what drove you to the quad and with Polaris Inc?I competed for 13 years in competitive swimming including four years at the University of Minnesota. I am still involved in swimming today. I coach a local high school team with ages ranging from 12-18 years.
I have always had an interest in marketing from my studies and when I interviewed with Polaris, the culture really attracted me. Polaris is a very passionate company. The people love riding and love the products we produce. I had road quads since I was young and the opportunity to work for Polaris was a perfect fit for me.
3. The method of usage of the quad in Europe is it different in comparison with the one practiced to the US?I find that the riders in France have a very strong passion for riding and really use their products how they were meant to be used. I have found the riders are very passionate about the Polaris brand and are very proud to ride. Many times I will see a group of riders or hear of an event that brings together many different riders. My first week on the job I attended the first Polaris Camp. It was muddy, raining, and cold, but the Polaris riders were having a great time. I see these types of events happening more in France and Europe.
One major difference is the on-road use. Last weekend I was driving in Annecy and saw two quads on the other side of the road. This is one major difference in how we use the products in the different countries.
4. What you it most surprised on our practice method?
I am surprised by how often people ride. In the US a group may plan to go for a day ride on a weekend once in a month. It is a special event if they load up their units and drive to a trail to ride. I have found that people in France ride as often as they can. They get friends together and go riding very often. It seems to be a very social event. I think the Club helps with keeping people riding together.
The use with the agriculture is similar, but I think the farmers in France use their quads for more than just riding around the land. I attended the SIMA show in Paris and saw so many options for the quads with farming that I have not seen in the US. Mowers, sprayers, etc.
5. What did you learn personally about your time in France?I have a new appreciation for the French culture, lifestyle and riding. When you only visit a place for a short time, you really don't see the true culture of a company or a country. I have found a passionate team of employees, dealers and customers at Polaris France. I have also seen many wonderful places and people in France and Tunisia. I truly appreciate the beauty of nature and history and saw both of that many times while in France.
In the US we joke with the Polaris France team about their long lunches, casual work environment and relaxed lifestyle. I will walk away from this project with a new respect for the work ethic and commitment that the Polaris France team shows. They go above what is expected to help out each other, dealers, customers, press or other Polaris distributors or subsidiaries. Their commitment to the Polaris brand is apparent in all they do. They take great pride in working for this company and I hope to take back that same pride. I have learned a lot working with Manu, Thierry and Rene along with the rest of the team. Their level of commitment to Polaris and the Polaris network is something I hope to bring back with me and hopefully bring to the US and around the world.
