The Point S Annual Convention took place on September 19 and 20 in Tremblant, Quebec with 260 participants from across Canada in attendance.

The strong turnout is indicative of the 252 Point S Canada merchants’ commitment and drive to network and navigate the latest industry updates.

President and CEO of Point S Canada, Jean Novak notes that the banner’s merchant network continues to make inroads throughout Canada, while consolidating its base in Quebec.

“The acquisition of distributor North Country in Western Canada has allowed us to extend our relationships not only with merchants, of course, but also with customers, suppliers and new partners.”

Network Vice-President, Daniel Beauvais went into detail on this and provided delegates with the latest updates on the development. The network is dynamic and the brand’s reputation is attracting not only new customers, but also an ever-increasing number of entrepreneurs to the Point S banner.

CEO of Point S International, Fabien Bouquet was also present at the Convention. He addressed international market issues, providing added value to the conversation. Canadian shops benefit from the expertise Point S has gleaned at the international level, which translates into best practices and the ability to adapt to market trends.

At the national level, the automotive market is evolving along with underlying trends. Novak explained that the gradual recovery in new vehicle sales means that the Canadian fleet of 26 million vehicles is aging, which translates into excellent opportunities for independent tire and mechanic shops. “We’re also seeing a growing trend towards people acquiring SUVs and vans rather than passenger vehicles. Add to that growing electric vehicle sales—9% in Canada—and what we can see is that the market is evolving, and our service offering needs to evolve along with it.”

In light of this, the network will support merchants in developing their electric vehicle maintenance and repair skills, while ensuring specific tire supply.

Executive Vice-President of Growth and Strategic Partnerships, Leif Ellefsen addressed this issue during his presentation on current and future product portfolio projects. He also took the opportunity to inform participants about team evolution, logistics and related functions.

Point S Canada President stated that the company is in a solid position, adding that the network works hard to grow and support merchant profitability by helping with recruitment and human resources development. Vice-President of Marketing and Communications, Maxime-Olivier Gauthier weighed in on Point S brand strength and elaborated on the new ad campaign set to launch this fall, stating that brand recognition in Canada is largely due to eye-catching and remarkably effective marketing campaigns.

Relevant workshops

The Convention featured several specialized workshops. The first dealt with employee experience. Human resources experts, Sara-Christine Rousseau and Alexandra BG shared information on how merchants can create a work environment that attracts and retains talent.

Philippe Trudel Guerbilsky and Pascal Côté, from the firm QuatreCentreQuatre then discussed the various tools available to merchants who would like to boost their reputation locally. Finally, Martin Gauthier and Marilyse Dionne, from Sid Lee shared consumer expectations with merchants, with a view to deepening their understanding of current market trends. Understanding consumer needs means positioning yourself to serve them well and build their loyalty.

Social events

Obviously, all of these presentations and tools aimed at enriching Point S network members’ business experience were offset with opportunities to socialize and broaden one’s social horizons. Renowned athlete, Laurent Duvernay-Tardif gave a much appreciated talk. His presentation about how success accompanies boldness inspired many. The day ended with a western-themed evening.

As the Convention wound down, participants got a chance to enjoy some free time on the slopes of Mont Tremblant. The Convention came to a close with a gala evening, including a supper show hosted by Gregory Charles.

“I think we can say that the Convention has been a success!” Novak exclaimed. “We’ve made it clear that we stand by our merchants, that we are here to support them and help them grow their business. We also shared our network development strategy with a view to seizing the opportunities that present themselves to us. And we’ve pledged to uphold our commitment to maintaining our reputation here in Quebec, and to ensuring it spreads throughout Canada, by adapting our message to various regional market realities.”

Here are some photos from this memorable event.