“AI is very probably the new revolution for our profession”

Skiset was born in 1994 and has gone through several economic cycles and changes in skiing. Looking back, which major transformations have most shaped the Skiset model, and which will be decisive for the next decade?

From the creation of SKiSET, the founding members had the desire to define quality standards (which did not exist at the market level at the time) and to innovate, both in terms of products (introduction of the first women’s ski in 2002, launch of the lightest ski on the market in 2011, Ultimate range of shoes, etc.), as well as in terms of the process (integration of 3D foot scanner technology from 2017) and in terms of team training. (brand-specific training course: SKiSET Coach, Accueil Mémorable, SKiSET Management). Innovation is part of the brand’s DNA and has continued to structure its evolution for 32 years.

On the economic level and maturity of the brand, I would present the following main stages:

1994 / 2004: the first ten years correspond to the launch of the brand then the development of the network in France

2004/2010: international network development

2010/2019: from 1994 to 2010, growth is driven by the development of the network and the growth of the rental market. From 2009/2010, we enter a phase of economic maturity: this phase of slower growth on the commercial level is accompanied by much stronger “brand marketing” work, to anchor the brand, improve the customer experience digitally and in stores and optimize the creation of value for affiliates.

2019/2025: the single-brand SKiSET group becomes multi-brand with the creation of Netski in 2019, the takeover of the Go Sport Montagne network in 2020, the integration of the Skimium network and brand in 2021, the acquisition of Notrespace (company managing the Notresphere.com platform) in 2024.

On a commercial level, the creation of SKiSET was based on the idea of ​​bringing together the best operators to market themselves on international markets, with common quality standards. From 1994 to 2002, this marketing relied almost exclusively on French and international Tour Operators.

The development of tourist residences from the end of the 1990s generated a strong growth of hot beds in the resorts concerned by the ZRR, expanding the number of destinations marketed on the markets (national and international).

From 2002, the advent of the internet revolutionized the marketing of ski rental.

AI is very probably the new revolution for our profession, at the heart of the digital strategy of our brands and more generally, of the corporate strategy of the CLS -Ski Company group.

As head of Skiset, how would you describe your strategic vision today? What do you personally want to bring to the brand in this new phase of its development?

The presence of our brands in high altitude areas in France and Europe dilutes the risks linked to a regional snow deficit. We are confident about the future of winter sports equipment rental, but we nevertheless have an obligation to explore new growth avenues for our stores, particularly in mid-mountains.

Concrete translation for the SKiSET brand: on the ski rental activity, strengthening the quality of the customer experience and accelerating the CSR commitment of affiliated operators.

Investments in customer experience aim to personalize the service: integration of technologies and products (3D scanners, Ultimate shoe offering), support for our affiliates on a human level (recruitment, loyalty, increased team skills).

At the same time, we are carrying out experiments, centered on mid-mountain resorts, on the evolution of the economic model of stores: the objective being to support our operators so that activities which are potential growth drivers (notably Outdoor) are economically relevant.

In terms of CSR, the role of the brand is to get all the networks on board: from 2010, SKiSET engaged in a voluntary approach to collecting and recycling rental equipment. Today, it is about promoting collective actions (eco-responsible product development and purchasing, REP collection and sector, “Zero Waste Mountain” charter) and sharing the initiatives implemented locally: the 1^era eco-friendly store approach undertaken in France is that of the operator SKiSET of Monêtiers-les-bains, corporate carbon footprint, eco-responsible product experiments. The group’s CSR commitment is reflected both on the transition/sustainable development side (CLS-Ski Company is a founding member of Montagne Change Makers) and on the solidarity side (creation of the Rose solidarity ski for the benefit of research against cancer, commitment to various associations and foundations: Enfance et Montagne, Odyssea, etc.).

And the 3^th strategic pillar, more transversal, of course concerns AI!

Global warming is already changing the attendance and seasonality of resorts. How is Skiset adapting its economic model to remain efficient in this new context?

Concretely, this adaptation is based on three complementary levers.

First, the progressive diversification of the activity. In resorts where the weather can become more unpredictable, stores must broaden their offering while retaining their mountain DNA. We therefore support our affiliates towards a more outdoor-oriented offer and towards complementary services allowing to smooth the activity and strengthen the attractiveness all year round.

Then, the improvement of team skills. We invest heavily in the training of managers in order to improve operational performance, customer experience and the ability of stores to adapt in a more uncertain environment.

Finally, environmental commitment structures our model. We carried out our first group carbon assessment, structured our participation in the EPR sector, strengthened the collection and recycling of used equipment and signed the charter of the Great Sports Collection. Our rental model, by nature based on optimizing the lifespan of equipment, is fully in line with a circular economy logic.

Online booking, data and even AI are transforming retail. What priority investments have you made to streamline the customer journey, from reservation to return of equipment?

Strategic subject!

Digitalization at SKiSET meets a simple objective: to streamline each stage of the customer journey, before, during and after the stay.

Upstream, we have invested heavily in our online reservation platform, accessible on all media. Today, a majority of traffic is done on mobile, which has led us to optimize the ergonomics, speed and clarity of the offer. Customers can view the material, access personalized advice and benefit from offers tailored to their profile. The diversity of secure payment methods and translation into 12 languages ​​also make it possible to support international customers.

We have also developed tools promoting digital continuity, such as the integrated wallet which centralizes reservation information, or the integration of QR codes in our campaigns to facilitate the transition from offline to online.

In store, technology is used for personalization and time saving, in particular thanks to 3D scanning of the foot which allows the most suitable shoe to be quickly identified. Sharing data within the network guarantees a consistent and optimized experience, including when booking at another resort.

Finally, digitalization does not replace humans: our customer service, available 7 days a week in season, completes the system to secure the journey until the return of the equipment.

For us, AI constitutes a lever for continuous improvement of these tools, always with the same ambition: to simplify the experience and strengthen the quality of service.

Skiset relies on a large network of members. How do you find the balance between a strong brand framework and local entrepreneurial freedom?

Our job is to manage networks of independent stores affiliated with the group’s brands. This operation is based on the balance of the relationship between the operator and the brand: there is indeed an operating framework, governed by an affiliation contract, on the one hand and on the other hand a shared desire between the affiliate and the brand to succeed together. The role of the brand is to unite the operators around the vision defined by the founders and to provide the “toolbox” which will allow everyone to improve their performance. This “toolbox” has been built over time, based on the needs expressed by the affiliates themselves: if the commercial power of the brand remains central, the relationship is also based on the effectiveness of support services (administrative efficiency, HR support, referencing and purchasing service, CSR approach, etc.).

To return to your question, there can be a “strong” framework as soon as interests converge. If the network is not involved in a project, it is because the teaching was insufficient or because it deserves to be reworked… when this happens, it is up to us to review our copy.

The fact that each brand has an Executive Committee made up of operators affiliated with the brand makes it possible to maintain strong proximity between the group’s operations and services.

Beyond the speeches, what indicators do you follow to really measure the reduction in the environmental footprint of the group and its stores?

At the group level, the 1^is carbon footprint was carried out in 2025.

At the operator level, certain companies (Belle Plagne, Monêtiers-les-bains) carried out a carbon assessment last year. The day dedicated to sharing CSR initiatives within the group aims to share their feedback with other affiliates. The 2^th edition will be held on July 2, 2026.

Comments collected by Alain Jouve