NEWSLETTERS

NEWSLETTERS - Visionary rent-to-own vendor Norm Smith dies

Visionary rent-to-own vendor Norm Smith dies

APRO's first vendor of the year, Norm Smith, died Tuesday in Illinois. The former Zenith rental market sales head was 81.

APRO's first vendor of the year, Norm Smith, 81, former head of rental market sales for Zenith, died Tuesday morning at Glenbrook Hospital in Glenview, Illinois, due to complications arising from his recent open-heart surgery.

To say Smith had a significant impact on the rent-to-own industry would be an understatement.

Without Norm Smith, Zenith may never have saddled up to the burgeoning, but still evolving industry. In any case, the company could never have found a more researched, inspired or dedicated torch-bearer to build it's rental division when it tapped Smith in 1982.

That's when Smith, one of the industry's best known consumer electronics experts, realized the growth potential for durable manufacturers in the rental industry. He pitched the idea to long-time friend Walter Fisher, then president of the Zenith Sales Company.

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2012 APRO Convention and Trade Show

July 24-26, Memphis, TN

Attendee Information

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Thank you APRO 2012 Sponsors

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RTOHQ: The Magazine
RTOHQ: The Magazine is the Association of Progressive Rental Organizations' award-winning rent-to-own industry magazine, and it's available here.

CLICK HERE FOR OUR DIGITAL RTOHQ: THE MAGAZINE

 

RTOHQ: The Magazine’s upgraded digital format

APRO's new, mobile-ready magazine is now available in addition to our print edition. The digital format provides the same informative content as our printed magazine, but also offers tools to make the reading experience more enriching. Access the table of contents page with one click or tap. Get additional information from advertisers by clicking on the links in their ads. The interface is easy to navigate and requires no special app—read our magazine on your computer, digital table or smartphone. Click here to access the digital version of RTOHQ: The Magazine March-April 2012.

 

 

A New Rent-to-Own Experience

by Neil Ferguson

Here’s the lowdown on APRO’s 2012 Convention and Trade Show, July 24-26 in Memphis. The RTO industry’s big event will offer many valuable experiences, including insights on how to turn your stores into “experiences”–the good kind for consumers

 

Who Is Your Competition?

by Bill Keese

In order to expand your customer base, you can learn a lot by observing your competitors. But first, you need to figure out just who they are. If you think your only competition is the rent-to-own store down the street, you’re not considering the bigger picture. APRO’s executive director offers a big-picture perspective.

 

A Review of Online Customer Complaints

by Ed Winn III

While rent-to-own companies have not cornered the market on negative reviews posted on consumer complaint websites, it’s no surprise that there are cyberspace beefs against RTO. APRO’s general counsel reviews some of them in search of a pattern and he considers appropriate response to online complaints.

 

Rent-to-Own Families, Part VIII

by Kristen Card

Our series of family-run rent-to-own businesses continues with profiles of the Homeiers in Kansas and two Texas-based sets of kindred colleagues, the Spangles and the Weisblatts.

 

 

Future issues of APRO's magazine will be available in this same new format. Click here to access past issues that are not yet archived in the new interface.

 

Association of Progressive Rental Organizations
1504 Robin Hood Trail
Austin, Texas 78703
800/204-2776, ext. 103
Fax 512/794-0097