Estimated read time: 8 min.
Many great things happen in summer, but, to us, few can beat the annual meeting of the Pulsar brand ambassadors. Each year, we fly the team from all over Europe to Vilnius, and for a couple of days, all eyes are on our hunters. And while they will tell you that you had to be there to truly understand the charm of the meeting, today, we’ll try to share a snippet of our fantastic time.
Meeting up in Vilnius
The Pulsar HQ is based in Vilnius, Lithuania. This is where our main factory stands, and this is where we always begin the legendary meetings. After informal dinners with those who came earlier and breakfasts with those who flew in later, we opened the doors to our factory. As Liudas Abišala, head of marketing at Pulsar, says, “The goal of these visits is to show our ambassadors that Pulsar isn’t just a corporation full of people with shirts and ties”. These are real people with strengths, talents and extraordinary personalities that make Pulsar the way it is. Surely, the ambassadors get to chat with some of them, but meeting them in real life, seeing how people from the R&D department work, how the devices are assembled, and other behind-the-scenes processes is a unique experience.
And, judging from impressions that Claus Andersen, a Danish hunter who currently resides in Sicily, shared, the goal was fulfilled over and above.
You can see with how much care people make these devices. We, hunters, say that hunting is our lifestyle, and you can see that working at Pulsar is, too, a lifestyle. It’s not just a job. These people take pride in what they do.
Claus Andersen
The anticipated product testing
Tuesday ended with perhaps the most anticipated part of every meeting – product testing. As usual, it involved multiple devices – including those that we can’t talk about yet. As Liudas explains, having hunters share feedback about devices that are still in their prototype phase is crucial for successful product development: “We are always curious to see what the real users of these devices think. When creating them, we have an idea of what needs they should fulfill, but we can’t assess the products objectively because we know what they’re supposed to do. Meanwhile, hunters who don’t know anything about a particular device yet, are always very honest, and their feedback is both informative and beneficial.”
Christoph Studeny, an Austrian hunter, described the testing of the devices as his favorite part of the whole meeting, naming the Pulsar Merger LRF XL50 as the most impressive device. To Claus, the testing, too, was incredibly fun, although he admitted he could “spend two days just looking at the devices”. And while we didn’t have as much time, the Danish hunter still managed to pick a favorite – the yet-to-be-released Pulsar Merger LRF XQ35 “because it’s so light and versatile”.
These binoculars also caught the attention of Andrea Lysvold, a Norwegian huntress based in the Lofoten Islands. Having tried both the XP and XL versions previously, she says that XQ “surprised with their [compact] size and high quality, which makes them great for stalking, when you need to walk and carry your equipment the entire day.”
One, perhaps slightly unexpected, star that arose after testing was the Pulsar Krypton 2 FXG50. Here is why Stefan Orman, a hunter from Sweden, likes it: “Hands down, I‘m a Krypton freak. I like to be versatile when I‘m out. So, Krypton, for me, delivers all of it in a tiny compact package. I don‘t need to carry two scopes with me or a handheld. You‘ve got everything with it, really.” Even his British counterpart Phil Taylor admitted to being pleasantly surprised by the new thermal imaging attachment: “I’ve never been a massive fan of the first Krypton, but the Krypton 2, after trying it out, looked really nice. I’m interested in having a further look at it later.”
All the learning
Aside from the factory visit and extensive device testing, we always make sure that our ambassadors leave Lithuania having learned something new. This year, we planned multiple presentations and workshops to enrich both the practical and theoretical knowledge of the hunters. Our colleagues presented some insightful tips about using the devices, Stefan talked about firearms safety, hunters learned to make reels and improved their photography skills, among others. We also had a professional videographer who shared insights on making product review videos – which turned out to be much harder than they looked. “It looks very easy, but it‘s a complicated process. I‘ve been trying to do these things at home, and it is madness. Something that you think would take five minutes takes a whole day. But there were some techniques here that I definitely will take with me and hopefully will be able to apply at home,” says Stefan.
As for the product-related tips, Christoph really enjoyed that the presentations covered both the basics and the in-depth nuances, while Claus admitted to having been pleasantly surprised that people here are “so willing to share their experiences and can answer most of my questions. And I have totally crazy questions sometimes!”
Liudas also shares that it’s important to him – and the whole company – that people learn not only about the products and their use but also about hunting itself. And we’re happy to see that this goal is being fulfilled, too. As Andrea, who’s participated in the ambassadors’ meeting for the second time this year, pointed out, the learning process never stops: “I feel like I‘ve learned new things all throughout last year, all the time. I’ve learned so much, and there’s even more new stuff to learn. Last year, I didn’t know anything, but now I understand all the numbers and specifications. I feel like this year, I have more to say and contribute.”
The hunters also had a product feedback and suggestion session, where they could share insights about current products – and what they expect to see in the future. This is arguably the place where the people standing behind Pulsar learn the most because we get to talk to people who will be using these products in real life. But it is just as rewarding for the hunters. “I think my favorite part is when we brainstorm about functionality, and every now and then, we come up with ideas that are actually implemented. For instance, Henrik and I pushed the scalable interface for Krypton. We were annoying Liudas about it, and it eventually became a reality. I think when you get to share your experience, knowledge and needs, and that becomes a part of the product, it‘s very rewarding,” says Stefan.
The lifelong friendships
“There is no secret that one of the goals of these meetings is team building. People have been chatting with each other for months, but few have met in real life, so here, they get to know each other,” Liudas says when asked about the less-formal part of the meeting. And, perhaps unsurprisingly, it’s a favorite of many. As Phil, one of the oldest members of the team, notes, “The more time we spend together, the more we feel like a team and a family. Being and socializing with everybody is the best part. I’m sure there’s plenty of brands out there in the world that have ambassadors’ teams, but I’m not sure there’s the comradery anywhere else like there is on the Pulsar team.”
To Andrea, the relationships developed in the Pulsar family are also unique: “My favorite part is getting together with everyone on the team. Talking about our experiences, what we do, getting feedback, tips and help from people who are really talented. Just having a good time together. It’s a nice team spirit.”
What’s really important to us is that new members feel as welcome as the old ones. And Claus assures us we’ve managed to succeed in this: “I knew one other member and spoke to another on the phone, but I never met the rest. Yet, after 30 minutes of talking, I felt like I was already a part of the new family. So I think that’s really great that everyone is so open.”
How do we achieve this? Well, perhaps some of it is luck, but it’s quite a bit of hard work, too. Liudas and his team speak to every candidate on the phone during the application process to ensure that the right chemistry is there. “I’m really happy that once again we’ve managed to select the people that are crazy. But the right kind of crazy – the one where they share lots of banter, but care for each other unconditionally, too.”
Being and socializing with everybody is the best part. I’m sure there’s plenty of brands out there in the world that have ambassadors’ teams, but I’m not sure there’s the comradery anywhere else like there is on the Pulsar team.
Phil Taylor
Before purchasing any night or thermal vision device, please make sure you adhere to the local legislation and only use it when it is allowed. Our ambassadors come from various countries and travel a lot, which allows them to test different devices. We do not encourage or support the illegal use of our devices in any events. If you wish to learn more about export and sales restriction policy, please visit the following link: Export and Sales Restriction Policy.