R Retail Excellence Awards
SWEETWATER Fort Wayne, Indiana
Founded: 1979 Principals: Mike Clem, CEO Locations: 1 Employees: 2,500
needed to connect with customers. “Our manufacturers are true part- ners, and we succeed together,” Clem said. “Many manufacturers have offices right here on our campus in what we call Ven- dor Village. That proximity allows our sales engineers to interact with brand reps daily, to learn directly from them, and to share real-time feedback from customers. Beyond day-to-day collaboration, we regularly host webinars, roundtables and insight-sharing sessions where we exchange ideas, trends and best practices. This open flow of in- formation helps both our partners and our teams make smarter decisions, improve products and create better experiences for music makers everywhere.” Clem said Sweetwater’s Vendor Village ensures that Sweetwater and its respective manufacturers aren’t focused just on grow- ing its individual businesses. “We’re helping strengthen and elevate the entire music gear industry,” Clem ex- plained. “The goal isn’t just for Sweetwater to grow; it’s to help musicians and the entire music gear industry thrive. When our part- ners win, when customers are inspired, the entire music-making world gets stronger.” LOOKING AHEAD TO 2026 Clem said 2026 is shaping up to be an exciting year for Sweetwater. A big part of the retailer’s focus will be on building the next generation of musicians, which means investing in education, access and, of course, inspiration. “You’ll see even more from us in the way we support music programs in schools, expand our philanthropic part- nerships and create experiences that help people fall in love with their sound,” he said. “We’re also continuing to strengthen our relationships with manufacturers and partners to ensure the tools, resources and support are there for musicians at ev- ery level. That’s where we’re putting our energy in 2026: helping the entire music community thrive.” MI
Mike Clem
A CULTURE OF SERVICE Sweetwater has honed its reputation for quality customer service, but this “service culture” extends beyond the customer to support its manufacturing partners. — By Katie Kailus
I t’s no secret Sweetwater has some of the best MI customer service in the ’biz. It’s something we’ve covered in this maga- zine year after year in our Excellence Awards issues. But, there’s a reason vot- ing suppliers keep calling it out each year and CEO Mike Clem possibly put it best: “Customer service isn’t a department: it’s our entire company culture.” “Every decision we make starts with the question, ‘Is this the best thing for our customers?’ Clem explained. “That mind- set is baked into how we hire, how we train and how we operate. Our sales engineers [sales associates] go through an extensive, 13-week training program we call Sweet- water University, where they learn every- thing from recording techniques to prod- uct design and signal flow. But, beyond the technical skills, we focus heavily on lis- tening, on truly understanding what each customer needs to create music they’re proud of. We don’t take our reputation for granted. We’re constantly looking for ways to get better, whether that’s improving our 55-point guitar inspection process, refining our logistics to ship even faster or expand- ing our customer-care resources. The goal
is simple: to make every customer feel like they’re our only customer.” One aspect that makes Sweetwater stand out is how deeply it invests in its sales engineers and team. “Sweetwater University, our onboard- ing program, is more intensive than you’ll find almost anywhere else in retail,” Clem said. “Continuous training, coaching and mentorship are part of our daily rhythm. We’ve created an environment where our team members can build long, rewarding careers, not just jobs. That stability means customers and suppliers get to work with experienced professionals who truly know their craft. Internally, we talk a lot about ‘obsessing over the details’ and making sure we’re doing the little things right, whether that’s answering the phone on the second ring or inspecting every guitar be- fore it ships. Those small, consistent habits add up to the big difference people notice.” SUPPORTING SUPPLIERS Sweetwater’s service creed extends to the suppliers the retailer works with, as well as, taking a collaborative approach and giving each brand the visibility, support and expertise
44 I MUSIC INC. I DECEMBER 2025
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