SMSB Consulting Group was founded in 1986.  From its inception, the company was called Space Management Service Bureau (SMSB) and as the name suggests, concentrated primarily on providing the service of planogram development for package-goods manufacturers and retailers who did not possess the capability to perform this function.  (A planogram is a pictorial representation of a product shelf set and at the time, could only be produced with sophisticated software operated by a limited number of highly specialized personnel.)

The early success of the planogram business necessitated an accurate, high volume source of digital product-images used to give planograms photographic quality.  Lacking a reliable, high volume source of images, SMSB created a product-image division dedicated solely to the capture of high quality product-images and product-dimensions.  As the library grew, manufacturers and retailers interested in quality image solutions began to rely on SMSB as a primary image-data source.  To this day SMSB is considered one of the premiere suppliers of high quality digital product-image databases.

During the economic boom of the early 90’s, manufacturers and retailers were consolidating at a record pace.  Consumers were introduced to electronic commerce and consumer habits due to changing lifestyles were changing rapidly.  Manufacturers became more comfortable outsourcing functions that were not core competencies, such as planogram development; and a deeper concern for consumer preferences emerged.

Already involved in merchandising and analytical marketing projects, SMSB focused its experience on advising sales organizations on performing and implementing comprehensive shelf analysis, undertaken jointly by manufacturers and retailers for the purpose of managing product categories in partnership, as strategic business units.

The analytical process, Category Management as it is known, involved hundreds of man-hours of research and data analysis on the categories SMSB had been analyzing on various levels for years.  Immediately recognized as one of the leading implementation consultancies in this area, SMSB modified its name to SMSB Consulting Group as it was more reflective of the compilation of services now offered.

Today SMSB Consulting Group is a leader in the three primary areas it concentrates its services; product-imaging, planogram development and category management presentation.  SMSB has performed over 700 category management presentations and provides strategic category management advice and implementation services for large and small companies who endeavor to improve their position in the marketplace.