AS OPTİK MARMARİS
Visual Comfort & Aesthetics
Silmo Istanbul is an important event in terms of evaluating developments in the sector and establishing collaborations. It provides the opportunity to come together with professionals.
Hello Mr. Serhat. First of all, let’s get to know you a little bit and talk about your story of entering the sector…
Hello, I am Serhat Yelmen, born in 1984 in Izmit, I live in Marmaris and I am the founder of As Optik Marmaris store. I am a graduate of the Opticianry program and I have been working passionately in the opticianry sector for 22 years. My interest in this field dates back to 2002 when I started my apprenticeship. During my apprenticeship period, I had the opportunity to gain basic skills in the world of eyewear. In this process, I gained an awareness of the richness of the industry and how eyewear contributes to people’s quality of life. Opticianry has become not only a profession for me, but also a field where I improve people’s visual comfort and aesthetic understanding.
Could you tell us about the establishment of As Optik?
As Optik came to life in 2011 with my rich experience in the opticianry sector and the basic skills I gained from my apprenticeship period. I set out with an understanding that prioritizes customer satisfaction and focuses on the special needs of each customer. I had the chance to get to know the sector from the inside for a long time. By opening my own store in 2011, I aimed to offer solutions that meet both the aesthetic and functional needs of eyewear users. One of the most important elements that form the basis of As Optik is customer safety. I set out to not only sell eyeglasses to customers but also to offer quality solutions for their vision health. With these basic principles, As Optik continues to grow as a brand that offers personalized eyewear experiences and keeps customer satisfaction at the highest level.
How do you choose the optical and sunglasses brands you sell?
Our primary focus when choosing eyewear brands is quality. We consider technical features such as durability, visual appearance and UV protection in sunglasses. Design and fashionability are also important factors in meeting our customers’ expectations. After-sales support and warranty policies provided by our brands are also among the factors we consider to ensure customer satisfaction.
Designer brands are very popular in recent years. Do you also receive requests from your customers in this direction?
The demand for designer brands is increasing day by day. Our customers are interested in these brands because they like prominent designs, quality materials and a prestigious image. In order to respond to this demand, we allocate a large space in our store to the collections of various designer brands and ensure that our customers can easily access fashionable and quality products.
What are the after-sales services you provide to your customers? How do you think these services affect your future sales?
We pay special attention to after-sales services to maintain customer satisfaction. Warranty processes, repair facilities and consultancy services allow us to offer comprehensive support to make our customers’ eyewear experience hassle-free. The quality of these services positively impacts our future sales by increasing customer loyalty.
How do you inform your customers about changes and campaigns in your store?
We use various channels to inform our customers about the changes and campaigns organized in our stores. Email newsletters, social media platforms and in-store information materials are effective tools to inform our customers about innovations. In this way, we establish a strong communication with our customers and respond better to their expectations.
As a retailer, what are your views on the price competition between you and your colleagues?
We carefully analyze the price strategies of competitors in the sector and the services they offer to customers. This helps us understand the pricing strategies of other brands offering similar products and services and identify their competitive advantages. Price competition is important in the retail sector, but what matters most to us is the value we provide to customers. When quality products, reliable service and affordable prices are combined, our customers are satisfied. By achieving this balance, we remain competitive and strengthen customer loyalty. We hope that all our colleagues in the market will provide fair and competitive pricing and bring our sector to the level it deserves.
Is the sales and training information provided within the sector sufficient? Do you organize training programs for your store employees?
We attach importance to in-sector trainings and sales briefings in order to keep the level of knowledge and skills of our staff constantly updated. These trainings are critical in terms of providing the necessary knowledge and skills to effectively introduce new collections, give correct answers to technical questions and increase customer satisfaction. We also ensure that our staff maintain their professionalism by organizing regular training programs on customer relations and communication.
What do you think about the rates and awareness of eyeglass use in Turkey? What can be done to increase eyeglass use and who has a role to play?
Increasing eyeglass use requires the collaboration of many stakeholders and requires a combination of various strategies to create healthy eye habits across society. Health organizations, optical companies and government agencies can conduct awareness-raising campaigns in schools, online and on other visual platforms. Retail stores can organize discounts and campaigns for eyeglass purchases during certain periods and on special occasions. In collaboration with health professionals, eye health specialists can conduct regular eye examinations to determine the need for eyeglasses. Optical brands, the fashion industry and marketing teams can be pioneers in making eyewear fashionable and popular among younger age groups. Non-governmental organizations, health institutions and government-sponsored programs can be effective in this issue by organizing educational programs to raise family and community awareness, contributing to the use of eyeglasses to become a general family habit.
Do you follow international optical fairs and sectoral developments abroad?
We closely follow international optical fairs and sectoral developments. These fairs are important platforms to see innovations, new technologies and fashion in the sector. By integrating this information into our business, we aim to always offer our customers the most up-to-date and trendy products.
How would you evaluate the 10th Silmo Istanbul Optical Fair with its new and larger service area?
Silmo Istanbul Optical Fair is an important event in terms of evaluating the developments in the sector and establishing collaborations. The fair provides the opportunity to come together with other professionals in the sector and create opportunities for cooperation. Such fairs offer us an important perspective to understand the developments in the sector and customer demands. For this reason, I hope that Silmo Istanbul Optical Fair, which is held 10th time this year, will be better than the year before every year.
Thank you very much for this valuable interview. Finally, could you give us your comments on the transition of our magazine 4 your eyes to digital publishing?
Digital publishing is a great tool to keep up with developments in the industry and to provide customized content for customers. I think 4 your eyes has increased its readership with digital publishing and has become more effective in the sector by bringing the advantages of wide access.
February 2024