AKADEMİ OPTİK
QUALITY SERVICE
“I believe that the continuity of Silmo Istanbul will make great
contributions to our sector.”
Hello Mr. Ramazan, First of all, could you introduce yourself a little bit and tell us about how your path crossed with the optical sector?
Hello, I am Ramazan Şahin. I am one of the founding partners of Academy Lens Optik Balmumcu branch. I started the optical sector about twelve-thirteen years ago by studying the opticianship department. After working in corporate and individual optical stores for years, we realized the idea of opening our own store with our partners.
How did you decide to open your store? Could you tell us about your establishment phase?
Together with my three optician friends, we decided to open Academy Lens Optik in Balmumcu to provide the highest quality service with the latest technology focus measurement and lens cutting machines, where we can reflect our own professional perspective, completely focused on one hundred percent customer satisfaction, preserving the understanding of craftsmanship that people long for today. After working in different companies for many years, we made such a decision because we wanted to evaluate our own experience and present our different perspective and service understanding to our valued customers in our own store. Our store was specially designed by successful interior architects and furniture decoration companies.
Could you tell us about the vision and goals with which you opened your store?
We have created a valuable boutique product portfolio by realizing our desire to work with the world’s leading optical and sunglasses brands. We accept our customers as members of our own family with our goal of preserving that sincere and artisanal understanding that is about to disappear in our country.
Do you have products from every group in your store? How do you think having different product segments reflects on your sales?
Yes, we try to include products from almost every segment. We have a product portfolio suitable for many people’s budgets. We have a wide range of products that can be used on a daily basis together with the world’s highest quality elite brands, which we mainly call middle and upper group products. I can say that we are one of the most ambitious optical stores in Istanbul with our large stock of titanium brands, which are highly popular and highly preferred by people.
What are the most popular optical and sunglasses brands sold in your store?
The optical brands we sell the most are Lindberg, Mykita, Silhouette, Lunor, Tom Ford, Markus T and other world famous fashion brands. In sunglasses brands, Tom Ford, Prada, Versace, Dolce&Gabbana, Killian, Rayban are among the brands we sell the most.
How do you choose the optical and sunglasses brands you sell?
We try to choose the products that will please people the most with their ergonomic design in optical glasses. In sunglasses, we try to stay up to date by keeping the most trendy products among fashion brands in our stock.
Designer brands are very popular in recent years. Do you also receive requests from your customers in this direction?
Yes, we experience that people’s preferences change over the years. Designer brands are quite popular. We understand that people get bored with classic models and turn to new and different design glasses and we are happy to serve them with many designer brands and models. In today’s information age, which is renewed in every sense, unfortunately, those who cannot keep up with the change are one step behind.
What are your after sales services?
Making sales is an issue that everyone is successful. But unfortunately, regardless of the sector in our country, the success rate in after-sales services is low. Businesses that want to protect and retain their own customer base should attach more importance to after-sales service than sales to their customers. This is the issue we are most sensitive to by empathizing. Our customers should never leave our store unhappy. Our first goal is to accept that there is no such thing as nothing and to make all our customers happy regardless of the subject.
How do you inform your customers about changes and campaigns in your store?
We regularly create campaigns on special occasions in our store. At the same time, we offer a cocktail and music recital in May every year with the traditional ‘Hello Summer’ slogan. We inform our valued customers about these campaigns and events through the computer program we use and social media.
What role do you think the showcase layout and interior design of an optical store plays in sales? What did you pay attention to while preparing these elements?
You need to ask yourself the following question to create an easy perspective and interior design where people can spend the most time: If it were me, what would be the first place that catches my eye when I enter the store? Where would be the crucial aisle in the store that would catch my attention first? My suggestion to the stores where the old understanding continues should be that we are one of the nations with a strong visual memory. Since we are a society focused on watching in general, instead of keeping crowded stock in our showcases, we can benefit from digital visual works with simple, few but impressive models.
As one of the retailers, what are your views on the price competition between you and your colleagues?
We stay away from the concept of being expensive in terms of price. We understand that products should be at optimum prices that can compensate for our quality services. A product should neither be too affordable nor too expensive. If you pay attention, even when you buy a phone from the marketplace, there are no extreme price differences. We keep the prices at the average of the market prices and we are in favor of being preferred with our own service quality and effective services. Everyone pays a price, but one idea that I think is effective because of our location is that if you want to buy a quality product, you want to buy it with the best service. And that’s what we are most assertive about across the country is our quality service.
As someone who serves in the sector, what do you think about the rate and awareness of eyeglass use in our country? What can be done to increase the use of eyeglasses and who has a role to play?
I think that optometry, which is widespread throughout the world, should also operate in our country. Unfortunately, since most eye hospitals consider our sector as commercial, the trust of the lower-middle class people is broken and the examination periods are prolonged. In connection with the country’s economy, people who usually change their glasses once a year have to do it a little longer. I think that social service guarantees should be increased and people should be encouraged to have more frequent eye examinations and shopping.
Do you follow international optical fairs and sectoral developments abroad?
Of course, in order not to be deprived of the most up-to-date products and information, I follow the developments related to our sector by constantly participating in optical fairs in order to keep us up-to-date like digital devices and technology.
What are your opinions and evaluations about Silmo Istanbul Optical Fair held between December 17-20, 2022?
We had a great fair again. We realized that there was a great participation rate. When one attends Silmo Istanbul, one cannot understand how time passes and therefore feels the need to visit every day. I believe that the continuity of Silmo Istanbul will make great contributions to our sector.
Could we learn your views on 4 your eyes, which started to be published in digital media as of 2023?
People have adapted to the digital world. Digital environments have become a part of our lives regardless of age. For this reason, I support your digital presence for faster access and wish you continued success.
May 2023
