MUTLUKENT OPTİK
‘Health-Quality-Trust’
The fact that Silmo Istanbul took place for the 11th time shows that its increasing influence in the sector. I find important the factors such as the exhibitor profile, the activities it offers, and the diversity in the products and services of the fair.
Hello Mr. Resul Şahin. Could you introduce yourself to our readers and tell us about how your path crossed with the optical sector?
Hello there. I am Resul Şahin. I was born in 1987 in Tokat. I completed my primary, secondary and high school education in Gebze. I studied Medical Electronics in high school. Within the scope of the Leonardo Da Vinci project, I completed my high school internship training in the field of biomedicine at Charité University, the largest hospital affiliated to the University of Berlin. Through the health professionals and optometrists I met here, my interest in the optical sector started with my curiosity about eye health and eyewear technologies. For this reason, I decided to study opticianry. I graduated from Muğla University Opticianry Department in 2009. I have been serving the sector for about 15 years. Based on my experience of working in optical stores for eight years, we opened our own street store with my wife in Gebze / Mutlukent in 2017.
Could you tell us about the establishment phase of Mutlukent Optik?
During the establishment phase of Mutlukent Optik, our priority steps were; creating a business plan, choosing a suitable location, making agreements with suppliers, obtaining licenses and permits, hiring staff and providing the necessary equipment. Since the day we were founded, we continue to provide professional services for the needs of our patients and customers with our ‘Health-Quality-Trust’ slogan, together with our optician colleagues.
What are the best-selling optical and sunglasses brands in your store?
Our best-selling optical and sunglasses brands in our store generally include Prada, Guess, Zeiss, Ermenilgo Zegna, Ray-Ban, Lacoste, Silhouette, Morel, Dolce&Gabbana, Burberry, Emporio Armani, Mustang, Vogue, U.S Polo, Persol, Adidas, Osse, Calvin Klein, Jaguar, Motivum, Gigi Milano. Of course, preferences may vary depending on the region, customer profile and fashion trends.
Do you have products from every segment in your store? How do you think having different product groups reflects on your sales?
We usually include products from different segments in our store. Thus, we are able to meet the different preferences of customers. We offer a variety of options ranging from affordable entry-level products to the mid-range and luxury segments. This allows us to better adapt to customers’ budgets and preferences. Having products from different segments usually reflects positively on sales. This is because it allows customers to look for options to suit a variety of budgets and styles. In addition, a wide range of products increases customer satisfaction and emphasizes the diversity of the store. This can increase customer loyalty and encourage repeat visits.
Designer brands are very popular in recent years. Do you also receive this kind of demand from your customers?
Yes, definitely. The demand for designer brands is increasing, especially for sunglasses. Especially the young segment of our customer portfolio prefers these brands in terms of both appearance and quality. For this reason, we definitely include designer brands in our store.
What are your after sales services?
Since we want to gain the satisfaction of our customers and establish long-term relationships with them, we first of all contact our patients or customers whom we make qualified sales to about the product and service they have purchased. Within two months, we ask them to visit our store for maintenance and frame adjustments. We also take care to explain to them how to use their frames, lenses, contact lenses and solutions in the most ideal way. We also remind them of the time of their eye examinations and give them the medical information they should pay attention to before and during their eye examinations. Of course, we also provide after-sales services such as eyeglass adjustment and adaptation, maintenance and repair services, spare parts supply if needed, and warranty repairs for the purchased product during the warranty period.
Do you think the sales and training information provided within the sector is sufficient?
Sales and training briefings within the sector are very important. However, whether it is sufficient or not depends on the company’s goals, customer expectations and market dynamics. In a sector that is constantly changing, it is important for personnel to stay up-to-date and adapt to new technologies. In-sector trainings can increase staff knowledge on the introduction of new products, sales techniques, customer relationship management and eye health. However, training programs may need to be constantly reviewed and improved, taking into account customer feedback and sales data.
Mutlukent Optik is a street store. Based on which factors did you make this choice? How would you evaluate shopping mall retailing?
Street stores and being located in a shopping mall both have their advantages and disadvantages. Preferences may change depending on the characteristics of the business, target audience and market dynamics. Street stores are usually located in city centers or on busy shopping streets and may be more exposed to local customer traffic. Such stores may be preferred to reinforce brand image and offer a more intimate experience to local customers. I would like to emphasize that the intimacy here is the understanding of family, neighbors, shopkeepers. Depending on the goals and strategies of the business, we chose to be a high street store as we wanted to emphasize brand identity and focus on local customers.
As a retailer, what are your views on price competition between you and your colleague?
Price competition is common in the retail industry and is a natural consequence of offering a variety of choices for customers. However, instead of focusing only on price competition, a more sustainable approach may be to improve customer experience, enhance product quality and pursue differentiation strategies. Along with competitive prices, the quality of service provided to customers, product diversity, after-sales support, etc. are also important.
How do you evaluate the Silmo Istanbul Optical Fair, which took place for the 11th time with its new and larger service area?
The fact that Silmo Istanbul Optical Fair was held for the 11th time shows that its importance and influence in the optical sector has increased. The growth of the fair and its wider service area provides an important meeting and cooperation opportunity for industry professionals. I also find factors such as the exhibitor profile, the activities offered and the diversity in the products and services on display important. Such fairs provide an important platform to discover the latest trends and technologies in the industry, make new business contacts and share information with other professionals in the industry.
Thank you very much for this valuable interview. Finally, could you tell us about the transition of our magazine 4 your eyes to digital publishing?
The transition of 4 your eyes to digital publishing can often provide access to a wider readership and enable your content to be shared more quickly and easily. Digital platforms allow readers to access your content anytime and anywhere, while interactive features can enrich the reader experience. We also thank you for this valuable interview.
December 2024