RAINBOW OPTİK
In Tracks Of Rooted Legacy
“Thanks to Silmo Istanbul, we can easily access all the products we are looking for or not looking for, know or don’t know, instead of traveling all over Turkey.”
Hello Ms. Yağmur… Can you tell us about how your journey in the optical sector started?
First of all, before starting our interview, I greet all my colleagues with respect and love and wish you a pleasant reading… This sector is my father’s heirloom. In 1995, we entered the sector with Tech Lens, our domestic contact lens production company. Since my father and mother were partners, I spent my entire childhood in our company and therefore in the sector. This situation naturally affected my education and training life, and my orientation and preference was the opticianry department. After working outside for a long time, we opened our first store in Altunizade as Rainbow Optik in 2019.
How did you decide to open your store? Can you tell us about your vision of the organization and the mission you have undertaken?
I had the goal of opening a store during my education life, including my childhood. But in order to do it properly, I needed to know and learn the sector better. In other words, the right time had to come for this goal to be realized. My mission is to prioritize human health in every service I provide, to be result-oriented and to provide high level satisfaction by taking a position for the needs of our patients who prefer our store. Our vision is always; to protect the place we have acquired by growing and to carry it further and to be able to pass it on to my child with the same transparency and honesty as it was left to me.
Your father’s knowledge and sectoral experience must be a very valuable legacy for you. What are you doing to carry this legacy forward?
My father Hızır Yılmaz is the main factor in my involvement in the industry. Throughout my life, there has never been an artist, actor, etc. that I loved or admired very much. But from the day I knew myself, I had only one idol and that was my father. I always wanted to be like him. Because I believe that if I can be like my father, I will contribute and benefit not only to the sector but also to the whole world. For this reason, it is more difficult than expected to carry the knowledge, which we call the heritage that my father left me. Because today’s heritage is left to the children financially and there is no difficulty in using it. But my legacy comes from a very strong spirituality. In this way, I have to take extra care to be beneficial first to my family, then to our society and then to our sector. As a result of this care, we never stay where we are and always strive to be innovative.
We see that you are very meticulous for Rainbow Optik’s store design. What was your inspiration for this concept and what are the reflections on your customers?
I believe that the first impression is always very important. We wanted the patient who enters our store to first feel comfortable and peaceful and then to think that they can find the quality that suits them here. Obviously, when we opened our store, we did not open it with the idea of opening only optics. We wanted to make a difference and reflect our style. We follow technology closely and exhibit and use useful technology in our store. Due to this, the design work and construction phase of our store took longer than we thought of opening this place, we thought about all the details down to the finest detail and stood at the beginning. I am glad we did it this way. Because the first thing our colleagues, representatives and patients say when they first enter our store is praise for our decor.
You are among the newcomers as a retailer. What is your strategy when competing with established stores in your location?
We do not compete with any of our colleagues. The important thing is to be aware that we, as colleagues, will understand each other’s problems the best, and to continue our business properly in respect and love. Instead of applying our strategies to our colleagues, we apply them to move ourselves forward by seeking answers to questions such as ‘how can we provide better service?’ ‘How can we better meet the demands of our patients?’. I wish all my colleagues abundant earnings in a fair way, without resorting to irregular means, being aware that we are friends.
You sell Rainbow brand lenses. Which one has high sales. Eyeglasses or contact lenses?
Rainbow brand contact lenses are, of course, our first favorite and the name of our store. Based on my experience, I try to give the right information about contact lenses to the customers who come to our store in the best way. I am honored to correct the known mistakes about this subject. Glasses and contact lenses are like our children. We are happy to offer the sale of both according to the demand of our customers. This is a difficult question because it is a matter of preference. We offer the most suitable option to our patients in line with supply and demand.
What do you think is the most important problem of the sector and what are your ideas for solving it?
When I think of the sector’s problems, I can think of only two issues. The first is the disputes arising from the advanced competition of optics in the same location. The second one is the referrals made by the doctors working in the hospitals in the location. Both problems are interconnected. Unfortunately, I see that while we are friends with a pharmacy next to us, we are like enemies with our own colleague with the optics in our neighborhood. This issue bothers me a lot. However, we all have the same goal. We all work overtime for this sector. We should think that an urgent product or information deficiency in my store can be completed by my optician colleague, not another workplace near me. We should always be tolerant to each other. We should be supportive. The second problem is a bleeding wound that I have struggled with a lot and never changed. Doctors should do their duty, the patient should go to the optical store of his/her choice and receive service from the place he/she is satisfied with. There is a ‘commercial concern’ in the guidance of the institution or doctor to whom our patients entrust their eye health. The patient should make the best decision for his/her health and budget and should not be directed.
Do you follow international fairs closely?
We participate in all fairs organized abroad, including Turkey, every year. We think that fairs are very productive for the sectors and we benefit a lot from this. First of all, seeing the products and brands exhibited in fairs and expanding our horizons provides us with a lot of knowledge in our business life. Meeting with our colleagues at home and abroad, chatting with them, refreshing what we do not know or misinformation always benefits us in our business life. For this reason, we do not miss any optical fair as much as possible, we create the necessary time and participate.
What are your thoughts and feelings about the Silmo Istanbul Optical Fair that took place last November?
Silmo Istanbul is a source of pride for us. This fair, which takes place every year and hosts many participants from various countries of the world, is the only example that we are successful as all those who work for the sector. Following this, it is a tremendous event that we are all together as a sector, as all friends, and that we are united even if it is for four days a year. As someone who attends Silmo Istanbul every year both as an exhibitor and a visitor, I can say with peace of mind that it is an organization that guides us and makes us feel at home. Thanks to Silmo Istanbul, instead of traveling all over Turkey, we can easily access all the products we are looking for or not looking for, know or don’t know. The fair lightens the burden on us and strengthens our relationships. I recommend all my colleagues to visit Silmo Istanbul and I hope to see them among us.
As a retailer, how would you evaluate the transition of 4 your eyes optical magazine, which has once again signed the sectoral innovation, to Digital Publication?
I believe that being the only one in your field as 4 your eyes magazine and including digital on the path you have always followed with the same stability will add more to your success. I wish you continued success and I am proud to do this interview with you. May our existence and unity continue. I greet you and all your readers with love and wish that our success will continue in unity.
March 2023