For years, I worked on the shop floor and in the fitting room. I fitted lenses, adjusted spectacles and retrieved lenses that had slipped far out of place. I’ve recently started working as an account manager at SMEYEL. In the past, customers used to come to me. Now I drive out to our customers’ practices myself.
How I swapped the fitting room for our clients’ practices
The move from the fitting room to account management is not as big a step as it seems. The questions are the same: which lens suits this wearer, which solution goes with it, and how do you explain that to them in the chair. The difference is that I now discuss those questions with the practice, rather than with the wearer themselves.
I take what I learnt in the shop with me to every visit. I know how a fitting protocol works in practice, where time tends to slip away and what kind of explanation a contact lens wearer needs. That makes the conversation with a practice more substantive than a sales pitch delivered without any professional background.
What I’m taking away from the shop
My years behind the counter and in the fitting room have shaped the way I now view an optician’s practice. I am familiar with the daily routine, the questions asked by lens wearers and the decisions a specialist makes during the fitting process. I draw on that experience when contributing ideas on lens care and solutions, or on the development of the product range.
It’s not just about which product is on the shelf, but about determining which solution suits a practice best. A packaging format that fits better on the counter, a solution that complements the lenses a practice most frequently fits: these are the discussions that make all the difference.
What a typical day as an account manager looks like
A typical working day consists of visits to opticians’ practices, discussions about product ranges and stock levels, and explaining new products. Sometimes we discuss a fitting protocol; other times, a type of packaging that works better in practice. I use what I learnt in the shop every day in my work.
During these visits, we also discuss the day-to-day running of the business. This includes support for opticians and clinics, as well as practical matters such as reordering. For existing customers, I refer them to the ‘quick order’ option for existing customers, so that placing an order doesn’t take up any unnecessary time.
Why specialist knowledge on this side of the counter helps
I know what it’s like to be faced with a contact lens wearer who doesn’t understand, or a lens that doesn’t fit properly. That’s why I also know what information a practice needs. An account manager who is familiar with the fitting room doesn’t have to guess what challenges a practice is facing.
If you’d like to know who’ll be sitting opposite you, read more about SMEYEL. Do you have a question about our range or how to use a product? Please contact SMEYEL.
