Mr. Chakrit Boonprakobsak, from a salaried man who started as a broker, entered a business with no background at all, such as owning an eyeglasses shop. What was the turning point? And why did it have to be an eyeglasses shop business?
How to start an eyeglasses shop that everyone knows about? Most probably inherited the business from their family or applied for a job and got hired. The leading eyeglasses shops that we often see in the market are usually open for at least 10 years. If we call this eye-related business a business, then what should newcomers who want to enter this business do? Because there are no talent scouts to pull them into the industry.
Now, the admin will take everyone to get to know a new person in the eyeglasses industry. If you say that you have to start from zero to do something, for Mr. Chakrit Boonprakobsak, owner of GG Glasses, this is probably the clearest story. He started as a broker following stock charts to becoming an eyeglasses shop owner who follows the eye health of every customer.
The beginning of an eyeglasses shop
Mr. Chakrit said that his first interest was in finance and marketing because he wanted to pursue a career in stocks, such as a broker or someone who analyzes stock charts. Therefore, Mr. Chakrit decided to study economics. After graduating, he tried various career roles, such as being an organizer, setting up booths to sell products, organizing events in department stores, or working at iStudio.
“It’s hard to come in and do it all, but it’s easy to leave.”
During the time when he was still finding his own path, one of the things that Mr. Chakrit did was selling things at events such as clothes, accessories, and various fashion items, until he came to eyeglasses. Selling eyeglasses came from the fact that Mr. Chakrit already wore eyeglasses himself. When he tried selling the frames, he found that they sold very well. Factors included price, service, and location. When he began to see the market opportunity for eyeglasses, he found that it would be difficult to get into this business fully if he wanted to do everything related to eyeglasses. However, if he got into it, he would be able to set up a system and then be able to take himself out to manage the business. This was the starting point of Mr. Chakrit and his eyeglass shop.
“We always think that we start from zero by ourselves.”
When seeing the value of the eyeglasses business, from just selling eyeglass frames, he started to sell eyeglasses through online channels. But when it was online sales without a storefront, it was very difficult to make eyeglasses that 100% satisfied customers. Mr. Chakrit therefore started to study about opening an eyeglasses store, both studying more, training, or taking various courses. From being a newbie who didn’t know the details of all the components of eyeglasses, he started to piece together until he was finally able to open his own store and hire personnel to complete the store successfully.
“Sustainable growth”
Mr. Chakrit said that after entering the industry for a while, he discovered that most eyeglass businesses are generational. When asked, people would say that they passed it down from family. However, very few people can start this business and enter the industry on their own. However, what is very clear in the eyeglasses industry is that eyeglasses are a product that will never fail, no matter how many generations pass. When compared to other businesses of people around him, whose incomes skyrocketed very quickly, they quickly ran out. However, the eyeglasses business is a business model that can be created sustainably if we can create a system and take ourselves out to manage the business.
“Experience in measuring, cutting, assembling glasses, optometrists, and store staff. Three points that must be passed.”
From further study, training, taking courses or learning from real experiences, when Mr. Chakrit found his interests and marketing channels that could lead his interests to career sustainability, in addition to learning theories, opening an eyeglasses shop for Mr. Chakrit has 3 points that he must pass, which are: gaining real experience from measuring, cutting, and assembling eyeglasses, gaining knowledge that optometrists must know, which may not require going to study medicine again, but it is basic knowledge, knowledge from real experiences, and finally being a store employee who provides services to customers. If all 3 points can be done, he will be able to open an eyeglasses shop systematically and then take himself out to manage the work by letting the system in the shop do its job.
The set goals
Mr. Chakrit said that the shop is actually in its second year now, but Mr. Chakrit himself has set a goal that in the next 5-7 years, he wants to have 7-10 branches. And the ultimate goal of opening an eyeglasses shop is to have an eyeglasses shop in every province, 1 shop per province. He is currently in the process of creating a model and community for doing this business.
Obstacles along the way
Of course, starting something on your own always has obstacles to test us. Mr. Chakrit said that at first he felt discouraged since he started selling just ordinary eyeglass frames because he felt that he never picked up a large sum of money. He just got money and used the money to buy things to sell. It went around like this, it didn’t grow and he couldn’t get rich.
“Discouraged by limitations”
When moving from selling frames to opening an eyeglasses shop, I had to face many obstacles and limitations that were unavoidable, such as not having enough skills, not having enough opticians, not solving problems for customers at the right point, selecting eyeglasses shops of various brands that also had to look at the profile of the shop. Therefore, along the way, there was a lot of trial and error. If you don’t try hard, everything will be even more difficult.
How to select personnel
Since Mr. Chakrit himself is considered a newcomer to the eyeglasses industry, he was able to bring himself to the point of owning an eyeglasses shop. Therefore, in recruiting employees or personnel to work, Mr. Chakrit said that the shop does not limit educational qualifications at all. Most of the shop employees are new and inexperienced. Some graduated from law, tourism, visual communication, or statistics. They all came to start learning anew together with a training system, which is a highlight of the shop’s staff recruitment and training.
“Our DNA is comfort.”
Mr. Chakrit said that when interviewing for work at the shop, they will look at comfort first. When they are comfortable, we will be able to set up a team to train everyone so that they can learn along with the shop. There are both sending them to study, training, and going to observe work at other shops to bring back to develop the shop to be better. But there will be no copying of styles or approaches from other shops to make the shop like theirs. Because the important thing that Mr. Chakrit adheres to when opening an eyeglasses shop is that it must be our style, stick to our own way, do not have to follow anyone else.
Impression
At first, Mr. Chakrit did this business with money and profit as the driving force of the business. But as he continued to do it, he discovered that he could deliver good eyesight and image to customers. When customers have confidence in the shop, tell others, or come back to use the service again, these things create a good feeling for the service provider. This good feeling makes them feel that they are on the right track and want to do this well and continue to develop to a higher level.
“We will talk like a family.”
Mr. Chakrit shared a case which Mr. Chakrit was very proud of. There was a mother who came to get glasses after being recommended by her son because her son had come to get them first. When the mother came to get them examined, the doctor at the shop found that she had cataracts and should see an ophthalmologist. After being gone for 2-3 weeks, the mother came back with some snacks to thank her for letting her know and getting her treatment in time. Now, the mother has had surgery and is back to normal. The care that the shop provides to customers is like taking care of family members, not merchants. Customers buy and sell and that’s it.
Why choose Essilor?
Mr. Chakrit explained that Essilor ’s credibility in terms of branding and quality has led GG Glasses to use Essilor products almost 100%. In addition, Essilor also has good communication and support in terms of training, product delivery systems, product checking, and stock management, which help optical shops feel comfortable and confident in choosing to work with Essilor.
Message to the New Generation Salaryman Page
Every job has its own value. When we have different ideas, don’t hesitate whether to do it well or not. Just do it. Do it as best as you can. The important thing is not to be afraid. Dare to make a decision. Dare to use your own ideas to produce good work in each person’s career.
“Although success may not be as fast as those who already have it because they started from zero, on the day we succeed we can truly say that we have this day by ourselves.”
GG Glasses: Glasses, frames, light-filtering glasses
Address: Bangna Branch For You Park Bangna (Bangna Km 1.5 opposite BITEC Bangna) and Phraeksa Branch, Soi Mangkon, Samut Prakan
Call: 061-462-5226 (Bangna branch) and 066-152-9426 (Phraeksa branch)
Life is clear, if you want to progress, you must dare to be tired and patient l Vision Mission
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