Staff Writer

Experienced eyewear sales rep Marc Sanchez has joined Eyes Right Optical.
A well-known eyewear sales expert has joined the EyesRight Optical ranks in a new position that's helping independents understand how they can restructure their eyewear mix for better business results.
Mr Marc Sanchez has cultivated a 20-year reputation across the New South Wales/ACT independent optical scene as a methodical, respected frames sales rep - but even now he's never had a better time securing appointments to chat with busy practice owners.
The reason: he's just taken on a newly created business development manager (BDM) role at Eyes Right Optical, one of the nation's top frames suppliers who independents readily welcome into their stores, as he's quickly discovered.
Often when Sanchez calls a practice, they tell him to stop introducing himself; they instantly recognise his French accent.
It's a familiarity and trust built over many years with companies like Rodenstock, Mimo (14 years) and Marchon.
Seeking new opportunities in early 2025, he received a call from Mr Mark Wymond, owner of Eyes Right Optical, who saw a chance to align Sanchez's experience with a new service for independent customers.
Within five weeks of starting, Sanchez has visited 120 practices in 53 Sydney suburbs, providing consultations that help practice owners better understand the brands available through the four Wymond-operated eyewear supply businesses, including Eyes Right Optical, and how it might fit with their practice objectives.
This new BDM role differs from that of a traditional sales rep who carry many bags of frames and are keen to talk business.
Instead, Sanchez carries a couple of trays and helps practices swiftly get to the bottom of untapped potential in their frames range.
A more comprehensive sales rep appointment follows soon after.
He looks more holistically at their frames range, offering tailored advice in a no-pressure environment.
"Reps are often go, go go, but I like to call myself a rep without bags," he says.
"I've been very honest with Mark Wymond and since joining, everybody has been so welcoming and keen to meet, and that's not because of me, that's because of the Eyes Right Optical reputation. "We must be doing something right.
Yes, there is great product, but it's the customer service behind it - people often remark that it's just so easy to work with Eyes Right.
Plus, customers can feel and see it's a family-owned business, with a great range of frames, flagship brands, a well-structured portfolio - they know where they are going.
" Bringing Sanchez into the fold is just another way Wymond is seeking to elevate the customer experience. It's a winning combination, blending a respected sales rep across NSW/ACT with an eyewear supplier that has a clear objective to help its customers grow. "It's been great to see Marc's passion and enthusiasm for the industry," Wymond says. "He's been selling eyewear for 20 years and he's very methodical and process-driven, which is what you need for this role.
He's a real industry expert; it's only been a short time but he's really making it his own.
" One of the mantras Wymond lives by is "making the customer look good". It starts with bringing to Australia the latest designs from overseas brands like ProDesign, Face à Face, WOOW, William Morris, and more recently, Italia Independent. But there's so much more to it, like a 93% fill rate for next day delivery, and stocking all collections at the companies' warehouse in Scoresby, Melbourne. With spectacle sales accounting for 35% to 40% of the total revenue of each practice, it's vital independents nail their product mix backed up with an efficient and effective service. "When practices have the customer standing there in front of them, we will walk down the aisles of our warehouse to confirm it's in stock, and yes, that it will likely arrive tomorrow in the colour and quantity requested.
When you're on the frontline with the end-consumer in front of you, you don't want there to be any ifs, buts or maybes," he says. "We invest a lot in staffing and training and don't run the operation down to the bone, staffing levels are high to provide a high level of customer service, because if you don't, then it just ricochets down.
" A well-known eyewear sales expert has joined the EyesRight Optical ranks in a new position that's helping independents understand how they can restructure their eyewear mix for better business results. Mr Marc Sanchez has cultivated a 20-year reputation across the New South Wales/ACT independent optical scene as a methodical, respected frames sales rep - but even now he's never had a better time securing appointments to chat with busy practice owners. The reason: he's just taken on a newly created business development manager (BDM) role at Eyes Right Optical, one of the nation's top frames suppliers who independents readily welcome into their stores, as he's quickly discovered. Often when Sanchez calls a practice, they tell him to stop introducing himself; they instantly recognise his French accent. It's a familiarity and trust built over many years with companies like Rodenstock, Mimo (14 years) and Marchon. Seeking new opportunities in early 2025, he received a call from Mr Mark Wymond, owner of Eyes Right Optical, who saw a chance to align Sanchez's experience with a new service for independent customers. Within five weeks of starting, Sanchez has visited 120 practices in 53 Sydney suburbs, providing consultations that help practice owners better understand the brands available through the four Wymond-operated eyewear supply businesses, including Eyes Right Optical, and how it might fit with their practice objectives. This new BDM role differs from that of a traditional sales rep who carry many bags of frames and are keen to talk business. Instead, Sanchez carries a couple of trays and helps practices swiftly get to the bottom of untapped potential in their frames range. A more comprehensive sales rep appointment follows soon after. He looks more holistically at their frames range, offering tailored advice in a no-pressure environment. "Reps are often go, go go, but I like to call myself a rep without bags," he says. "I've been very honest with Mark Wymond and since joining, everybody has been so welcoming and keen to meet, and that's not because of me, that's because of the Eyes Right Optical reputation.
"We must be doing something right. Yes, there is great product, but it's the customer service behind it - people often remark that it's just so easy to work with Eyes Right. Plus, customers can feel and see it's a family-owned business, with a great range of frames, flagship brands, a well-structured portfolio - they know where they are going."
Bringing Sanchez into the fold is just another way Wymond is seeking to elevate the customer experience.
It's a winning combination, blending a respected sales rep across NSW/ACT with an eyewear supplier that has a clear objective to help its customers grow.
"It's been great to see Marc's passion and enthusiasm for the industry," Wymond says.
"He's been selling eyewear for 20 years and he's very methodical and process-driven, which is what you need for this role. He's a real industry expert; it's only been a short time but he's really making it his own."
One of the mantras Wymond lives by is "making the customer look good".
It starts with bringing to Australia the latest designs from overseas brands like ProDesign, Face à Face, WOOW, William Morris, and more recently, Italia Independent.
But there's so much more to it, like a 93% fill rate for next day delivery, and stocking all collections at the companies' warehouse in Scoresby, Melbourne.
With spectacle sales accounting for 35% to 40% of the total revenue of each practice, it's vital independents nail their product mix backed up with an efficient and effective service.
"When practices have the customer standing there in front of them, we will walk down the aisles of our warehouse to confirm it's in stock, and yes, that it will likely arrive tomorrow in the colour and quantity requested. When you're on the frontline with the end-consumer in front of you, you don't want there to be any ifs, buts or maybes," he says.
"We invest a lot in staffing and training and don't run the operation down to the bone, staffing levels are high to provide a high level of customer service, because if you don't, then it just ricochets down."
ProDesign (above) and Face à Face (below) are popular brands among independent optical practices in Australia.
Images: Eyes Right Optical.
Brands that can stock an entire practice Sanchez has been meeting with practices of all shapes, sizes and vintages.
Often, it might be businesses stocking a few brands from Eyes Right Optical, or maybe it's more established customers seeking new ways to optimise their eyewear mix.
One of the key messages he is delivering is the opportunity for practices to streamline their frame supplier arrangements.
Is it necessary to be dealing with multiple frames suppliers - as many as 30 in extreme cases, as Wymond has discovered - when they can go deeper with fewer?
Wymond, and his four eyewear supply businesses, are ideally placed to offer this.
In addition to Eyes Right Optical, and along with sister Ms Lisa Wymond, he operates Modstyle, supplying quality Australian-designed eyewear for more price-conscious consumers after the latest look; Sunglass Collective .
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