Get to know the people behind the glasses. Employee of the day: the new girl with plenty of experience
Name : Sandra Bruneau
Nickname : Nothing official yet
Years of experience : 19 years
Territory : Mile End – Châteauguay – La Prairie – Vaudreuil
It's not easy to change jobs after almost fifteen years in the same place. However, our new colleague has adapted well to her new environment, and a few weeks after her arrival, we can say without a shadow of a doubt that she hasn't run off yet, so it's probably because her integration has gone pretty well. Get to know the newcomer, whom our South Shore customers will be meeting on a regular basis over the coming months!
How did you became an optician?
This may sound a little strange, but when I was young, I loved taking eye exams. So much so, in fact, that as I got older I wanted to become an optometrist and give the exams rather than do them. Unfortunately, it was very hard to get into the program at the time, so I decided to take the Optics and Eyewear DEC program and become an optician (to understand the difference between the two, check out this article!) I did my internship, worked for a few months at Essilor and then I finally got my diploma in 2005.
How did you end up working at Bonhomme à lunettes?
After 14 years at my old job, I felt I needed a change. I wanted to experience something different. I'd already heard about Bonhomme à lunettes and liked the mobile aspect. I thought it would allow me to move around and experience new things. When Philippe contacted me to offer me a job, he said it would mean coming to work in Montréal from time to time. At first I was a bit hesitant, as I'm a South Shore girl who likes it there. But since I started, I've been pleasantly surprised. My aim is still to contribute to the development of the Montérégie region, but I really like the atmosphere at Portes Orange and it's a pleasure to come here from time to time.
What do you like most about your job?
Having read the other blog posts, I know it's a bit cliché what I'm about to say, but I love the contact with people. I like them to feel comfortable not only with their glasses, but also in the buying process. I also really like Le Bonhomme's mission. It fits in well with my values and makes my contact with customers even more pleasant.
You've been working as an optician for almost 20 years. What do you think has changed the most since you started?
I find that glasses have become more and more a part of fashion trends over the years. For a long time, it was rare to see people wearing glasses on TV or in the movies. Nowadays, there are a lot more of them, and most people are proud to wear them, with their own personal originality. Frames today are bigger and more colorful, and people are more daring. When I started out 20 years ago, they were generally smaller and more discreet it seems.
You'll also be called upon to help develop our service on the South Shore. Where would you like to see Le Bonhomme set up shop in the future?
In my opinion, all towns would benefit greatly from a Bonhomme à lunettes service point, even if only once a month. What we're going to try to do over the next few months is survey the terrain in towns close to where I live, like Beauharnois for example. I think it's also important to target more rural towns, where choices are often more limited.