See your career at Specsavers: Meet Aaron our Head of Frames, Merchandising and Accessories
My name is Aaron Fogg, I’ve been part of the Specsavers family for over 12 years. Recently I moved into a new role as Head of Frames, Merchandising and Accessories and I’m absolutely loving it! Still have lots to learn but endless opportunities to make a difference to our customers, colleagues and partners lives so plenty to keep me and the team busy!
What was your background before joining Specsavers?
I started working for Specsavers part-time while obtaining a business degree at university, it was my first “proper job” as a bilingual customer service specialist. At just 18 I came to the UK to study which at first was a scary prospect however joining Specsavers quickly became a home away from home where I made so many new friends. Instantly I felt so welcomed and knew Specsavers was a special place. It is very different to your stereotypical corporate environment and that the values of it being a family-owned business really showed.
Tell me a little bit about your journey at Specsavers?
I started my Specsavers life working part-time 16 hours a week, as a customer service advisor. This meant passionately helping our customers, and I really enjoyed it. I consider myself a “people-person” so it was a great fit as a first job. After I graduated, I quickly progressed after several promotions, loads of development and various roles I joined the first cohort of the “Future Talent Programme”. This was the best thing I’ve ever done for my career; it helped me to broaden my horizons, understand what I was good at and equally the areas I needed to develop. But probably most importantly it gave me the exposure to the business so that I could discover what I was passionate about and enjoyed doing. During this time, I’ve worked in one of our Specsavers stores for six months which brought all the work, we do in support office to life and really shaped my career. I have recently joined the product team and I’m super excited for the journey that lies ahead. I think it’s an exciting time to be a part of Specsavers, the opportunities are endless.
How did Specsavers help and support your development?
The opportunities at Specsavers to develop are only limited by your own imagination and ambition. Specsavers have given me the support I needed to develop myself, but they have managed to cultivate a culture that encourages everyone to grow and learn. In my opinion the best way to develop yourself is to push yourself out of your comfort zone. Specsavers allows you to operate in an environment where it’s okay to not always get it right, if you learn from that.
What gives you pride in your role?
Watching my team develop – they’re amazing! And us doing something meaningful together, whether that be making a difference to our customers lives, improving our customer journey and making it easier for our in-store colleagues to do their job.
What have you learnt during your time at Specsavers?
I’ve learnt the importance of pushing yourself out of your comfort zone, being comfortable with “imperfection” so that you can fail fast and learn quickly. I’ve learnt (probably heightened by the pandemic) how great life is in general and the importance of a work life balance.
What would you say to encourage someone thinking about applying?
Specsavers is a truly incredible organisation to be part of. Its values, it’s people and as a result creates an unrivalled culture. I can guarantee at Specsavers you won’t just have brilliant colleagues that to work with, over time it will feel like an extension of your family too.
Why do you love working at Specsavers?
The opportunities to grow and develop, we’ve created an incredible culture that creates a safe place for people to push themselves out of their comfort zone while still being supported.
What one word would you use to describe the Specsavers culture?
Intoxicating.
Finally, tell us a little bit about yourself
I grew up in the Netherlands in a very rural area, so I love the outdoors and most people are surprised to hear I’m a keen angler and love fishing. Fishing is my time to un-wind, destress and appreciate life which is so important to get that crucial work-life balance.
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