Can you introduce yourself briefly?

I graduated from Gazi University Faculty of Business and received training in occupational health and safety at Ataturk University School of Occupational Health and Safety. I have been in business life professionally for 28 years and worked in corporate firms. I have been working for DeFacto for the last 8 years. I can describe myself as a disciplined person, who smiles at life, takes responsibilities, and has a busy work life. I have a daughter and two sons.

 

Can you give some information about DeFacto? How many employees and stores do you have? What is your market share? What are your goals?

DeFacto was set up in 2004 and opened its first store in 2005 and soon after became one of the leading brands in the apparel and fashion sectors with a total of 453 stores, 327 domestic and 125 abroad. DeFacto has stores in 22 countries other than Turkey (Kazakhstan, Iraq, Egypt, Belarus, Morocco, Kosovo, Albania, Georgia, Russia, Pakistan, Serbia, Bosnia Herzegovina, Algeria, Azerbaijan, Jordan, Kirghizstan, Lebanon, Philistine, Saudi Arabia, Tunisia, Northern Cyprus, and Malaysia).

 

Can you describe your job? What are your duties at DeFacto?

I work as the Director of Administrative Services and Occupational Health and Safety. One of the responsibilities I enjoy most is organisation of travels and accommodation. We plan national and international accommodation, meetings, transport, and travel with my team. We are an active and dynamic team and we operate like a travel agency. We make contracts with national and international airlines, travel agencies, chain, and boutique hotels as solution partners. We carry out institutional organisation processes all employees participate in. As a team, we work in an environment based on efficiency to attain our goals.

 

Can you talk about travel and accommodation processes in DeFacto?

We have a busy agenda. Each department might have last-minute or planned domestic or international travel and training organisations. In this case, we organise their travel plans including transport, accommodation, visa, and other activities of our staff members.

 

What are your expectations of hotels? What factors do you consider as a director of domestic travel and accommodation services?

We care about smiling, interested, expert, and customer-oriented services. In terms of location, we prefer central hotels that offer technology and comfort in all activities. It is necessary for a hotel to have practical rooms with ergonomic designs, and to care about room hygiene. Also, we prefer safe, convenient, and quality hotels and accommodation services.

 

In Istanbul there is an increase in the number of hotels appealing to the business world. What do you think about the development and services of these hotels?

We are pleased with this situation because we have new options. We know that competition brings along quality. We see that standards adopted by chain hotels contribute to all other hotels, which improves quality, customer-oriented and innovative services, and specialised staff. Recently, there has been an increase in expectations of technology, sports activities, visual equipment as well as hygiene and quality. I believe that customer satisfaction will increase if these areas are given importance.

 

Finally, how do you spend your holidays? What are your favourite holiday destinations?

I love Kemer and Cyprus in the Mediterranean Region. I like spending my holidays in locations where green meets blue. At weekends and public holidays I prefer visiting highlands in my hometown Bolu. Breathing fresh air, oxygen, and eating red sea bream and trout are my favourite activities.