High Point — Top bedding sales associates listen to their customers, quickly establish rapport with them, and excel at helping them find just the right bed.
These are some of the key points emerging from a spot sampling of sales associates conducted by Furniture/Today.
In this special report, bedding sales associates share their views on successful selling practices. About three dozen sales associates at more than a dozen different bedding retailers, from major sleep shops to single-unit furniture stores, contributed their insights.
The sales associates were responding to a questionnaire developed in consultation with leading bedding retailers.
In some instances, company executives summarized the strategies employed by their associates.
This report lists some of the key questions that were asked and presents a variety of the responses that were received. Taken together, these answers give a good overview of the tools top sales associates use to keep their sales humming — and to keep their customers satisfied.
While there are some similarities in approach, it's clear that there are a number of different ways to connect with the customer and meet his or her varying needs.
This report focuses on four parts of the selling process: Establishing rapport, trying out different beds, finding the bed that is just right, and responding to consumers who say they want to shop around before buying.
Given the strong response to this informal sampling, Furniture/Today will be presenting information on two other key topics — how sales associates sell higher-end bedding, and how they close the sale — in bedding reports later this year.
Establishing rapport
• What do you first say to customers you meet?
Rick Campbell, P.M. Bedroom Gallery: "I usually say hello to them and welcome them to the store. I try to keep the conversation as light as possible and non-threatening. I usually try and look busy to take the pressure off the customer."
Brian Krueger, VanDenBerg Furniture: "Our initial goal is to make the customer feel welcomed and at ease. Simply greeting the customer with a smile and a positive attitude is key. There is no set greeting I use, but I always end the greeting with, 'How may I be of assistance?' "
Daniel Sutton, Rhodes: "Hello, welcome to Rhodes. Did you come in for our great mattress sale?
Case Lloyd, R.C. Willey: "They say impressions are made in the first five seconds. That's not much time, but it is critical in the selling process. You need to be exact and on the money. Notice something that puts them at ease. Kids are instant rapport builders. Smiles are contagious. Tone of voice is essential. Older clientele like a slow, soothing voice, while others like a confident effort."
Dick Andrews, Andrews Furniture: " 'May I' or 'Can I' questions are forbidden. Open-ended questions are what we coach our people to use. They are talented and each has their own way to break the ice with a customer. We don't believe they are just looking entirely or 'I know it when I'll see it.' We just have to re-approach them to encourage feedback."
Maddy Haworth, Today's Bedroom One: "Good afternoon. Welcome in. It's a pleasure to have you visit my store. My name is Maddy (extend my hand for a handshake). I'm the manager here and will be glad to answer any questions you may have. May I get you a cup of coffee or a cold drink of water?"
• What types of questions do you ask customers to help build rapport with them?
Off-Track Bedding: "Anything of a non-business nature, such as, 'I love your shirt! Where did you find it?' Or we ask about the weather or about the Boston Red Sox."
Rick Campbell: "I start with non-business related, open-end questions to encourage conversation. What type of special plans do they have for an upcoming holiday? Then I start with, What are they sleeping on now? Are they side sleepers? Back sleepers? I ask if they have any problems sleeping now and why? I show them that I am concerned."
Michael Nermon, Ergo Customized Comfort: "We inquire about the customer's needs. We ask how they learned about our store. Quite often the customer has been referred to us, and discussing this point helps to establish trust."
Brian Krueger: "This is one of the most important parts of a sales presentation. At this point, ask questions such as: Is the bed for you or a spare bedroom? After you ask a question listen very carefully. Only after listening to the customer can you make intelligent recommendations and know which products to concentrate on."
Brian Blassberg, Sleep America: "A light greeting, with talk about the weather, the car they drive up in, their child or some other light and non-business related subject."
Daniel Sutton: "I try to get off the subject of furniture to make them feel at ease because then they don't feel like I am trying to sell them something."
Juanda Magwood, Rhodes: "My primary objective is to notice something immediately, be it a piece of jewelry, clothing, the children or their vehicle, and compliment them. I like to make their visit fun. When people have fun with you, they will like and remember you."
Ken Webster, Rhodes: "If the customer has children, I pay attention to them! I might mention my own children. I might talk about what school they attend. I don't recommend holding small children and babies; this could make the customer uncomfortable, even though they may be too polite to say so."
Randy Remmie, Metropolitan Mattress Arizona: "'Have you been in our store before?' If the customer says 'no,' we ask, 'How did you hear about us?' If the customer says 'yes,' we say, 'What brings you back?' I then introduce myself and give a little bit of information about my company — we are a Simmons dealer of the year for 2002, we have stores coast to coast, our low-price guarantee, etc."
If the consumer wants to walk
• What do you say to the customer who says he or she wants to shop around before buying?
Off-Track Bedding: "We agree with the customer's need to shop around. This is a big investment. We find out why the customer feels they need to shop — what are they uncertain of? We re-demonstrate certain features and benefits, depending on the answer. We tell the customer what to look for in competing brands and how to compare them."
Rick Campbell: "I tell them that it is a good idea to make an educated purchase and that they are wise for wanting to do so. Then I simply ask them where they are planning on going and what they want to look at. Then I pull out the specifications on whatever mattress set they want to look at and compare price and coil counts and so on. I make sure I continually shop the competition to know what they have so that I am prepared."
Michael Nermon: "We encourage shopping around and we let our customers know that we respect their right to make an educated decision."
Jason Pilling, R.C. Willey: "If the customer wants to 'shop around' before buying, I find out the reason why. If it is price, I reinforce our lowest price guarantee, and find out where they intend to shop. I know what every one of our competitors has in comparison to our store, and the approximate differences in price, so I let the customer know about the comparisons between where they intend to go shop and us. Most of the time by the time I am finished relaying the competitors' information, the customer chooses to buy on the spot."
Brian Blassberg: "Our store carries nine major brands, so this is like being in eight or nine stores at once. I explain our price guarantee and our comfort guarantee but I don't press. I explain that if they choose to continue to shop I'll be there for them when they come back."
Evelina Montgomery, Rhodes: "I advise them not to give up comfort and quality because of price. In closing, I say: 'I will see you back here in a couple of hours.'"
Bob Long, Long's Bedding: "Let them walk. They will come back if they were treated right."
Luke VanDenBerg, VanDenBerg Furniture: "Unfortunately there are times when you know that a customer won't write today. When this happens, I make sure they leave much more knowledgeable than when they came in. Make sure they ask appropriate questions as they shop around."
Trying out the beds
• What strategies do you use to encourage consumers to lie down on your beds and what do you do to keep the customer on the bed long enough to adjust to the comfort level?
Off-Track Bedding: "Tell them to sit down and then swing their feet up. We ask how the bed feels. We tell them to take a few minutes so they can be sure how the bed feels. Then we keep talking and asking questions as a distraction."
Jeff Laughlin, Mattress Gallery: "I do several things to encourage customers to lie down on my beds. One thing I almost always do is to lie down on a bed opposite them. This really helps lower defense barriers and shows them it is all right to lie down on my beds. Sometimes I outline my presentation to my client so they know what I expect from them and what they should expect from our exchange. In this outline, I will say something like, 'In a few minutes I am going to have you lie down and try some beds but what I would like to know now is...' This seems to work better than just telling someone to lie down on a bed."
Rick Campbell: "I tell the customers that they are going to be sleeping on this bed for the next 10 to 20 years and that the only way to pick out the right bed is to try it. I also tell them that the right way to test beds is to get onto the bed, get into the position they would normally go to sleep in, and stay in that position without moving for at least 30 to 60 seconds. I also tell them that I am going to time them, because 30 seconds is longer than they think. I tell them the reason they are doing this is because it takes that long for your circulation to get cut off or not cut off in those all-important pressure points in everybody's bodies. I also tell them to pay attention to any pressure in any joints that may be giving them problems."
Michael Nermon: "We suggest how they should try out the bed and which qualities/benefits they should be experiencing during the process."
Rick Try, VanDenBerg Furniture: "We have our sleep systems located in the back section of our store where it's more comfortable for the consumer to try out the beds. When getting a consumer to lie down on a sleep system, it's important to give them their space by standing back from the bed. You may also say to the consumer: 'I would like to get your opinion on this new bed we just put on our floor,' or, 'Have you ever tried a latex bed?' To get the consumer to lie on the bed for any length of time, you need to communicate to the consumer that they spend, on the average, a third of their life in bed, so it's very important that they try this for more than 15 seconds."
Brian Blassberg: "Compare bed shopping to trying on a pair of shoes or test driving a car. Explain that it takes five or six minutes on a bed for your brain to fully understand the feel and comfort of a bed."
Tom Lawhorn, Rhodes: "I ask them to think of mattress shopping like shopping for a car. You don't buy a car by kicking the hubcaps. You have to test it first. It's the same way or even more so with a mattress set. You must lie on it to see which one fits your needs. This is an investment."
Fran Clark, Rhodes: "If a couple is shopping together, I encourage them both to lie down on the side of the bed they normally sleep on at home and lay on their side, back, etc., as they sleep at home. I tell them that comfort is a personal thing and they should take the time on each bed to really find the comfort they desire."
Casey Lloyd: "People relate to stories and similar situations. Trying a mattress is like buying a pair of shoes: You have to try it on and see if it fits. You'll know if you don't like it."
David Bradshaw, R.C. Willey: "Usually I'll take my customers to a triple-choice bed where there is an extra firm, medium firm and a pillowtop to find out the sleeping surface the customer would prefer. After the customer is on the bed, I'll ask them to concentrate on the support the bed is giving them in their lower back. I'll also ask, 'How comfortable does this bed feel to you?'"
Randy Remmie: "At Metropolitan Mattress, we provide disposable pillow cases for customers and routinely rotate floor displays to keep them as pristine and inviting as possible. To keep customers lying down I explain what they should be looking for as they are testing the bed, i.e., 'As you lie there, try and feel as the bed contours to the shape of your body. Now what are you feeling?' By explaining what the customer is actually looking for during the demonstration and discussing what they are feeling and/or experiencing they are more inclined to participate in the process."
Jeff Geda, Beyers Furniture: "I tell them we have handpicked our beds so that the feel of each is different, and that it is up to them to (experience the) feel. Then I excuse myself and leave for three minutes."
Finding the bed that is just right
• What are some of the questions you ask to help guide the customer to the best possible bed for them?
Jerry Winters, Rhodes: "Normally, during our first few minutes, I'll discuss with the customer their comfort levels to get some idea about what they are used to: What are you currently sleeping on? Is the mattress providing you with the proper back support? Is your current mattress too soft or firm? What is the largest size you can use in the room?"
Rick Campbell: "How does this bed feel? Do you feel any pressure anywhere in your body? Do you feel your body is being completely supported? How does your back feel?"
Michael Nermon: "We ask about the customer's experience with their present mattress — their likes and dislikes."
Rick Try: "Are you coming out of a waterbed? Why are you changing? What size do you currently have? Is your old bedding firm, extra firm or pillowtop?"
Brian Blassberg: "What are they now sleeping on? What specific back issues do they have? Does their arm go to sleep, their shoulder hurt or their hips hurt? Does their partner wake them up by moving or getting in and out of bed? Do they toss and turn a lot? I also ask, of course, if the bed is for them or a guest room. If it is for a guest room, I ask just how comfortable they want their guest to be, which lightens things up a little. I try to interject humor as much as is advantageous."
Dick Andrews: "Always qualifying along the way: Who, What, When, Where, Why and How are journalism questions we learned long ago that make the best questions to ask a potential bedding customer. Is this for the master bedroom? Your guest house? You've had back surgery? These are just the basics. There are so many forks in any road that you have to have the experience to be two steps ahead of the customer to lead them to a decision they will feel comfortable with."
John Conrad, R.C. Willey: "Do you have a favorite brand? Will this mattress be for yourself or your mother-in-law? What size bed do you need? What are your preferences when it comes to comfort? Do you have any sleep problems or special needs?"
William D'Arcy, R.C. Willey: "What size mattress are you looking for? Who is the mattress for? How long have you had your current mattress? How soon do you need your new mattress?"
Roger Tomasek, American Furniture Warehouse: "We train our staff not to show more than two beds, based on the qualifying process, so as not to confuse the customer. If you have done a good job of qualifying the customer, they should have a choice of two beds you offer and not two beds at another store. You always want to give the customer a choice. More than two and it will confuse the customer."
