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Inside Bedzzz Express' 'Xtreme Makeover'

By David Perry -- Furniture Today, June 1, 2009

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — State-of-the-art mattress selling concepts met “Fried Green Tomatoes” here.

The result, documented by video and photo teams under the direction of Leggett & Platt executive Mark Quinn and presented at Furniture/Today's recent Bedding Conference, is a compelling case study of how an established mattress retailer, Bedzzz Express here, can adapt its advertising, merchandising, display and selling strategies to the latest ideas in mattress retailing.

Initial results are encouraging. Quinn said at the Bedding Conference that the changes L&P implemented at Bedzzz Express have boosted the average sales ticket by 15%, increased traffic by 12%, increased Web page views by 400%, and sent search engine traffic soaring by 4,000%. In addition, PR work done by the chain has created total media impressions of 93,439, he said. Those impressions have a media equivalency value of $86,951.

L&P called this an “Xtreme Retail Makeover,” a theme that pays homage to the ABC hit TV show “Extreme Makeover Home Edition.” But the idea for this mattress makeover sprung from the active mind of Mark Quinn, group executive vice president of marketing in L&P's bedding division.

Two years ago, Quinn hatched the idea for Leggett & Platt's Spring Alive Tour, on which he led a group of top industry consultants during a week-long series of visits with bedding retailers across the country. That grueling five-city swing, which started in St. Louis and ended in Los Angeles, touted the benefits of selling better sleep.

Even then, Quinn was thinking about taking those ideas to a retailer who would work with him and his industry experts in a process aimed at transforming the business.

Bedzzz Express operation here was chosen for the project. It was a shrewd choice, since Bedzzz Express founder and president Keith Krininger was in the midst of getting his systems in order so that he could expand the franchising arm of his operation.

Quinn's latest big idea brought a small army of L&P execs packing business-building ideas to four of Krininger's Bedzzz Express stores here in February, including the store in the Irondale section of town, not far from the Irondale Café, which made a dish called fried green tomatoes famous — and inspired the movie of the same name.

Krininger operates eight Bedzzz Express stores in Birmingham, and also has eight Mattress Warehouse stores in the market. In addition, he has nine franchised Bedzzz Express stores across the state, and he's especially interested in growing that part of his business.

The mattress makeover team included, in addition to Quinn, creative services director John Walsh, art director Scott Clark, Herman Tam, group vice president of sales and marketing in the consumer products group, Internet guru Tom Hawkins, and adjustable bed exec Brian Croft, all of L&P, and public relations executive Mary Leigh Wallace of RLF Communications.

The first phase of the project was “the Discovery,” in which the L&P team evaluated every aspect of the Bedzzz Express business, identifying areas that needed improvement or might benefit from a different approach. Then the L&P execs retreated to Carthage, Mo., where the company is based, and got to work on some customized solutions for Krininger's stores.

In the second phase, “the Implementation,” the L&P team returned to Birmingham, where they made changes in the store interiors, brightening the color scheme, and adding educational and lifestyle graphics. They installed a new accessory concept developed by L&P, the L&P Retail Solution, which groups sleep accessories in catchy display and product education units. They stocked those units with L&P accessories, ranging from mattress protectors to pillows to sheets.

Not stopping there, they also installed new selling strategies, unveiled some new advertising concepts, and brought a comprehensive merchandising scheme to the beds in the store. And they also showed the retailer how to present adjustable beds, another product category helping mattress retailers boost their sales.

In her work with the team, public relations veteran Wallace of RLF Communications, the public relations firm for L&P's bedding group, helped Krininger get “earned media” coverage (translation: free editorial coverage). A story in a Birmingham business publication soon followed, lending credibility to Krininger's makeover project.

The final phase of the project was “the Big Reveal,” when Krininger and Quinn hosted a party in one of the revamped Bedzzz Express stores to show off the new look.

Quinn recalled his first conversation with Krininger, in which the retailer told him that he was ready to change.

“It takes courage to allow that to happen,” said Quinn. “These are some of the toughest times we've ever seen. But retailers who have courage and vision and a willingness to change will be around a long time, and their businesses will flourish.”

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