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David Perry

Cleveland bedding company is a real Original

TOUR UPDATE: As I write this it’s Day Three of Leggett & Platt’s Spring Alive Tour. We are in Cleveland, where we visited the Original Mattress Factory earlier in the day. As that name suggests, that is a factory direct operation, the second we visited in as many days on the tour. 

This company is headed by Ron Trzcinski, who was a top lieutenant to Ernie Wuliger back in the glory days of Ohio-Sealy. Wuliger was one of the savviest bedding operators of all time, so Ron learned from the very best.

I’ve heard good things about Original Mattress, but this operation, like Verlo Mattress Factory Stores, which we visited earlier this week, is one I haven’t devoted much ink to over the years. That changes right now.

We were all impressed with the energy level in the conference room where we met with almost three dozen of Original Mattress Factory’s sales associates. And, interestingly, there were many women in the audience, a departure from our earlier meetings with sales associates and store owners on our tour. We like to say that our customer is a “she.” If so, why don’t we have more female sales associates? That’s a question I am exploring on this tour.

Ron Trzcinski himself attended our training session, and wrapped up our meeting with an overview of the company’s business philosophy: Push for excellence. Be courteous. Be friendly. And be knowledgeable about the products the company sells. He said the company’s sales associates should strive to become more knowledgeable in all aspects of the business, and suggested our presentation on selling the benefits of good sleep could be a bridge to learning more about sleep itself.

BETTER SLEEP MOMENT: Does better sleep sell? Yes, according to consumers in the focus groups we are holding. Kurt Ling, the consultant who is moderating the groups, was surprised by how much more money the consumers said they would spend if they realized their new bed would give them better sleep. The answers ranged from $200 to $300 more, or even up to twice as much as they last spent on a mattress. Those are impressive numbers. That’s just one of the reasons why the industry must focus on selling better sleep – not cheaper beds.

INSIGHT OF THE DAY: “We strive for excellence in all we do.” That is point Number One of Original Mattress Factory’s philosophy. Trzcinski, president of Original Mattress, asked his sales associates to recite the top points of the philosophy. Several did. Many companies have philosophy statements and mission statements. But Original really takes those statements seriously. That’s impressive. The company has those key messages printed on laminated cards. Trzcinski gave me one as I left the company’s flagship store in Cleveland.

THE VIEW FROM 25,000 FEET (LITERALLY): An interesting thought strikes me as I look out the window of the L&P jet and gaze at the ground far below: Our attitude in life is often determined by our altitude. We are literally thousands of feet above the cares and problems of the world down there. True, we will be landing shortly. But this grand view of the earth helps me put those petty battles that face us all in perspective. Plus, we are flying over beautiful countryside in the Midwest.

THE VIEW FROM 25,000 FEET (FIGURATIVELY): One of the great benefits of this tour is the chance to sit in on consumer focus groups. The consumer, we must remember, is the end user. It is all about her. Thus our industry’s attempts to understand her behavior are critical to our ultimate success. Consumer research is a valuable tool, but it is one that not all bedding producers utilize. I admit that I’m not an expert on conducting consumer research. It is more complicated than you might think. (Or more complicated than I might have thought.) No, we aren’t hearing from a huge number of consumers in these focus groups, but watching Kurt Ling skillfully drawing the consumers into discussions on key bedding issues is a fascinating experience.

SPRINGING FORWARD: L&P is sharing pocket-sized brochures with retail sales associates on this tour. They tout the benefits of a better night’s sleep, and also include some key messages on innerspring bedding. The brochure says that innerspring mattresses provide personal comfort, active support, and air circulation. “From comfort to support to durability,” the brochures say, “the innerspring sleep set provides a superior night’s sleep.” As I’ve noted in past bedding columns, the innerspring category has a story to tell. L&P is in a strong position to tell that story.

Dave Young, CEO of VyMac Corp., the parent of Verlo Mattress Factory Stores, made some very positive comments about the importance of innerspring units in today’s sleep sets in an interview with me earlier in the week. Innerspring bedding still leads the pack, he said. And today Ron Trzcinski added more pro-innerspring statements to the mix when I interviewed him after the training session.

TOMORROW I’LL TELL YOU ABOUT: The Dallas bedding scene.

FOR MORE ON THE TOUR: See Leggett & Platt’s special Web site, www.LeggettSleep.com, for daily tour updates.