Sales and Customer Service

January 29, 2015 — 7 Comments

Bed Shopping

In December we decided to purchase a new bed. It became obvious that our old one was drooping and giving us less that the perfect night’s sleep. The large purchase was our holiday shopping splurge for the whole family and for the whole season. We stretched a little beyond our comfort zone on price because we found a mattress we both agreed was dreamy. Our sales associate was a perfect mixture of helpful and laid back. She handed us both pillows and directed us to the part of the store with the products we wanted to try. Mattress Firm represents several different brands, including Sealy and Tempurpedic. We both settled on a Sealy wanna be Tempurpedic, and to be honest the lower price point did factor into our decision. A delivery date was set for before New Year’s Eve, and we left the store very happy and satisfied that we had made a purchase that would enhance our sleep and therefore our whole lives. We feel great about the product now that we finally have it.

After waiting for my delivery, promised in a 3 hour window, I called to learn that not only my bed was missing from that day’s delivery schedule, but my mattress was not even in stock. I flipped my lid, verbally and otherwise. My sales associate, Tamara Flores, called my home on her day off to explain that the bed we ordered was not available although the warehouse had confirmed the delivery just the previous day. They had made a mistake and now could not bring us a bed for another 10 days. When that date approached Tamara had already talked her manager into offering us a higher quality mattress to make up for the unprofessional mistakes. Again she was forced to tell me all of the inventory was not in the warehouse, but she sent the upgraded Tempurpedic mattress with two temporary bases. The bases were back ordered, but the company agreed to replace the loaner bases when ours arrived. This new bed arrived, but did not fit the frame at all. We started sleeping on it and knew it was worth the wait, but we still needed to deal with the frame fit. A home visit from the delivery team confirmed that I needed a different frame. That change was made quickly and easily by ordering the correct size from Amazon and moving the bolts in the headboard ourselves. This was inexpensive as well as pretty easy to do. We started sleeping like babies.

Mattress Firm called me with a customer service survey. I let them know the individual employees are working hard and doing a professional job. The problems we encountered were the result of systems within the company that don’t seem to be working well. The sales staff that takes care of a customer can turn the nightmare unsatisfied buyer that I was into a happy return consumer. I threatened to disrespect Mattress Firm publicly in no uncertain terms, and now I am inclined to send my friends to Tamara for the best customer service ever. Her diligence as well as the professionalism of the delivery crew saved the day in my case. A good sales associate might represent the company for whom they work, but their loyal service honestly belongs to the people who buy the products. The sales person who goes the extra mile and follows up to find out if the buyer is happy will build a reputation for pleasing customers. I enthusiastically endorse Ms. Flores as one such exceptional employee. If you are listening, Mattress Firm, give this woman a big fat bonus for avoiding what I had planned to say about your company. She averted a potentially nasty problem….my anger.  Now when I lay me down to sleep I trust Tamara my sale to keep. She did a great job, and I am sleeping very well.

Tamara Flores at work