facebook merger By Asthma Helper

It’s ashamed many furniture and mattress stores cringe at the thought of people and the things they might say about their business on places like Facebook and Twitter, it really is a very interesting topic in this day of Social Media and the new transparency it offers customers into businesses and industries. Think about it, unsolicited comments and reviews at Yahoo Local, Google Places, Yelp or any of the gazillion others public places make it nearly impossible for control freak companies to manipulate their public image. Interestingly many of these independent furniture and mattress websites showcase great reviews while uncontrolled social media venues and similar comment and review spots will often have contradictory comments.

Social Media Friend Or Foe?

While we believe that even negative reviews can help build a business’ customer loyalty if given the choice, I’d would prefer a laundry list of perfect high praise reviews about my business.

So what should the public policy for Online Customer Feedback be?

Stores’ goal should be to identify the root complaint or problem.
Realize people get upset when things break or don’t perform as promised. The goal should be to remedy the situation and get to the root of the problem or complaint.

Help Stores Understand Your Problem.

Retailers and e-tailers need to realize that negative feedback doesn’t have to come with a price, it can actually be a learning lesson for both customer and business.  Negative experience or helpful suggestions can in fact be a great opportunity for furniture and mattress stores to improve products or services.

Stores & Criticism

While these are not good excuses, we all have our bad days and the hope is employees, owners, and managers would never bring problems to work or have an earlier issue carry over, but the truth is sometimes they do. From time to time products fail and services fall short or Murphy and his law rear its ugly head. None of us want to be yelled at or put down and we all want to be recognized in a positive light when it is deserved. While feeling the need to attack or sharing justified anger, attacking reviews may be deserving not all are exactly constructive. Point out the genuine issue with service or products and share your constructive criticism so that it can be remedied and so no one else has to go through the same problem.

When & How To Respond To Comment

It is import to respond to Online Customer Feedback. It is imperative that if I have made a mistake then I need to fix the problem and apologize and make it up to the customer if possible.
While the customer is always right sometimes they get the facts wrong or criticize the company for a product or service that was never promised or perhaps they do not even offer.
Finally, I usually do not respond to a customer who’s truly angry, just ranting, or seems to be upset with life in general responding only seems to get out of hand and take on a life of its own.

Yell loud enough and someone will listen

While we would favor that all customer or product complaints and problems are introduced to us first, we realize the reality is that it is not always going to happen that way.  Most retailers would love the chance to resolve a trouble or remedy a problem and if given the chance by responding. It is then that most retailers will shine when you need them most and if they don’t then use the public forum where you don’t have to yell but people will listen.

Encourage Customers To Comment

While I don’t think only good reviews should be solicited, I do think customer feedback should be. Collectively comments and reviews will show insight into the business that one is considering doing business with. This new age transparency will help customers not only determine what businesses will be a friend in times of trouble but who is superficial, unfriendly, and a foe.

Customer Service by RW PhotoBug's

Each and everyone of us at one time or another have either personally experienced or know people that have lived the horror stories of bad customer service. Unfortunately even I have had my share of the bad experiences. In looking back there were things I could have done to possibly make the experience a better one, and the tips I’ll share  applies to everyone.

As simple as it is to remedy, it is the most common problem I see,

not having the original purchase receipt or invoice in hand when calling by phone or returning to the store. This is used to quickly and effectively identify everything about that purchase. Even in this day of high tech computers, it is not always possible to find the information needed to properly identify a purchase or service order and everything it included. Costly software and time consuming data of course can be entered into a computer system, but is not always feasible for businesses of any size. Many business owners are not tech savvy enough to run such elaborate service control systems and just as it applies to big companies, there is a big cost  of money to businesses and ultimately the customer to have such detailed information at hand. Without a date of purchase, a sku number or manufacturer name getting specifics on how to handle warranty, service, or even the simplest of questions can be nearly impossible for the company staff. To make matters worse people don’t understand these complicated matters and could easily resolve the biggest service issue of them all by simply hanging on to their original receipt or invoice.

This is truly a bad way to start off the process…

and without the key vital item information the business and service help are often operating blindly. If you have lost your proof of purchase copy then many times providing a credit card receipt or canceled check will give the retailer a starting point to begin the research to your service question, warranty problem, or return. Remember the receipt is like a products’ Social Security Number it identifies it.

Next be explicit about the problem you are calling about. Time and again people call our business inquiring about warranty on any number of items. The problem is we offer nearly 1000 different items supplied by 20 different manufacturers and the conversation unfortunately starts by talking about the product not being the perfect color, firmness, or thickness of the mattress they wanted. In other words a lot of unrelated discussion to the real problem at hand that being a bad body impression, broken spring, or bad box spring etc. It is not uncommon to have people call and talk for 15 minutes and I still don’t know what their problem is. It’s not that we don’t care, but rambling on about ones illness, money issues, and talk about the grandchildren is irrelevant to the service issue at hand. It always makes me recall the times I have been put on hold for 10 minutes, and it makes me wonder if it was because people are unprepared and don’t get the point of the call.

Last but not least, do not call loaded for bear no matter how frustrated you may be. If you call expecting bad service it may be exactly what you get. We encourage everyone to be respectful and talk in a calm manor. Do not attack the representative after all he or she is there to help, not to stand behind a counter and get yelled at and defend his or herself. Extend them the same courtesy you’d expect of them after all in most cases they really are human beings.

More Customer Service Articles To Check Out

Ways to improve your service in a Mattress & Furniture Store

How To Check Out A Mattress Or Furniture Dealers Reputation

It’s hard to believe that a mattress could have something wrong with it,

Questions by Valerie Everett

but there are some all to common complaints that come along with purchasing a new mattress and boxspring these days. Many people as they should be are concerned about what some call mattress manufacturing inconsistencies, especially after spending so much money. However do not assume you have a warranty claim. It is very important that you know what is and is not covered by a mattress warranty. Listed below are 5 of the issues that are commonly raised and the resolutions to them.

Threads or loose strings hanging from the mattress

First and foremost do not yank on thread. Gently pull the string which should lock the stitch and clip the loose thread or threads. Quilting machines after sewing the foam and top fabric layers together will tack and sew an area down and then cut the thread. It will then move to a new area to repeat the process. Sometimes the thread is not clipped short enough.

My mattress feels different from the one in the store

There are many possibilities for this one.

a)      The mattress may not be the one you purchased, contact the retailer and have the problem corrected. There should be not a charge to consumer for this.

b)      They may have made changes or upgrades in the design that the sales person may not have been aware of. In most cases the store floor model should reflect those changes made. If not this is the problem of the store not the consumer.

c)      Manufacturer made changes and did not inform the retailer. This is rare but does occur.

d)      Store floor model may be worn and fatigued. This is especially true of high traffic locations.

The new mattress has a chemical smell

All mattresses are required to pass safety tests for flammability. Most mattress manufacturers have resorted to using chemicals to retard flammability. In addition there are many synthetic materials used in constructing a bed such as polyurethane foam, which is petroleum based and polyester fiber all of which use many chemicals in their make up. Smell usually dissipates quickly but for some can be an irritant.  The only alternative is getting an MD. Prescription or purchasing an organic model. Both choices either reduce or eliminate chemical smell.

My mattress is not shaped correctly

Mattresses can vary slightly in their finished look and because they are hand made products inconsistencies can and do occur. Inspections upon completion are designed to reduce or eliminate such problems. If yours missed such an inspection or failed to have such an inspection upon completion and you feel your mattress is not what you agreed to purchase you should return it.

My new mattress is flattening out or sagging

Pillow top, plush top, and even firm top mattress can have compressions of surface materials within a few days or weeks. Manufacturers say this is normal which we would agree with. However if or when compression begins to affect the mattress feel and support then you will want to contact your retailer or manufacturer, a mattress should not sag.

Seriously, stain my mattress void my warranty?

There is a harsh reality that many people don’t find out about until it is too late to do anything about it. Mattress manufacturers have become very strict on what they will and won’t cover when it comes to stains and marks on a bed.  So are we simply saying that if your mattress gets a little something on it you’re simply S.O.L.? Well to be honest with many  bedding companies that very well may be what you can expect.

Have warranties always been like this?

No this has not always been the way warranties were handled by manufacturers. Most had guidelines for mattress stains but nothing to the degree that we so often read and hear about today. Back in the day the idea was to protect the people that would be handling the mattress delivery people, factory inspectors, etc. from the potential health risk involved in handling such mattresses. In the day stains implied and meant blood, urine, and other bodily fluids and to be honest who could blame them. Frankly somewhere between then and now something went crazy. Today it is not uncommon that if  you have so much as a mark, scrape, scuff, or smudge on your mattress that the mattress builders will deny even a legitimate claim, even for something like a 2 inch body impression. Websites, forums, and blogs all tell the same stories of rejected indisputable warranty claims due to an inch or two long mark that was caused while moving a mattress or handling it. Perhaps a coffee spot, or dye from a set of sheets that bled. The fact is these kind of marks won’t hurt anyone; a two inch body impression is a definite mattress problem that causes  terrible discomfort and sleepless nights for a mattress owner yet a smudge or a spot of coffee is reason enough for warranty rejection. 

What can I do to protect myself in the case of a warranty claim?

Use a waterproof mattress protector. They are cheaply priced, easy to install, and it will cover your mattress and your rear in the case of a mattress warranty claim. Some companies offer applied stain protector packages that will waterproof and stain protect your mattress. Many even guarantee mattress replacement or cleaning  in the event of an accidental stain. Whatever you choose to do about it is up to you. Know this, you can expect to be denied for a warranty claim if your mattress becomes soiled or unsanitary at any time. Warranty rules are made by the manufacturers and we have to play by their rules. In addition retail companies that offer comfort guarantees usually work the same way so be cautious and don’t wait until and accident happens to protect your investment.

Ever went into your local mattress store or Furniture Company only to feel you’ve been big time shafted?

Well I’d be lying if I told you in my 20+ years in the business that I hadn’t made someone mad handling various service issues. To be honest I have had more than a few customers who have told me as such. I never want people to feel like I have taken their money and I feel horrible when they think that is what has happened. So what are some of the most common problems that can improve the services that we receive?

Quick story: a customer buys a bed and a set of sheets from me. 1 1/2 years later they return to the store and buy another bed. Being the salesman I am I made the attempt to add onto the sale with a sheet set. The person tells me they we’re very disappointed with their first sheet set and would never buy another. When I asked if they returned them, they said they didn’t bother and threw them away. The lesson here is me STL Beds was never given the opportunity to exchange them or return them for a refund. I explained to them that I cannot make it right if I don’t know about the problem and gave them a brand new set free.

Sometimes the trouble is a result of confusion or remembrance. “Remember that mattress I bought back about a year ago from you” when in actuality it was bought 3 years ago.

How can service issues be resolved?

How STL Beds and many other stores handle such situations is by asking for the standard necessary information or documentation “ Do you have your receipt”? This is the customers’ proof of purchase, and proves they are the original purchaser. This is important for a couple reasons. The item could be out of manufacturers warranty or the warranty often times is not transferable to someone. It is regrettable but when the purchaser contacts the retailer without a receipt,  it makes it nearly impossible for them to process a warranty, solve a problem or answer a question they may have about their purchase.

What can you do if you do not have a copy of your receipt?

Not all businesses are computerized. Even companies that are, don’t necessarily enter your personal information into the system for future reference they may only utilize their computer system for bookkeeping.  Dealers are required in most states to keep sales receipts for a certain number of years for audit purposes. They are not required to keep receipts for customers for warranty claims. Some dealers like STL Beds strive to offer superior service after the sale by offering to sift through those years and months of records.

So what does a dealer need in order to do this? The purchaser can supply information found on a canceled check, which may either be returned to them after clearing the bank or may also be accessible through the bank itself.  Credit card charge receipts or even the monthly statements can provide the necessary purchase information a retailer is looking for in order to address the customers’ problem or question.

Tell us about your warranty experience.