“There is no question about it: our sales went up over 25% at a time when industry sales were not going up. It was flat.”
Boulevard Home has been in business since 1974, starting as a single store and expanding to four, with its flagship location in St. George, UT, USA. Jerry Thomas, Director of Sales, sought technology to improve and personalize their shopping experience and find the reason behind the increase in customer returns when he came across REVEAL® by XSENSOR.
After initial research, Jerry implemented a REVEAL Mattress Recommendation system, which they rebranded as the SleepCast Mattress Fitting system. There was initial hesitation with their sales staff. However, with enough training and the systems’ state-of-the-art science-backed pressure mapping technology, ease of use, and consistent sales process and recommendation, it eventually proved itself, and the salespeople began using it.
Challenges
- A local business was looking to differentiate their mattress-buying journey for their customers.
- There was an increase in the number of customer returns.
- Slower than expected technology adoption by their own sales staff.
Solution
They did initial research and came across REVEAL® by XSENSOR. They then began to implement the technology in their stores.
Sales staff who were skeptical saw its value when a customer who initially came in to buy a $1000 mattress was pressure mapped on the system and ended up buying a $5000 mattress.
Results
- The three systems they purchased paid for themselves within a month. Most importantly, their return percentage was down 20% by the end of the first year.
- 25% increase in sales within a year.
- 65% close rate of high-end mattresses.
- 500% increase in pillow sales.
- 55% increase in adjustable base sales.
- Customer satisfaction at an all-time high.
The right technology and implementation could open doors for customers to look for an in-store experience. REVEAL has given their stores a point of differentiation that makes them unique and provides an excellent reason for customers to shop in-store instead of online or bed-in-a-box options.
The mattress recommendation system provided trust between the customer and the salesperson. Establishing trust and confidence are some of the most essential things in mattress sales. REVEAL’s innovative, science-backed pressure mapping technology provides an unbiased recommendation that allows trust to be formed. “The salesperson is no longer a salesperson; they’re more like a friend that is knowledgeable and can help them find the right mattress,” Jerry shared.
Personalizing the mattress shopping experience has been vitally crucial at Boulevard Home. Asking the right questions and having honest conversations with the customer about their needs is critical to finding the right fit.
Impact
Most customers come into their store with a preconceived notion of what type of mattress they need. They may think they need a firm mattress but need more support. Using the REVEAL system, they get pressure-mapped, and the salesperson could then converse with them on the difference between support and comfort. Instead of insisting they needed a firm mattress, they were given a recommendation suited directly to their needs.
Price used to be the biggest influence on a customer’s decision, but after being pressure-mapped, they realize it is much more about how the mattress feels.
Customers are looking for innovative technology, whether it be cooling, fabrics, or certain types of mattress construction, and what it all boils down to is whether this mattress will help them sleep better at night.
Conclusion
As REVEAL gave customers something tangible to base their decision on, it gave staff much more credibility in making recommendations. After customers are pressure mapped and receive their recommendation, they know that the mattress they need is within a specific category, which is reassuring.
