Reaching the Blue Ocean: Providing Solutions to Customer Needs

Connecting Mattresses to Customer Needs

Creating a connection from the stated needs of the customer to a mattress not only satisfies an important S.C.O.R.E. component, but more importantly, instills trust, enables the customer to enjoy a successful experience, and sets the salesperson up for success to fulfill a primary performance goal:
closing the sale by successfully providing a solution to the customer's needs.

In order to illustrate how a mattress will fulfill the customer's needs, those needs must first be uncovered. In-depth analysis of the customer's needs begins during the Consultation.

An effective Consultation will instill in the customer feelings of confidence, empowerment and trust. By utilizing a consultative approach and the Sleep Survey to uncover sleep needs and problems, and by acting as the "Sleep Expert" to provide feedback and information, the sleep expert may instill in the customer a feeling of confidence. Customers should be made to feel that they have come to the right place to find a solution; that they are working with an expert; that they are finally receiving the education and information to make informed choices; they should feel confident in the consultative approach offered here at Mattress Firm with CbC. The customer will feel empowered when their input is solicited and their decisions are validated by an expert. The customer's feeling of empowerment will, in turn both foster trust, and will also help the customer to feel more confident in making decisions. Rather than attempting to "talk the customer into" a decision, which will erode trust, instead, the salesperson should utilize the role of "the Sleep Guide."

The role of the "Sleep Guide" is customer focused, and increases the comfort of the customer, while helping to confirm the decisions made by the customer. Acting in the role of a Sleep Guide, the salesperson can advise and recommend by answering questions and making information available and transparent, without eroding the trust of the customer. This will have the ultimate effect of making the customer feel more confident in making decisions. Moreover, if the sleep expert is willing to listen, the customer will divulge exactly what his or her needs are, and what problems the new mattress should solve. By formatting the presentation to Consumer Languages the Sleep Guide may improve the way he or she communicates these solutions to the customer. Upon discovery of the customer's needs, the Sleep Guide may affirm understanding of these needs to the customer.

Once the customer's needs have been agreed upon, the customer will be more apt to trust their Sleep Guide to recommend a selection of mattresses which will address the stated needs. The "Sleep Guide" may reinforce the validity the the customer's needs, while making recommendations. "You need a bed that relieves pressure on your shoulder. I would like to recommend three beds for you to consider, which would be very effective at reducing the pressure on your shoulder," the Sleep Guide might offer. The role of the sleep guide is to HELP the customer, rather than to SELL TO the customer. And the Sleep Guide will in turn, have earned the customer trust to effectively present the features, benefits and ADVANTAGES of a bed to the customer, while making the customer feel that their own special concerns are being considered and their needs addressed.

The information obtained during the consultation is instrumental in the presentation during the selection process. When presenting the features, benefits and advantages of a bed, it is important to recall that "Value is subjective."

• "A feature without a benefit equals only added cost"
• "A benefit without a tie-in to a stated need has no advantage"
• "Advantages are BENEFITS which are tied to the customers STATED NEEDS"
• "These have the most VALUE"

Therefore, when presenting a feature which will help address a customer's need, the salesperson should link the feature to the benefit, and then illustrate how that benefit will address the stated need. For Example: A customer has stated that he and other family members suffer from allergies and asthma. A Feature/Benefit/Advantage statement for a Simmons Beautyrest Bed which would be meaningful to the customer might go something like this: "This Simmons Beautyrest bed contains Allercare fiber. Allercare fiber is antimicrobial and dust-mite resistant. So this bed will help to eliminate one of the the primary triggers for allergies and asthma in the home, keeping you free from the symptoms of allergy and asthma, and helping you to get a better night's sleep." After linking the mattress to the customer's stated need during the selection process, the logical conclusion is to help the customer to move to the solution phase.

During the Solution phase of the sale, the Sleep Guide will reaffirm the customer's choice by validating it both as the one they liked best, as well as by affirming that they have made the right choice in resolving their stated need. "This is the one you liked best," the Sleep Guide might offer. "Do you see how it will provide the solution to... (stated need)?" During the Solution phase, the customer is feeling ready for a resolution. At this time the Sleep Guide should compliment the customer on their excellent choice. This is a good time for a trial close. At this point in the Comfort by Color process the customer may also feel relieved and relaxed. They have experienced success in finding a mattress to meet their needs. This is the time to congratulate the customer, and to share in their enthusiasm. By enabling the customer to successfully select a mattress which will address their needs, a scenario is created in which the salesperson will be set up for success to close the sale, so that the customer can begin to enjoy the benefits of their new mattress.

Marianne Geiger

Store Manager Mattress Firm, Kenwood

Cincinnati Team Blue Angels Leader