Technological change has affected many aspects of our lives. How about how we sleep?

From health and education to communication and so on, disruption is the new normal (Or the old normal if you look at history). 

Rolls of fabric to bags of cotton or down feathers, onward to more modern sleep systems such as inner springs and foam, sleep systems have evolved. So has the selling process and the marketplace that promotes and sells them. In the past, many people received mattresses as hand me downs from parents or relatives. Modern manufacturing techniques and the rise of the consumer class made commercially fabricated mattresses cheaper to produce in high quantities and changes in attitudes about sleep have increased public awareness. 

Here is a short question and answer session with a few mattress salespeople about the industry and how technology has affected it.

Hi. Thanks for deciding to answer a few questions about the industry and your perspective on those changes. 

You are welcome.

Please tell me how do you feel about it.

I think from a health standpoint it is good that quality of sleep is being talked about. People used to just think that "Hey, I am getting older so I guess I just do not need as much sleep as I used to when I was young." If someone has aches and pains, it is just something that happens. Tossing and turning was just accepted and snoring was a topic of discussion with your friends as you talked about work, life, and marriage.

Do you mean complaining about marriage, as in your significant other snoring?

I would never say that! Especially since sleeping on the couch is generally not a good thing.

It is not a good sleeping surface?

Sofa grade foams and the support structure of the furniture do not conform to the body. For most people, it does not support your body  properly as it is suspended on it. We are not straight lines and there is curvature to the spine. If there is too much pressure generated by the surface we are sleeping on, blood flow is impeded and you will toss and turn to avoid the pressure. 

That is a lot of sleep talk and not a lot of specifications and features of the sleep set. Has it always been that way?

It varies. There are different types of consumers. Some people are searching for luxury while others are looking for economy and value. In the past, there was probably more talk about the tempering of steel, the type of coil, the gauge of the wire, the durability of the foams, fibers, and fabrics and less about sleep. It just depends on whether the person was an investor or someone seeking an escape. Luxury selling is about storytelling and romanticizing the product. Can you imagine being comfortable with your sleep set and new sheets waking up on Saturday morning in your new home? How about how great it will feel waking up without that back pain or feeling rested because you are not falling into the center of your bed?

You said good for the customer. What about the salesperson?

Depending on the salesperson and the marketplace, things can be tougher. There is a lot of competition out there. People can compare prices online and the density of stores in cities and suburbs is higher than in the past. Sharks and spinsters have to really be good at selling and convincing people to buy. 

I said it was tough, but salespeople who know how to read people, are genuine, and are willing to learn about the product and the art of selling can still be successful. The problem is that management may think that because they have a website that they do not need people who know how to sell. They can show a fancy touch screen monitor with pictures of mattresses and people will select what they want (hopefully the more expensive the better) and there goes the sales people. The truth is that people are still needed for key positions in the buying process, and I do not see that changing soon. Most people prefer reassurance and guidance when making sometimes difficult decisions. Mattresses are perceived to be expensive yet many people have no problem absorbing price increases for the newest television, car, etc. People will quote prices from 30 or 40 years ago when lamenting mattress choices, but will hand their credit card without much of a word for a home entertainment system. 

I will tell you this. People prefer to buy something instead of being talked into it. No one wants to be manipulated or conned. A good salesperson discovers what it is that customer needs and sells to that need/pain and shows them what the solution looks like.

What about technology? Has it displaced people?

You are going to hate this, but it depends. In terms of logistics, the inventory management systems have really helped with knowing what to sell. There are reports that can be run that can show you what sells at the desired price and what is marked down or discounted to move. Mattresses do not grow legs and disappear only to be found out during monthly inventory. Mistakes are found quicker. So by controlling these costs, some areas of the warehouse probably do not need the same amount of people as they did before. 

With better inventory means you know what to avoid on the sales floor. Why push it if you do not have it? You still want to sell something that will solve a problem or meet their needs. It just helps to avoid disappointment if the person needed it today or tomorrow and you cannot get it for 2 weeks.

In the past, you had to hand write all tickets. There was so much paper! When you finished an order, you had to fax it in and then find out what was the fate of your order. You could call ahead and get printouts of what was available, but this might be old by the time you need it. There was no quick way to know what would fit on a delivery. It is computerized now.

What about training? Has that changed?

Yes. When computers creeped into stores, there would be experienced salespeople who dreaded learning how to use them. Some furniture stores left the actual ticket writing to clerks. This helped people who either could not learn how to use them, who were too afraid to use them, or unwilling to learn. Let's face it, if all you have been doing is selling products without computers, change is scary.

What are your thoughts on sleep?

A good night's sleep is worth it. It will do more for you than a new car or big screen television. You just won't think so if you are looking at a perfect one sitting in the lot in the perfect color or if it is Black Friday and the price is right.