Retailer Web Services Digital Advisor Fall 2017 | Page 5

ON DECK
HELPING
PEOPLE IS
NO. 1 AT
MATTRESS USA
A
visit to Mattress USA’s
Facebook page turns up rows
of five-star reviews, behind-
the-scenes video of their new
store’s grand opening, and an image of
a handwritten poem expressing thanks
to Mattress USA for saving the day. For
owners Dan and Ronda Corley, the social
media page provides a glimpse of the
way they run their showroom: a friendly,
relaxed and comfortable atmosphere
where sales associates strive to help
people, not hover over them.
The Corleys have owned Mattress USA,
located in Dothan in the southeast
corner of Alabama, for the past six
years. Within one year of ownership,
and after spending a lot of money on
the development of three websites, the
Corleys turned to Retailer Web Services
(RWS) to build their online presence and
haven’t looked back. According to Dan, a
WebFronts Level 4 early adopter through
MEGA Group USA, “In five years with
RWS, they have helped our business
nearly double in sales volume. We
cannot praise them enough.”
The Digital Advisor team talked with Dan
Corley and Andrew Bath, store manager
and part-owner (and the Corley’s son-in-
law), about the Mattress USA difference,
their new store, and how digital has
contributed to their success.
Digital Advantage (DA): What made you
get into the mattress business?
Dan Corley (DC): Before Ronda and I
bought the store, I managed it, and prior
to that, worked there part time. I needed
the income and saw it as honorable,
honest work. You’re helping people,
which I enjoy. It’s more than just selling a
commodity to us. Our sales associates are
not commission based. We build lifetime
relationships with customers to benefit
their health and wellness. It’s so rewarding
to help people in their well-being.
Left to right: Dan and Ronda Corley, Maranatha
and Andrew Bath with Baby Aria
DA: Your online reviews are stellar.
People say you help ease their pain. How
have you acquired this knowledge that’s
clearly a market differentiator?
DC: We are honored to have such good
reviews. When most people come
to us, they’re hurting. We work with
professionals in our area—physical
therapists, chiropractors, sleep doctors—
learning about spinal alignment and
the right pillows, depending on your
sleep position. We focus on comfort and
support so you wake up and don’t hurt.
DA: How does Mattress USA give back
to the community?
DC: We go above and beyond with our
appreciation of the military and first
responders. For the last six years, we’ve
donated new mattresses to [local] fire
stations. We offer military discounts,
special concessions, and free delivery to
Fort Rucker military base, which is about
30 minutes from us.
DA: Congratulations on your new store!
What precipitated the second store in
Dothan?
DC: Luckily, with RWS’s excellent [help
with our] website, people have been
finding us. We’ve had sales gains every
year and continue to grow. Customers
tell us, “You have the best website!” But
when people call us because of our
online reviews and commercials, they
ask if our store is “where the others a re
located.” It’s not. We needed to be in
Dothan’s retail area. With 10,000-plus
square feet feet—9,000 is showroom
space—we have twice as much space
as other mattress stores in the area and
double the size of our flagship location,
which will remain open.
DA: With 10 employees, what does
leadership mean to you? How do you
engage and motivate them?
Andrew Bath (AB): Because our sales
associates are not commission based,
we have eliminated the car-lot-style
competition between them and created
a relaxed, comfortable atmosphere.
We invest in our employees, and they
are higher paid. We’re not looking for
people who are overly aggressive—and
our employees appreciate that. We’re
looking for people who want to help
someone. Our main goal is to treat
others the way we want to be treated and
to lead by example.
DA: What has your business gained by
going digital?
AB: Level 4’s ease-of-use, the automatic
updates and promotions, and the
support from RWS staff has freed up
my time. It streamlines social media
platforms with the website, which has a
cleaner look thanks to RWS designers.
It’s a good online presence that is mobile
friendly. Our brand is uniform across all
platforms. RWS has connected all the
dots for us—and has connected us to
major brands.
5