Do You Know the Top 10 Customer Complaints?

In the world of mattress retail, customer satisfaction is paramount. By knowing the most common grievances, retailers can take a proactive approach to addressing complaints and taking steps to prevent them before they arise. Below, we share the 10 most common complaints (according to ReputationManagement.com) and tips for tackling each.

1. Product Disappointment

Complaints about mattress comfort or sheet quality are preventable by stocking reliable products from vetted vendors. Inspect merchandise before it leaves your store or e-commerce warehouse. For online shoppers, detailed product descriptions and comprehensive visuals are essential. Post photos from multiple angles or use 360-degree viewing tools to give shoppers the full picture before they click “Add to Cart.”

2. Poor Service

Whether in-store or online, creating a culture of exceptional customer service is crucial. Every team member in the chain of customer service from RSAs in brick-and-mortar outlets to customer service representatives who field phone calls should embody the company’s commitment to respecting, listening to and delighting customers.

3. A Negative Atmosphere

Your store’s ambiance matters. Take care to create a clean, inviting environment and encourage customers to share feedback for continuous improvement. Shoppers may not complain directly to you about your dingy store or shoe-scuffed mattresses, but they’ll tell others or leave you a less-than-stellar Google review. Look at every aspect of your store with a fresh perspective, from the bathroom to overhead lighting, and make adjustments as needed.

4. Poor Communication

While it’s admirable to aim for perfection 100% of the time, it’s not always possible. Long phone hold times and unanswered emails are one way to rile up a customer. To prevent this type of complaint, hire and schedule adequate staff. And prioritize quick responses, even if you have bad news to share.

5. A Lack of Information

Make vital information easily accessible to customers, including everything from store hours to delivery policies. Optimize your website’s search functionality with well-tagged products so shoppers can sort by size, cost, brand, sleep technology, etc., and suggest complementary items as they shop. Remember, if customers can’t find what they’re looking for easily they might navigate away from your website and onto a competitor’s. 

6. Disappointing Service

When it comes to mattress retailers, “service disappointment” is likely to include complaints about delivery (scheduling, politeness of delivery team, etc.) and product returns. Remember the adage of underpromise and over-deliver.

7. Waiting

Respect your customer’s time. Shoppers don’t want to wait in-store for an RSA to assist them or sit around while a webpage loads. Find ways to speed up service in both the physical and digital realms. For instance, if you tell customers that you will call the day before a bed delivery to set up a time and promise that the delivery team will call again when they are on their way, you need to keep those commitments.

8. Hidden Costs or Fees

Consider all-inclusive pricing to foster trust in your pricing structure. Be transparent about any fees customers might not be expecting.

9. Difficult Returns or Refunds

Online sellers have changed consumers’ expectations of how long they have to return a mattress and how easy it should be to do it. RSAs may be reluctant to talk about return policies while making the sale, fearing it will put a negative idea in shoppers’ minds, but you’re staving off bigger problems in the future by doing so. Put your return policy in writing and have customers sign it before they leave the store. For online shoppers, require them to read it before they click “Purchase.”

10. Billing and Fee Disputes

Ensure clarity in billing, especially online. And, if you sell mattresses in California, Connecticut or Rhode Island, be upfront about the state-mandated recycling fees on mattresses or foundations. The Mattress Recycling Council has signage, videos and other materials retailers can use to explain those fees and the value of mattress recycling to customers. Check out MattressRecyclingCouncil.org or ByeByeMattress.com.

By addressing these common complaints head-on, you can enhance customer satisfaction and build trust in your brand. Unsure of best practices for addressing customers’ complaints efficiently? Check out our article with five effective strategies.