1. Successful Implementation of Pressure Mapping in Your Retail Store
Prepared for:
Date:

2. Why Mattress Retailers Pressure Map (1/2)
Financial reasons:
Increase floor traffic
Increase conversion ratio
Increase average sale price
Decrease returns
Differentiate from competitors

3. Why Mattress Retailers Pressure Map (2/2)
Other reasons:
Help customers decide
Build salesperson-customer trust
Provide objective visual evidence Validate purchase decision

4. Overcome Challenges to Successful Implementation
Details
Resistance
Sales force may say “I don’t need to pressure map”
Control
Control of sales pitch – autonomous vs. corporate owned stores
Leadership
No internal champion
Instructions
Unclear/lack of guidelines for usage in-store
ROI metrics
Defining and tracking ROI performance metrics

5. Strategies for Successful Implementation

6. 1. Resistance – “I don’t need to Pressure Map”
Challenge of employee acceptance
Lack confidence
“New” technology
However, excellent results possible:
Performance Metrics (ROI)
Results*
Average mattress sales price
Increased ≈ 75%
Conversion ratio
Increased from ≈ 15% to 70%
Return rate
Decreased from ≈ 8% to 4%
Increased commissions
Not available
*Results vary by customer

7. 2. Control – Autonomous vs. Corporate Owned Stores
Retail Format
Tendencies
Likelihood of Positive ROI with Pressure Mapping
1. Autonomous
“Not invented here” mentality / lack of “buy in”
Inconsistent sales pitch between and within stores
Tracking ROI problematic
Lowest
2. Semi-autonomous/
Franchise
3. Corporate owned
“Buy-in” less critical for success
Advantages of well structured sales pitch
Easy for corporate to centrally track ROI
Highest

8. 3. Leadership - Designate an Internal Project Champion
To serve as a point of contact for retail stores
That understands the sales process
That understands pressure mapping
That can train newcomers
To serve as a point of contact for Vista
To refine implementation
To report on project ROI
This also needs to be done within each store (likely the store manager)

9. 4. Instructions – Create Clear In-Store Instructions (1/2)
Where are you on the spectrum?
What will you advise your sales force?
Pressure Map
Some Customers
Pressure Map
50% of Customers
Pressure Map
All Customers
DISADVANTAGES:
■ Not all customers want to be
pressure mapped
■ Not all customers have the time
■ Some customers have strict budget
■ May be inappropriate for low end
mattress tier
DISADVANTAGES:
■ Misses customers that would
benefit from pressure mapping
■ Possibility to lose a sale or up
sell to higher margin mattress

10. 4. Instructions – Create Clear In-Store Instructions (2/2)
Assess customer needs
Mention pressure mapping early
Explain how it works
Invite those with 2-3 mattresses in mind
to pressure map
Close
Track sales (i.e. ROI)

11. 5. Track ROI – 1/2
Setting ROI performance metrics is critical. Suggestions:
Avg mattress sales price
Conversion ratio
Returns
Salesperson commission
Track when pressure mapping used
The number of customers you pressure map may depend on:
How easily pressure mapping integrates into your sales “pitch”
Tracking ROI and adjusting the % of people you pressure map

12. 5. Track ROI – 2/2 Performance Metrics Key Questions Conversion ratio
How many people visit the store daily/weekly/monthly?
Of these, what percentage purchased a mattress?
After using pressure mapping, what percentage purchase a mattress?
Return rate
What % of customers return mattresses?
After pressure mapping, what percentage return mattresses?
Average mattress sales price (or avg. gross margin)
Average mattress sales price before pressure mapping?
Average mattress sales price after pressure mapping?
Compare results between pressure mapping stores and non-pressure mapping stores 12

13. Case Study #1 Key advantage: Phase 1: Phase 2: Phase 3: Phase 4:
Profile: ■ Retail chain store ■ Carries multiple mattress lines ■ Mattress manufacturing capability
Case Study #1
Key advantage:
Strong performance metrics
Phase 1:
One system (in R&D)
Phase 2:
Five pilot sites
Within single city
No advertising
Phase 3:
Seventeen pilot sites
Within a region/state
With advertising
Phase 4:
Tracking ROI
Compared 17 pilot sites to a “control site”
The control site performed the same
By using pressure mapping:
Trust between salesperson and customer improved
Customer satisfaction improved
How do we know?
Conversions averaged across 5 pilot stores increased from ≈15% to 70%
Average sale price increased ≈ 75%
Return rate dropped from 8% to 4%

14. Case Study #2 Key advantage:
Profile: ■ Manufacturer ■ All stores are corporate owned/ no competitors in-store ■ Mattresses are air adjustable
Case Study #2
Key advantage:
This manufacturer has a strong internal project champion
Phase 1:
Started with one pressure mapping system in R&D
Phase 2:
Implementation in 3 pilot sites
Phase 3:
Purchased 10 systems
Tested them in-store
But without comparison to other sites
Phase 4:
Implemented systems in 25 markets
Then started comparing markets/regions
Utilized various performance criteria/metrics

15. Case Study #3 Key advantage: Phase 1: Phase 2: Phase 3: Phase 4:
Profile: ■ Manufacturer ■ Owns no stores
Key advantage:
This manufacturer has a vision for combining pressure mapping with novel interactive POP displays
Phase 1:
Started by pressure mapping thousands in R&D
Phase 2:
Finds a “best fit” to the ideal mattress within its product lineup based on how your body pressure maps
Based on pressure mapping data set at in-store POP kiosk
Customer enters weight
Location of aches and pains
Whether wakes up stiff
The system prepares a mattress recommendation
Phase 3:
Pitches the POP system to retailers so retailers only use the POP with the manufacturer
The POP system travels with the retail mattress lineup
Uses the images of pressure mapping to attract attention vs. competitors
Phase 4:
Later moved to a more advanced POP kiosk where a computer generated person greets you at the door

16. Case Study #4 One pressure mapping system per site
Profile: ■ Retailer ■ Sells 2 lines of free standing mattresses in strip mall
Case Study #4
One pressure mapping system per site
Presented customers with two mattress styles – one soft mattress, one firm mattress around a central computer kiosk
Customer lies on back/side
Very few moved down to lower value mattress
Average unit sales value went up ≈40%
≈40% customers also moved up to higher value units

17. Summary of Best Practices
Eliciting “buy in”:
Identify who will be your project champion / team members
Prepare in-house “how to use pressure mapping” information (Vista can provide input)
Invite store managers to a “get to know pressure mapping” meeting (Vista can facilitate)
Designate a few (5-10) pilot stores
Define trial period (3+ months)
Reconvene store managers for post trial period debrief

18. Summary of Best Practices
Develop elements of the marketing campaign:
Name the pressure mapping system, e.g.:
-“The Comfort Selector”
-“The Mattress Selector”
- “The Comfort Test”
Name the marketing campaign:
-“Project Sleep Easy”
-“Have you been pressure mapped?”
-“Tired of a restless sleep?”
-“Wake up refreshed” 18

19. Summary of Best Practices
Develop elements of the marketing campaign:
External communications:
-Flyers
-Website
-Advertising
-Determine what may be on offer, e.g. more robust satisfaction guarantee
Sample advertising that addresses complaints:
-More restful sleep
-Irritability
-Back pain
-Sore muscles 19

20. Summary of Best Practices
Develop elements of the marketing campaign:
In marketing materials, demonstrate what an excellent surface pressure maps like vs. another
Include the side lie
Inferior surface
Superior surface

21. Summary of Best Practices
Develop elements of the marketing campaign:
In-house promotional material:
-Storefront displays
-Tent cards visible throughout the store
-Large screen TV’s
-Integrate it with your branding/corporate identity
-Give employees buttons to pique customer interest
“Have you been mapped?”, “Ask me about pressure
mapping”
-Place your brand identity on the mat (e.g. Try me!)

22. Summary of Best Practices
Develop Clear Instructions for RSAs:
E.g. Narrow the choices down to three mattresses and then use pressure mapping
If customer leaving, what should the RSA do? Give customers a printout of pressure map with sales person name card 22

23. Summary of Best Practices
Develop Clear Instructions for RSAs:
“Now that you’ve narrowed it down to two mattresses, we have a sensing pad that can guide you to mattress selection. Can I show you”?
“We have a system that can help you make a more objective decision”
“We have a pressure mapping system that can help take the guesswork out of your decision”
“Can I show you a tool we have to help you choose a better mattress?
“Can I show you our latest “comfort selector”. This is the same technology used for two decades in the healthcare sector to prevent pressure sores”
“Pressure points cause discomfort. Can I show you where you are receiving more and less pressure?”
“Pressure points may interrupt your sleep cycles. Can I show you a tool for assessing your pressure points?”
“Pressure mapping can show you which mattress provides the most support and minimizes pressure.” 23

24. Summary of Best Practices
Develop Clear Instructions for RSAs:
Consider what criteria RSAs will highlight for customer. E.g. better mattress is one:
-With lower average pressure
-Increased body contact with the mattress (i.e. sensing area)
-Fewer peak pressure areas
-Higher “comfort” index

25. Summary of Best Practices
ROI Performance Metrics:
Define your performance metrics
Measure the before / after:
Conversion rates
Average sale price
Profitability per store
Number of returns
Let store managers know how it’s going (e.g. put metrics into the company newsletter or internal s)

26. Summary of Best Practices
Refining Implementation:
Refine your implementation based on metrics
Decide which beds you will and will not pressure map (e.g. soft springs may map better than foam/Tempur-Pedic)
Develop incentives linked to pressure mapping. Customers that use pressure mapping get free:
-Pillow
-Delivery
-Comforter
-Alarm clock
-Reading light
-10% discount on other in-store purchase

27. Sample Program Activities
Timeline (month)
Sample Program Activities 1
Purchase or lease one system
Receive training and setup/install basics from Vista
Designate project champion
Install in one store and become familiar 2
Identify pilot program stores
Establish performance metrics (conversion rates, avg. sales price, etc.)
Draft usage/training guidelines (from how to integrate into the sales pitch to how to record use of pressure mapping when ringing up a sale) 3
Meet with pilot store managers seek input
Refine usage/training guidelines
Develop draft internal and external marketing communications (messaging for brochures, tent cards, advertisements)
Set launch date for pilot stores
4 -6
Launch program in pilot stores
Monitor performance 7
Review performance metrics
Pilot project debrief with store managers/salesperson feedback
Refine training guidelines
Finalize any outstanding marketing communications materials 6+
Launch program in additional stores

28. Thank you.