Online retailer MattressNextDay is attracting more customers and saving money on returns since it switched its courier service to Panther Warehousing, the specialist in next-day, two-man, white-glove deliveries.
Sales have increased by 30 per cent since April, when the company upgraded its website at the same time as switching to Panther, and there has been a marked decrease in the number of damaged mattresses being returned.
Customers of MattressNextDay are embracing the opportunity to order before 5pm for delivery the next day, with the added convenience of being given a two-hour delivery slot on the day, as well as a range of optional value-added services from Panther.
Popular extras include having an old mattress taken away for recycling at the same time as a new one is delivered; and delivery of a bed or mattress to a room of the customer’s choice with all wrapping removed and taken away.
These are available thanks to Panther’s two-man delivery service which has also contributed greatly to the low rate of return of damaged goods. Many mattresses, particularly the most expensive, are heavy and cannot easily be carried by one person.
Mike Wallace, Managing Director of MattressNextDay , said: “We used to get a lot of calls in the morning from our customers because our previous carrier could not tell them what time of day their mattress or bed was due to be delivered.
“With Panther everything has improved. Panther contacts customers the day before their delivery, advises them of a two-hour slot, and then the driver phones ahead when he is leaving the job before theirs to tell them he’s on his way.
“Panther’s approach and constant communication reassures our customers and lets them organise their day – they can get out to the shop, walk the dog, do the gardening or the school run as long as they are at home for the two-hour window.
“Panther has truly added value to our business. We are able to offer a more flexible and responsive service and, significantly, we are getting far fewer mattresses sent back due to damage. We view Panther as an extension to our customer service.
“After all, if a customer is disappointed, it is our reputation which suffers. These days customers expect a lot – they think if a parcel can be delivered quickly and conveniently, so can a bed or a mattress and we have to live up to that.”
The carrier that MattressNextDay used before offered a one-man delivery service and, although it would remove old mattresses, did so by arranging a second visit to the customer’s house. Panther does it all in one visit, minimising inconvenience to customers.
Old mattresses are taken away for recycling, rather than sent to landfill, making it an environmentally responsible option.
Colin McCarthy, Panther Warehousing’s CEO, said: “We aim to make delivery as easy and convenient as possible for our clients’ customers. People lead busy lives and no-one wants to be pinned down in their home all day if they don’t have to be.
“That is why we have developed our suite of services to meet the demands of our clients and their customers. We always try to see things from the end customer’s perspective and we will continue to work with clients to further refine our offering.”
Panther is now working with MattressNextDay to integrate the IT systems of the two companies to allow total transparency and traceability.
MattressNextDay, which is based in Canterbury, Kent, was founded in 2002 and was one of the forerunners in online mattress sales. One of the largest independent bed and mattress retailers in the UK, it is steadily growing and the partnership with Panther is boosting expansion.
Panther has gone from strength to strength since taking the decision to bring the immediacy of next-day delivery to the two-man, white-glove sector in 2010, increasing turnover to £ million last year. Based in Northampton, it operates a network of depots and employs between 300 and 800 people.
This year it was included in the FT’s top 1000 fastest growing companies in Europe, having previously appeared in the Sunday Times Fast Track 100 in 2015 and 2016, and been named by the London Stock Exchange as one of the top 1,000 companies to inspire Britain.