New Leadership at Verlo Mattress Factory Stores Unifies Brand Vision

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May 13, 2010, 09:19 ET

FORT ATKINSON, Wis., May 13 /PRNewswire/ -- Just in time for summer, the busiest moving season and when mattress purchases peak, Verlo Mattress Factory Stores, the nation's largest made-to-order mattress franchise, is getting a makeover. Today the 50 year old company announced it is unifying the vision of all stores to demystify the mattress shopping experience, while leveraging its leadership position in the made-to-order mattress business.

"Nothing gives the ultimate feeling of personalization more than a product that is created with you in mind," said Verlo's president, Kurt Schusterman. "Just as custom fitted apparel is designed specifically for your body, made-just-for-you mattresses are built to suit your individual sleep needs."

When Schusterman was named president in February of this year, one of his tasks was to refresh the brand and better communicate Verlo's unique value proposition. Over the past three months, Schusterman and his team conducted extensive research, identifying growth opportunities for franchisees.

According to Mike Murphy, chairman of Verlo's Franchise Advisory Council and owner of seven Verlo stores, the new direction has already reaped benefits.

"We've started a wonderful transformation since Kurt joined the company," said Murphy. "We're getting a new perspective to help us implement programs that keep our product and services fresh and top-of-mind with our customers."

Verlo's research found women feel overwhelmed by mattress shopping. A lack of comfort with laying on mattresses in-store, sales pressure, and "buyer's remorse" if the wrong purchase is made, were cited as reasons for a negative experience.

Verlo is showcasing its ability to help consumers navigate the confusion. Each store staffs at least one mattress craftsperson to demonstrate and educate consumers about how their mattress will be built.

Murphy added, "Customers like knowing that as comfort needs change over time, Verlo can make adjustments to suit their new needs. We'll pick it up, add or replace comfort materials, and deliver it back. You will be hard-pressed to find another mattress brand to do that."

Founded in 1958, Verlo Mattress Factory Stores offers the only factory-direct franchise opportunity in the $8 billion-a-year sleep specialty industry. Verlo sleep experts identify individual preferences and sleep support needs to create a custom crafted mattress built with their customer's comfort in mind. All Verlo stores are locally owned, and all mattresses are made at in-store Verlo assembly facilities. Visit www.verlo.com or www.verlofranchise.com for more information.