Shoddy Workmanship: Shoddier Customer Service
Written: Dec 15 '03 (Updated Sep 28 '04)
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Pros: Really nice salespeople and installers.
Cons: The only thing worse than their quality control is their corporate "Customer Care" department.
The Bottom Line: Poor quality control. Inadequate warranty. Horrible customer service. Uncomfortable to sleep on (sweating all night and major back pain).
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| springhop's Full Review: Select Comfort Mattress Sleep Number 7000 |
We bought their top-of the line model, the Grand King 7000. We were thrilled to discover a bed that was big enough for us and that we could each adjust to our individual comfort. We even paid the extra fee to have it delivered and professionally set up.
The bed had quality control problems right off the bat: the pump was defective and the foam pieces weren't correctly sized. The installers needed to borrow a pair of scissors from me to cut one of the foam pieces; it was 9" longer than it should have been. Subsequently, it has a jagged edge. Because the pump was defective, the installers left the one that they carry as a "back-up" unit.
The "back-up" pump is also defective. So, one side of the bed won't hold air. It appears to deflate completely, whether it is occupied or not. When I called customer service and explained that one side of the bed won't hold air, that we are unable to sleep through the night because we have to continually re-inflate, and that we would like the bed fixed tomorrow.
They just told me that a pump had been ordered and that their service representatives had other people to service, they couldn't fix the problem tomorrow, that they would get to us when they could get to us and if that was at the end of the week, or even longer, so be it. They didn't even bother to address the issue that the bladder might be leaking. I don't know whether they aren't trained to troubleshoot, or they just don't care enough to.
I explained to them that there were three Select Comfort stores in the area and that at least one of them had a Grand King on the floor. I felt that there was no reason that they couldn't yank a bladder and pump out of one of the floor models and install it into my bed until the replacement parts arrived. Nopers. Uttuh. No way.
They didn't seem to understand why I/we might be bothered by their lack of concern that we would be stuck for at least one week with a bed that we couldn't sleep through the night on. And, this is before the trial period is up! We had the bed for four days.
I asked to speak to a supervisor, mistakenly thinking that a supervisor might be more customer care oriented. Boy, was I wrong! The supervisor wasn't just not helpful, she was downright hostile. By the time I got off the phone with their "Customer Care" department, I was so angry I told them to come and get their bed.
Because the sales people had been so very nice, I felt that the right thing to do was to call the store and let them know what had happened. They were very nice and helped me to troubleshoot and told me what to do to keep it from leaking until we get a new pump. They even told me that they would get another loaner pump to me tomorrow.
But, the complete lack of cooperation and concern at the corporate level has me very leery. Whether or not to keep the bed is going to be a difficult decision. We really like the size and the adjustability. But, we just don't trust the company anymore.
If the company was run by people as professional, helpful and courteous as the sales staff and installers, they would be a great place to do business. But, it seems that corporate has an entirely different culture. Not only are they not helpful, they are callous and rude.
Before you buy one of these, do your own research. Read the warranty very carefully. Basically, the foam inserts aren't covered after the first 30 days. The proration on the pumps and bladders will leave you with a pretty good bill should one of them fail after the second year.
Call their corporate headquarters and ask what the failure rate is for pumps and bladders. Ask them if they have any guarantees about how long it will take to get your bed repaired if a component fails. Ask them what the industry ratings are for wear on the foam inserts. Ask them to put it in writing.
Follow-up: By the end of the trial period we both were experiencing back pain. So, everything else became moot. We sent the bed back.
We now have a high quality latex set (with an outstanding warranty) that we could not possibly be more pleased with. In fact, I never imagined that a bed could be as comfortable as the Flo-Bed Talalay Latex Mattress that we now sleep on. No more tossing and turning, no more back pain. I feel great when I wake up.
And, even though my husband and I have very different ideas of what constitutes a comfortable mattress, the bed is perfect for both of us. Each side has different combinations of latex cores. The individual cores range in height from about 2" to about 6". The combinations are customized to our respective weights, firmness preferences and sleeping position preferences.
Any one of the latex cores can be changed at any time. During the first 90 days, Flo-Beds will send cores back and forth until you are sure that you have it just right. Customer service at Flo-Beds was right on the money about which cores would be best for us. The bed was perfect right off the bat.
An added bonus is that the top, which is made of virgin Shasta wool zips completely off. For those of us with allergies, that is a huge plus. It's a breeze to air the top out in the sunshine.
Bottom line:
- The latex bed is much, much more comfortable (without question, the most comfortable bed I've ever slept on)
- Flo-Beds warranty is one of the best in the industry
- There are no components that can fail
- The customer service at Flo-Beds is amazing
- And, their prices are substantially lower (Square inch per square inch - we had a custom sized mattress built, the same size as the Grand King. It was still much less than the Select Comfort)
http:/www.flobeds.com
p.s. Flo-Beds manufactures all sorts of mattresses: latex, memory foam, air, water...
Recommended:
No
Mattress Size: Special Size
Mattress Firmness: Somewhat soft
Amount Paid (US$): 4,049.48
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Epinions.com ID:
springhop
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Reviews written: 3
Trusted by: 0 members
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