First Major Bedding Retailer To Cater To Nation’s Burgeoning Hispanic Market

Furniture World News

Leading national bedding tele-retailer 1-800-Mattress has become the first in the industry to launch a Spanish-language call center and website, 1-800-Su-Colchon and www.1800sucolchon.com, to assist its customers better understand their bedding purchases in their native tongue. The new site features all the same products and information that can be found through the company’s successful English-language call center and website, www.mattress.com. “The Spanish-speaking marketplace is the fastest growing consumer marketplace in the nation and we wanted a site dedicated to helping our customers make their bedding purchases in an environment where they can better understand the options and features of the products they were are interested in, “ said President & Chief Operating Officer Luis Barragan. “The move into the Spanish-speaking market is consistent with our corporate principles of delivering superior quality, and fast and efficient customer service in whichever manner is easier for them, using the telephone, internet or showrooms. While 1-800-Mattress has been able to assist customers in Spanish and several other languages for many years, 1-800-Su-Colchon calls now go directly to a dedicated team of bedding consultants available 24/7. The call center can also refer customers to specific showrooms with Spanish-speaking staff as well. 1-800-Mattress has long been recognize nationally for its focus on customer service and ethical business practices by Crain’s New York Business, the Latino Better Business Bureau, the National Retail Federation, American Express and the National Society of Hispanic MBAs. Both Luis Barragan and his father, Napoleon, have strong roots in the Hispanic community. Napoleon, founder and CEO of 1-800-Mattress, was born in Bilovan, Ecuador, and taught school in Bogota, Colombia, before moving to the United States in 1969. He worked at factory jobs until he opened his first small furniture store in Queens, N.Y., the genesis of what was transformed into 1-800-Mattress. He received the Latino Executive of New York (LENY) Award for business excellence in 2004 from the Metro New York Better Business Bureau, in recognition of his achievements. Today he serves 1-800-Mattress as chairman and chief executive officer. “This is also a very special initiative for our family as well, given our Ecuadorian roots. We are very proud to offer this service to our customers,” added Luis Barragan. Luis joined his father’s company in 1992, after studying business at St. John’s University. In 1996, he was named director of operations, and two years later added the title of vice president. He is a director of the Better Business Bureau Serving Metropolitan New York, and a member of the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. He proudly accepted the Corporation of the Year Award from the Long Island Hispanic Chamber of Commerce on behalf of 1-800-Mattress in 2003. Founded in 1976, 1-800-Mattress is the nation’s leading bedding tele-retailing company. It enables consumers to purchase a vast array of mattresses, box springs and bedding accessories by phone and the Internet 24/7, or through its 44 retail stores in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Maryland and California. It features products by Sealy, Serta, Simmons, King Koil, Nation’s Pride, Hypnos and Tempurpedic in 69 styles, including odd sizes, futons and electric beds.