I Hated Salesmen!
My background is a bit of a mix—genetics degree and welfare rights. For years, I was a Welfare Rights and then a Homelessness Advisor, and if you’d asked me then, I would have told you I hated salespeople. To me, they were pushy, only after your money, and were a world away from the advice and support I was providing. I never wanted to be “sold to,” and I certainly never imagined I’d become a salesman myself.
That all changed when my wife, Clare, and I developed our first product, the Trabasack lap desk. Suddenly, I was the one standing at a trade show (NAIDEX), needing to help people understand our new invention and hopefully to buy one!
How I learned I was wrong
A good friend with a long career in medical sales watched me stumbling around at our first trade show and took pity on us. She could see we had no idea what we were doing and offered to give us a crash course in sales. It completely changed my perspective.
She taught me that a good salesperson isn’t just about shifting units. It’s about listening, understanding, and helping a customer make an informed choice so they leave with the right product for them.
When that happens, everyone wins. The customer is happy, the business avoids costly returns, and you build a reputation that brings people back. She called the other kind the “flog it and fly” types—the ones who only care about the immediate commission and have no interest in the long-term consequences.
I was reminded of this just this morning when I received an email from a customer I’ll call Joan.
The Problem: A Bed Designed Without People in Mind
Joan, who is 78, had bought a new bed and a thick, heavy mattress. The mattress sits inside a wooden frame with high sides that connect the headboard to the footboard.
She wrote to me, completely stuck. Because of the fixed wooden sides, she couldn’t get to the corners of the mattress or lift it. Putting on a fitted sheet was impossible.
This is a classic case of a “flog it and fly” sale. The salesperson who sold her that bed failed her. An experienced seller should have seen the potential for this exact problem. They should have asked questions, understood her situation, and guided her toward a more suitable bed frame. Instead, they made the sale and left Joan with a product she couldn’t use, an angry customer, and the prospect of an expensive return.
Practical Solutions for an Impossible Bed
This is exactly the kind of challenge I love to tackle. While the design is flawed, there are solutions out there that can help.
- Zippered & Zip-On Sheets: This is the best solution for Joan. Companies like Marylehome (UK) and QuickZip (USA) have ingeniously designed sheet systems. A base portion wraps around the mattress and stays put, while the top part simply zips on and off for washing. It completely eliminates the need to lift the mattress. You can also find a zipped bed topper sheet from Duvalay. This means you only have to move the topper, not the whole mattress.
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Sheet Gripper available from Amazon Sheet Grippers: I haven’t tried these, but they look interesting. These plastic holders slide under each corner of the mattress to grip and hold your fitted sheet in place, so it doesn’t pop off. You slide a plastic strip over the top with the sheet in between.
- Bed Wedge Mattress Lifter: I designed a “bed wedge” which is a simple tool designed to slide under a mattress and lift it, making it easier to tuck in sheets. While this wouldn’t help Joan because of her bed’s wooden frame, it’s a fantastic gadget for many others who struggle with the weight of a modern mattress.
- Bed Raisers: For those with back issues, bed raisers can help raise your bed to a more comfortable level. These blocks fit under the legs of the bed to raise its overall height, reducing the strain on your back and knees. Of course, you might need a hand to get them installed. Lifting a whole bed is not easy! I should know, as I have done this many times whilst travelling with my wife.
Let’s Solve Problems Together
This whole experience with Joan highlights what I love about my job now. I get to be the kind of “salesman” I can be proud of—one who listens and solves problems. It’s not about flogging a product; it’s about finding the right fix.
Now I recommend products even if I don’t sell them!
I’m always interested to hear from people who are facing a daily frustration that a clever gadget could solve. Sometimes, that solution already exists, and after 15 years of healthcare tradeshows I have a wide knowledge of the disability product market, I can point you in the right direction. And sometimes, a customer’s problem can spark an idea for a completely new product or help an entrepreneur improve their existing range.
So, if you have a problem, don’t hesitate to get in touch. Let’s see if we can find a fix together.
About the Author
Duncan Edwards is Shop Manager at Disability Horizons Shop and co-creator of the Trabasack lap desk. He’s passionate about finding simple, practical solutions that make everyday life easier for disabled people.