Spring Break
Making a difference
'Mattress Mac': Customer service is key to success
By: Steve McReynolds
Issue date: 4/26/05 Section: News
Jim "Mattress Mac" McIngvale told Texas A&M students Monday that monetary success was less important than bettering the world.
"At the end of the day, it doesn't matter how much money you make, it's the difference you make," McIngvale said.
McIngvale has won awards in the Houston area, ranging from the worst radio commercial to the highest furniture sales in the world, and has made donations to the Ronald McDonald House Charities and the Tsunami Relief Fund for the victims of the tsunami in Southeast Asia.
He shared the secrets of his success with A&M students, and emphasized the importance of customer service.
"Are you going to say 'yes' to the customer, or are you going to quote them the rules? It's all about the customer," McIngvale said.
McIngvale said he has personally risen from rags to riches.
"I was 29 years old living with my parents, sacking groceries for $3 an hour," McIngvale said.
He said his boss told him that he had a bad attitude and fired him. After a few weeks, McIngvale began working in the retail industry, selling furniture in Dallas.
"I had finally found something that I was good at doing and began to dream of opening my own store," he said.
McIngvale encouraged students to pursue their dreams as he did, no matter what happens to them in life.
He said an important ingredient to success is being surrounded by successful people and standing up for principles.
"My parents gave me a gift," he said. "It wasn't a car or clothes or computer; these things are temporal, here today gone tomorrow. My parents taught me principles."
Clarissa Garcia, a senior economics major, said that being from Houston, she had heard McIngvale on the radio and was glad to hear him speak in person.
"He's very motivational," Garcia said. "As a Houston native it was a pleasure to listen to."
McIngvale said through hard work and dedication, any dream can come true.
"You can pretty much do anything you want if you want it bad enough," he said. "Hard work isn't a punishment or a curse. Work is man's glory."
Conner Prochaska, a sophomore political science major, said he felt the speech was motivating.
"It made me want to make the world a better place," Prochaska said.
"At the end of the day, it doesn't matter how much money you make, it's the difference you make," McIngvale said.
McIngvale has won awards in the Houston area, ranging from the worst radio commercial to the highest furniture sales in the world, and has made donations to the Ronald McDonald House Charities and the Tsunami Relief Fund for the victims of the tsunami in Southeast Asia.
He shared the secrets of his success with A&M students, and emphasized the importance of customer service.
"Are you going to say 'yes' to the customer, or are you going to quote them the rules? It's all about the customer," McIngvale said.
McIngvale said he has personally risen from rags to riches.
"I was 29 years old living with my parents, sacking groceries for $3 an hour," McIngvale said.
He said his boss told him that he had a bad attitude and fired him. After a few weeks, McIngvale began working in the retail industry, selling furniture in Dallas.
"I had finally found something that I was good at doing and began to dream of opening my own store," he said.
McIngvale encouraged students to pursue their dreams as he did, no matter what happens to them in life.
He said an important ingredient to success is being surrounded by successful people and standing up for principles.
"My parents gave me a gift," he said. "It wasn't a car or clothes or computer; these things are temporal, here today gone tomorrow. My parents taught me principles."
Clarissa Garcia, a senior economics major, said that being from Houston, she had heard McIngvale on the radio and was glad to hear him speak in person.
"He's very motivational," Garcia said. "As a Houston native it was a pleasure to listen to."
McIngvale said through hard work and dedication, any dream can come true.
"You can pretty much do anything you want if you want it bad enough," he said. "Hard work isn't a punishment or a curse. Work is man's glory."
Conner Prochaska, a sophomore political science major, said he felt the speech was motivating.
"It made me want to make the world a better place," Prochaska said.
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