Who doesn’t love the comfort of his bed after a long and tiring day at work? We sure do! Hence, we have the journey of a brand whose main aim is to “Touch the daily lives of people and change the concept of sleep as a whole”. Dhiraj Gupta, the founding CEO of Shree Shyam Polyfils LLP. that owns the brand “Cosee” says, “We wanted to redefine the way people look at pillows as a product”. After consulting various health professionals, the organization started off with manufacturing pillows as their first product. Along with a new pillow, you must also grab a pillowcase which can actually preserve your curls.
Consequently, the healthy feedback from many customers motivated them to launch products such as bed linen, bath linen, and protectors as well. Furthermore, the amazing quality and affordable rates of their goods helped them emerge as a successful business brand.
In this interview with Storiyaan, Dhiraj shares with us what led to the foundation of “Cosee”, the difficulties they faced, and what makes them different from other brands.
Interview
Questions and answers
When was the first time the idea to begin a journey based on sleep gears struck and how did it start off?
I was searching for a pillow for myself. I wanted something that would stay fluffy and was easy to wash. Most of the pillows would become like sacks after a certain period and were not washable, which was a big concern for me. Then I came to the decision of making one. We researched about 78 pillows online as well as offline. We noted each one’s pros and cons. Finally, we derived 6 pillows that would be perfect to be part of our sleep gear.
Share with us the story of COSEE in its initial days and after decades what major changes one can find?
Initially the plan was to manufacture only pillows, but the trust our customers had in the brand, encouraged us further to add more products to the portfolio. Over the years we have added 80+ products under the various categories of home and bed essentials.
What are some of the ups and downs the company goes through yet manages to overcome it?
Our in-depth research was the biggest achievement we had. We put our efforts into understanding sleep patterns, sleep disorders, customers’ exact needs, and consulting with orthopedic specialists. When we launched our Sleepgears, the reaction we received from our customers was great. Speaking about the downs, Sleepgear falls under the accessories category for the offline market. When our sales members approached the markets for resellers, the feedback was negative. The mattresses brands, like that duxiana mattress, were very dominant and offered free pillows with them. Being a new brand, we had a tough time crossing the hurdle to create the reseller channel without mattresses.
Share with us clientele feedback that has strengthened the name of COSEE and made you all feel proud of your work.
We had remarkably positive feedback from medical experts and hotel owners about the products. That gave us the confidence to add more products and continue the research. Today, we manufacture White label pillows for many mattress brands across India. The quality of our raw materials and workmanship is being appreciated. We are regularly approached by many brands to manufacture pillows for them.
What strategies and research work do you all undergo in order to understand people have different body types and sleeping styles?
We follow the basic product cycle. Research – manufacture – consumer feedback – research. We regularly interview people and medical experts. We provide them with trial pillows for feedback and to address their sleep issues. Then we research based on their feedback and try to develop more products or add more value to the existing ones.
How is COSEE different from other sleep gears companies and what made you think so?
At Cosee, our focus is purely on good sleep for every individual. We are less profit-oriented and more moral-oriented. Our dedicated QC team ensures every sleep gear manufactured by Cosee passes through 10 point QC check. Only if the product passes all checks does it go on the shelf for the customers to purchase.
Previously, most people invested in mattresses, rather than pillows, protectors, and bed linen. Now they are aware of the importance of bed protectors and other accessories.
Elucidate us through the ways our readers can reach COSEE if they are interested in the products and wish to buy them.
Cosee is omnipresent in online and offline markets. We have 500+ resellers stores across India and our E-commerce site www.sleepcosee.com caters to all regions in India.
Since due to the lockdown many people have lost their job, is there any opening in COSEE that might come to help any of our readers and what are the recruitment criteria?
Currently, we have an opening for Purchase Managers & Regional Sales managers. Interested candidates can email info@sleepcosee.com for furthe details.
What according to you are some of the mantras to start a business and run it successfully having an entrepreneurial zeal?
We follow only one mantra “Don’t sell products, offer a solution”. Understand the pain points of your target customers and customize your products as solutions.
Rapid-Fire
1. The best product of COSEE – Cosee Gold Pillow
2. The life mantra you follow – Never Stop
3. Proudest milestone – White Label manufacturing for dominant mattress brands.
4. The greatest day for COSEE was – Every day at Cosee is great.
5. Customer satisfaction to you is – The essence at COSEE.