How Serta Simmons Bedding Dreamt Big to Save $5M

A Wake-Up Call to Cut Costs, Not Corners

Emerging from bankruptcy in 2023, Serta Simmons needed more than a recovery plan; they needed results. With every department under pressure to deliver cost savings, the Enterprise Architecture team saw an opportunity to prove its value beyond theory. Originally focused on foundational EA tasks like application inventory, it quickly pivoted, applying EA principles to a critical mission: uncovering real cost-saving opportunities across its sprawling technology landscape.

“Ardoq's metamodel allowed us to be agile, quickly build out what we needed with the data, and discover insights to drive cost savings.”

 

- Josef Vargas, VP, Strategic Planning & Execution, Serta Simmons

Turning Scattered Data Into a Strategic Asset

With over 70% of their technology portfolio comprising SaaS, and lacking unified contract tracking, shadow IT, and application redundancy were costing the company more than expected. The EA team began by identifying gaps and pulling data from across the business, including finance, legal, and expense systems, into Ardoq.

This custom-built metamodel transformed fragmented and inconsistent records into a clear and reliable view of the organization’s technology spend. In doing so, they uncovered areas of duplicate spend, identified quick wins from expiring contracts, and shifted costly month-to-month subscriptions to more favorable terms.

It wasn’t just about cutting, it was about rethinking how IT spend was tracked, understood, and optimized.

“Gathering information through relationships, bringing that information into Ardoq, and tying that information to our technology portfolio was key to tracking our technology spend.”

- Josef Vargas

How Ardoq Helped

In just under two years, Serta Simmons saved over $5 million in technology costs, with $2 million in the first year and an additional $3 million in the second. This success positioned Enterprise Architecture as a strategic business partner, not just a support function.

With recurring executive-level meetings and a seat at the decision-making table, the EA team is now an active participant in ongoing optimization initiatives. Ardoq gave them the platform, but the real win was cultural: making EA visible, valuable, and trusted.

They now proactively manage renewals 90 days ahead, allowing teams to make smarter, data-led decisions before costs are locked in.

“In under two years, we were able to get to 5 million in cost savings, and there's more to come."

- Josef Vargas

Looking Forward: From Survival to Strategy

Building on their success, the EA team is now turning their attention to broader IT spend, looking beyond applications to optimize hardware, infrastructure, and processes. They’re automating parts of their contract management workflow and evaluating how process insights and AI agents can support further gains in efficiency.

For a company that quite literally helps the world dream better, this is a story of Enterprise Architecture that is wide awake to business value.

About Serta Simmons Bedding

Founded in the 1870s, Serta Simmons Bedding has grown to become a major North American manufacturer of mattresses and bedding products. Incorporating four major brands, the company is based in Atlanta, Georgia, with manufacturing facilities across the United States and Puerto Rico.