The headline should make you think, “Isn’t that an oxymoron?” No, it’s just a clever play on words because it’s true – work garments are not all alike, and nor should they be. However, as promotional marketing partners, you really would need to educate your disparate customer base as to what this means – and why and how it suits them.
Let’s say there are two businesses adjacent to one another on Main Street. Both businesses have their staff wear uniforms. And that’s where the similarity ends. One business is a fitness center, while its neighbor is a pizzeria. The former often wears tanks, Ts and lycra fitness pants and shorts, while the latter will typically don a Henley and an apron.
Erin Tricker of Broberry points out that “all businesses rely on uniforms in one way or another from corporate polos / button downs to hi-viz ANSI safety apparel and accessories. General personnel uniforms are primarily purchased by the human resources manager or shift supervisor of each business location. Corporate items are purchased by sales manager, sales administrator, or employee direct. In either case,” she asserts, “a simple phone call to double check will direct you to the correct buyer.”
Over the past few years, Craig Smith of Rugged Outfitters says he has seen many different type of businesses launch a uniform program. From construction, warehousing, maintenance, public works, and increasingly, healthcare, including rehab centers, veterinarians and animal hospitals, and medi-spas. “Some of the brands we supply product for are Poland Spring bottling operations, Firestone, Kenworth, Peterbilt, Scheider, Pacific Dental, and University of Kentucky Medical Center,” he notes.
Hospitality is huge for uniform garments so that guests can identify an employee, and a frequent piece that is worn that helps project an employee’s role is the apron. Scott Thaxton of Aprons, Etc. says that restaurants (and other food service venues) and retailers like to use aprons not only because they provide necessary functionality, but also because they are unisex, which reduces the need for sized items. Consider event venues, food samplings at supermarkets and club stores, food-related promotions, company websites for purchase and awards programs, retail including grocery, supermarket produce employees.
In addition, aprons are great for those farmers' markets, gourmet, farm-to-table businesses that are cropping up. Eateries or establishments that offer local cooking classes and local microbreweries and wineries that have tastings are perfect for not only staff aprons where you get an apron when a customer spends a certain dollar amount, opens an account, or takes a class.
According to Taraynn Lloyd of Edwards Garment, Edwards’ uniform garments are worn by people in many industries including sports arenas, theme parks, retail chains, healthcare, bus/rail and air transit systems, corporations, hotels, restaurants, convention centers, casinos, microbreweries “and really any industry that builds its brand through stylish uniform programs. We understand that the employee is the face of any brand, and when it comes to uniforms you need to balance fashion with function. Today all organizations have a uniform whether it is an embroidered polo for their company picnic or a specific suit style for the hotel’s front desk. Staff often wears the corporate brand not only to work but out on the town too,” she describes.
Sales Advice
It is not difficult today to increase your uniform program sales, as Lloyd pointed out because more and more businesses want to present that unity and brand extension. Tricker advises to ask your client if he or she currently has a contract with a uniform supplier, and if so, simply find out when that contract may be up for review and ask if you may submit a proposal. “If no – find out exactly what is currently purchased, what the client likes about the current program and what needs to change/improve with the current program,” she says. “Once you have this information you can construct your presentation.”
Selling a uniform really opens up new markets for promotional products distributors, Lloyd observes. Additionally – it is important to understand that this sector does differ from selling items for a special event. Being successful with uniform programs, she points out, means taking the time to understand the needs of the customer and then finding the right solution for them. This may mean developing story boards, providing a garment fit line, taking body measurements, discussing how to handle decoration and then doing fulfillment and follow-up, she suggests.
“The rewards of selling a uniform program are tremendous, but there is a lot of coordination and communication to make sure it goes smoothly,” Lloyd relates. “I always recommend that a distributor new to selling uniform programs start small. Meaning – take one department at a time. If you are working with a hotel, start with housekeeping or the restaurant. You’ll learn quickly how to handle situations that arise, but it will be on a scale that is controllable.”
Smith suggests finding out what the client holds as priority by asking, “Are you looking for quality, durability, or price?” Then, he says, ask: “How often do you plan on replacing them? How many pairs per employee?” “What type of employee turnover does the company have?” “After the initial purchase, will the employee be purchasing his or her own uniforms, or does the company replace as needed?”
For those companies that need aprons, Thaxton advises asking if the garment is to be used as part of a uniform, or as a promotional apron? This is an important distinction, he emphasizes, because quality, features and fabric decisions are all based on the apron’s use.
Additionally, he offers, “Make sure your customer knows that his or her staff represents the whole company. First impressions are crucial. If the staff looks neat, clean and professional, this boosts confidence in the food served. Follow up and be proactive. Months after a sale, check back in with clients to see if uniforms are easy to clean, or fading or living up to expectations. Also, continue to ensure that the product doesn’t go out of stock.”
Key Trends
Fred Haws of Haws, a leading workwear supplier, notes that performance attributes are strongly trending in this sector. “Employees want moisture-wicking, microfiber and anti-odor characteristics, which have been designed initially for athletes. They are now in workwear,” he observes. Cahartt has its Force line, which is performance-driven, on its flame-resistant line geared toward electrical and petroleum industries, and its conventional workwear. Dickies is also bringing these characteristics into its line, Haws reports.
Other trends in industrial workwear Haws says he is seeing is the now necessary cellphone pocket on pants (not cargo style), and fabrications that more easily flow with body movements. For example, a high-end brand, Kuhl, has pants that are ergonomically designed, and Carhartt has its Flex line, also ergonomically designed, and Dickies launched its Comfort Stretch with a waist area that is designed to expand with the wearer when he sits down or bends.
Tricker adds that hi-viz safety apparel with and without reflective striping has been on a huge upswing the last several years.
In aprons, observes Thaxton eye-catching “new” colors like pink, lime green and silver grays are making more appearances. Also, he is seeing more demand for adjustable necks on the apron so that the fit is better for male or female wearers, as well as with at least one pocket for storage.
Lloyd emphasizes, “Fashionable uniforms that make your clients’ employees feel well dressed and comfortable are likely to increase staff confidence and the service they provide. Ultimately, the uniformity of uniforms make it easy to identify staff and reinforces the corporate brand.”
Uniforms can be fun because there is indeed quite a bit of creativity involved in crafting a visual representation of what that client is really all about. It’s more than just the colors in the logo. Take some time to look closely at all the uniforms you encounter daily (and don’t forget tradeshow exhibitors) – what do you love? Take some notes. It could be something as nuanced as a collar, or a waffle weave. Don’t forget accessories, too, like bandanas and other headwear and even scarves and gloves for outdoor workers. Your client will be impressed you thought of an entire ensemble, and makes it harder to say no to anything!
CASE STUDY
Taraynn Lloyd of Edwards Garment: “A promotional product distributor wanted to present a new pant concept to her school system client. She had already sold decorated woven shirts to them, but they wanted their staff to look more uniform from top to bottom. The challenge was client’s staff who would be wearing these pants were all female team members working in a cafeteria and they wanted the pant to be stylish, comfortable, breathable, and easy to home launder. What was proposed and selected by the program purchaser was an easy-fit chino pant modified to capris length. The easy-fit waistband provided the waistband adjustment and the fabric contains performance features that included soil-release and moisture-wicking finishes. The Edwards’ eCustom team was able to modify the pants into capris providing a sample for review prior to the order. Once the order was placed it took about two weeks to complete the pant modifications and ship them directly to the customer. The success of this program is the promotional products distributor created a new market by selling a stylish and comfortable pant solution to their client. They also learned how better to understand the uniform needs of their customer and what they could improve upon when selling uniforms to other customers.”