For the Business of Apparel Decorating
Issue link: http://read.uberflip.com/i/682926
2 0 1 6 J U N E P R I N T W E A R || 43 restaurants, which might require dress shirts, dress pants, and a hospitality vest to bring the look together. BRANDING BENEFITS Whether your clients choose uniforms for their hospitality staff that are hip and casual, elegant and formal, or in a niche of their own, it all comes down to how they want to brand their businesses and organizations. After all, even though the uniforms employees wear are one of the more basic aspects of building a brand, it is easily one of the most recognizable to customers and guests. Be- ing able to utilize the uniform to its fullest, or even using it as a marketing tool, can make a huge difference between a company and its competitors. One option that your clients might consider is being able to use some types of uniforms even when their employees are not at the workplace. With casual uniforms, this is easy to do. Edwards ex- plains that T-shirts or knits could be used as offsite promotions, provided that the staff members don't mind wearing them after hours. Especially for trendy restaurants or up-and-coming bars, she says that this could be a valuable marketing strategy. The same steps might also be taken with some of the more fash- ion-forward looks. Plaid and flannel are trendy enough to be worn outside the workplace, and walking around with a bar or restau- rant's logo and name can spread that brand awareness even further. In addition to standing out from the competition, many companies also have to consider the functional aspects of their employees' uniforms. Lloyd notes that in settings like resorts or cruise ships, the company wants to be able to fully utilize its brand image. But, at the same time, guests need to be able to quickly recognize staff members. In order for this to happen, she says that they look for brightly-colored camp shirts. Similarly, Edwards reports that pool staff will often be in bright colors as well, this time with polos and shorts. Ultimately, keeping recog- nition in mind can benefit your client's brand, especially if their customers are satisfied with their interactions with staff. When trying to market uniforms to your prospective clients, it is important to keep in mind that you're not just trying to sell them something based on what is most affordable to produce or what you already have available at your shop. Instead, Ambros stresses that you are trying to help sell the business a product that will improve its overall look. This means being aware of trends and performance features is a huge must in order to keep your customers ahead of their competition and ensures repeat business for you. Hospitality uniforms are a key part of just about any public- facing business or service, and standing out from competitors will always be a goal for companies. Alternative choices for uniforms are a key way to do that, as well as provide workwear that is more functional or better suited to the business's purposes. It's all a mat- ter of choice for clients, but assuring them the best quality and style of uniforms you possibly can will help their brands grow and very likely attract more business to your shop. While they might be considered novelty apparel in some circles, bowling shirts can be useful as a hospitality uniform and branding tool, especially at re- sorts, in themed restaurants, as well as on cruise ships. (Images courtesy Sierra Pacific Apparel)