Tailored To Fit Your Style
Uniforms as tools BY KARLA PEREZ-LARRAGOITE
D esigning the right uniform program helps reinforce a property ’ s brand image and provides guests with a positive first impression , but how do casinos reinforce and manage each employee ’ s appearance while focusing on their core business ? Ask yourself this : How are you ensuring that your employees are maintaining the professional and cohesive look your business deserves , or what is the total amount of money your property has invested in uniform assets ? For many executives it ’ s hard to answer because they don ’ t have any reporting tools or software in place to track uniforms .
Uniforms should be considered an asset just like hand-held tools facilities use , or the steakhouses ’ liquor supply .
Having a professionally managed uniform room on property in many ways helps find cost savings and can help forecast for future uniform investments . Whether a property is a new build or existing , a casino ’ s main focus is to generate gaming revenue and focus on player development . The last thing an operator should be concerned about is if all their employees are in a proper uniform , or if a uniform was returned back to inventory on time .
Many key decision-makers play a big role in making sure the uniform programs they chose successfully communicates their brand story . To make sure your investments are well taken care of , it ’ s important to have the right tracking and reporting capabilities in place . For example , in a Cintas-managed uniform room , we actively track and identify uniform loss that occurs from sending garments out for dry cleaning ( the number of garments that go out should be the same number of garments coming back in ), employee loaners ( tracking and ensuring all borrowed uniforms get returned ) and ensuring all uniforms are returned after an employee is terminated . The mismanagement of uniform inventory can also lead to a security
threat if the uniform makes its way onto the black market .
Planning for a uniform room early on in a property ’ s development is critical so that the architect can work the design into the blueprint and build it out to maximize the space needed to meet the needs of the property . Uniform rooms are unique in that there is no one-size-fits-all solution . Generally speaking , uniform rooms can be highly customized with conveyer belts and RFID tracking capabilities . Other types of rooms might have been converted into a uniform room and have rows of movable rolling racks and shelving in place . Decision makers should consult with experts and determine what the right model for their specific property looks like .
There are many vendors and suppliers casinos can work with to help determine a model for their uniform room , but make sure you are consulting with a vendor that has experience opening and managing uniform rooms . There are many questions that need to be answered before building out a uniform room . Start with thinking about the following questions to see which room type works best for your property .
• Will employees be required to home-care their uniforms , or send them out for dry cleaning ?
• What are the hours of operation ? Will the uniform room be automated and operate 24 hours a day , or will it require an over-the-counter manual system ?
• If the property chooses to send out uniforms for dry cleaning , is there an area for employees to change in and out of their uniform ?
• How many total uniformed employees are on property , versus non-uniformed employees ?
Uniform rooms touch every department on property , and they also ensure a higher level of service . Most successful uniform rooms employ a dedicated staff focused on employee uniforms , reinforcement of the brand ’ s image , and a full-time seamstress onsite for alterations on demand . The perfect garment should always fit well , provide comfort and ease , and look great !
This can be referred to as “ garment empowerment .” When employees look good , they feel good , and when employees feel good , they perform great !
Karla Perez-Larragoite is national director of gaming for Cintas . She began her career with Cintas in 2003 . Perez-Larragoite has 11 years of experience in the industry , designing and implementing uniform programs for commercial and tribal casinos across the United States . For the past year and a half , she has led an award-winning team based in Las Vegas covering the entire nation .
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