WHAT ARTICLES WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE ? LET US KNOW : EDITOR @ GEMCELL . COM . AU |
||||
|
BUILDING TRUST When you wear a uniform with your branding and logo printed on it , the impact is immediate : you set yourself apart from competitors as well as other trades on site . “ Whether it ’ s a residential or commercial job , it ’ s an expected thing , almost as a form of identification , to show who you are and what you do – that you ’ re part of the same team ,” says Joshua Singer , general manager of online retailer Printed Workwear .
Importantly , using a uniform to build on consistent branding across your vans , website and business cards helps to create a cohesive image that speaks to your professionalism and experience . It ’ s a short-cut that tells customers you know what you ’ re doing .
“ Consistency is very important ,” Singer says . “ We find a lot of people choose a uniform based on the colours of their logo and how that reflects their brand , which creates an air of authority and expertise .”
So powerful are uniforms that research by branded apparel specialist Fully Promoted reveals 75 per cent of customers prefer home service groups like tradies to wear a uniform . “ Customers trust uniformed employees more than non-uniformed employees ,” says Sahar Brookhian from the company ’ s Parramatta , NSW branch .
She says the boost in trust is extended to businesses of all sizes . “ It doesn ' t matter how many employees you have , it ’ s still important to wear a uniform . In fact , for small businesses with one or two employees , wearing a uniform is one of the best
|
ways to increase brand awareness because it helps draw attention to you .”
COMFORT AND STYLE At Skill Electrical in Sydney , a team of eight sparkies work on commercial fit-outs wearing matching uniforms , including branded polo shirts . “ Our branding is a blue and white logo , so everything is in the same colour ,” says director Rikke Smith , who shops with Gemcell member CNW . “ Our logo is quite big on the front pocket and really big on the back of the shirt . We spend quite a bit of time on our knees , so we want to make sure everyone sees it .”
Along with conforming to high vis and other safety standards , Smith – who emigrated to Australia from England – says two key criteria for his uniforms are comfort and style .
“ When I moved over from England , I wore my leftover uniforms from there because I was just a one-man band ,” he says . “ They were quite thick and really heavy , and I used to sweat my arse off . Now me and the team wear polo shirts that are light like a football shirt . They ’ re great for the hot weather .
“ Plus , they look a lot smarter because they ' re a bit tighter on the arms and on the waist instead of those big , baggy bedsheet type uniforms you used to see . It helps with the company image when everyone ’ s looking the same and looking smart .”
Singer agrees light , breathable fabrics are more comfortable than cotton , which doesn ’ t cope well with sweat or inclement weather . And he says suppliers are
|
becoming a lot more adept at designing fashion-forward uniforms for tradies .
“ People are putting workwear in the same group as fashion . They want to look cool and they want to feel good on the job , and manufacturers are keeping up with this demand .”
Plus , Brookhian says , well-fitted , modern uniforms help to reinforce the message that you ’ re a professional , trustworthy contractor . “ Wearing baggy shirts or old-fashioned styles can send a message to clients that your services might be old-fashioned as well .”
Uniforms may not come cheap – indeed , Smith forks out around $ 1,000 to kit-out new employees – but quality threads , especially those made from durable materials , can last a long time . “ We ' ve had our uniforms for about four years , and they still look good – as good as when we first got them ,” Smith says .
“ It matters to me that the team looks professional and everyone looks the same on site – that ’ s why I spend the money .” n
|
All in the mind Wearing a uniform affects how others see us , but did you know it can also alter how we perceive ourselves and even improve the way we work ? According to a theory psychologists call ‘ enclothed cognition ’, clothes can put the wearer into a different mental state , which affects how we feel and act . In a famous American study , people who wore a white coat that they believed belonged to a doctor performed better on an attention test than people who believed the coat belonged to an artist . The researchers concluded that wearing the signature garment of a profession known to be careful and attentive has a rub-off effect on the wearer . The same goes for contactors . Wearing a uniform can help you hone the technical skills your customers value . “ When you wear a uniform it ’ s almost like you ' re donning a cape ,” says Joshua Singer of Printed Workwear . “ You look the part and you feel good . It gives you a bit more confidence and it can help you focus more on the job .” Nifty , eh ?
|
|
OCT – NOV 2021 GEMCELL . COM . AU 17 |