Whatever sort of business you run it is important that you present yourself appropriately to the public.
Getting the uniform your staff wear right is a crucial part of this, especially in a public facing industry like the hospitality sector. Simon Jersey explain the important elements to keep in mind when bringing together the perfect uniform for hospitality staff and what they can accomplish for your business.
Present the right image
Getting your uniform right starts with understanding the sort of business you want to present to the public.
Do you want to come across as a relaxed, casual company or somewhere more high-end and professionally targeted? That distinction can influence every aspect of your work uniform, do you go with jeans and a shirt for your front of house staff, or a suit?
Both have their own unique benefits but present an entirely different attitude to a customer, both could entice a specific type of clientele, but they could both be off-putting to another in equal measure. In the hospitality industry presenting a welcoming image to customers, and that you will take care of them is key.
Understanding your business, and understanding your customer can help you to make sure you make the right choice and present your business in the light that will reap the biggest rewards for you.
A unified look and feel
Your choice of uniform might not be limited to one specific item. You might need to put together a number of uniforms for staff across different roles within your business. In a hotel for example, you have front of house, waiters, kitchen staff, cleaners and maintenance staff to name but a few.
Each of these roles needs to reflect your brand in some way and should be immediately identifiable as being an employee.
A statement colour which reflects your brand could be the answer, providing a unifying threat through your different workwear elements. This could be reflected across ties, scarves, aprons or piping on shirts. Using a strong, on-brand colour lets you create a thematic link between teams, helping make each uniform become specific to your business.
You might also be in a position to use your logo across different uniform elements to create an even stronger link. As your branding will be unique to you and help you to create an even greater point of difference between your staff and your competitors.
This all adds to that welcoming image, helping customers to easily and instantly identify the people they need to turn to for assistance.
Present a strong brand
The right image, and a unified look across all your uniforms combine to present your brand in a positive light.
It allows you to create a strong professional image, regardless of the tone your business has. In a hospitality business this shows you pay attention to detail, implying this carries over to other aspects of your service offering and emphasising quality.
Getting your uniform right allows you to make a better, lasting impression on potential customers. Helping your team to stand out and make customers and clients feel welcome. Which in the long run could help build loyalty to your brand, improving repeat business and adding to your reputation.