Employee training is not only important to build an outstanding company, but some states also have training requirements for employees. Whether it is route service technician certification, continuing education credits for a representative of the company, or company certification, PROs should be aware of these requirements for the states where they operate. We have two questions this month that pertain to training and requirements for training.
QUESTION: What are your thoughts about company uniforms? We have considered this in the past, but we have not decided up to this point.
ANSWER: Company uniforms can be beneficial to PROs in many ways. From professionalism to safety to company branding, we will discuss the advantages of investing in a company uniform program:
PROMOTING A PROFESSIONAL IMAGE TO CUSTOMERS
Employees with uniforms give the customer a sense of confidence they will receive a high level of service from a reputable and established company. Having the employee’s name on their uniform also invites the customer to establish an effective working relationship with your employee.
CREATING BRAND AWARENESS
Our units, other rental equipment and service vehicles should be considered billboards in the field with our company name, phone number and website easily visible to the public. In the same way, uniforms can provide this brand awareness apart from our equipment. Whether the service technician is talking with the customer in their jobsite trailer, or the salesperson is making a cold call, the company name is always visible and present in any interaction in the field.
REINFORCING THE TEAM CONCEPT TO EMPLOYEES
Just as sports teams wear uniforms, PROs who invest in a uniform program further reinforce the concept of “team” to employees. The company uniform is an outward symbol of the shared objectives and individual responsibilities of each employee.
SAFETY AND SECURITY
In recent years, company uniforms also incorporate safeguards for the employee. For example, uniform shirts now have reflective bands for improved visibility in the dark as well as high-traffic areas. Some companies have chosen the entire shirt to be either fluorescent yellow-green or orange in color with the company logo and employee name added. In this way, employee safety is enhanced while Occupational Safety and Health Administration, OSHA, regulations concerning the wearing of reflective vests are also achieved. (As an aside, OSHA regulations state workers must wear an “orange, yellow, or bright yellow-green vest, shirt or jacket during the day.” Further, those working at night must wear a “retro-reflective” vest, shirt or jacket to reflect headlight beams.)
EMPLOYEE BENEFIT
Company uniforms prevent employees from having to purchase, clean and eventually replace their own wardrobe. Most uniform services have weekly pickup of dirty uniforms, while delivering clean sets for the week ahead. Another benefit is that employees can change from their used uniform to their clean street clothes for the commute home.
PRODUCTIVITY AND EFFICIENCY
From our experience, employees often develop a more professional attitude and mindset when wearing uniforms. On crowded work sites or at large events, the company uniform allows the customer to more easily identify and communicate with the employee, saving valuable time. Access to certain areas that may be restricted or are posted as “employee only” can be more easily entered by a route service technician in uniform.
SUGGESTIONS
With many uniform types and styles, as well as whether the PRO will employ a uniform company or purchase uniforms for the employees to wear and launder themselves, here are some considerations:
ROUTE SERVICE TECHNICIANS: Depending on your location, will you institute a year-round uniform or seasonal uniforms? In moderate climates, short-sleeved shirts and long pants could be worn for a majority of the year. A uniform jacket or coat will be needed in many locations for winter use. In cold weather areas, some companies opt for heavy overalls and a company logoed winter coat. Some PROs issue rain jackets as well. Hats and hard hats with company logos are also standard at some companies.
PICKUP AND DELIVERY PERSONNEL: Most PROs have similar uniform requirements as that of route service technicians since they are often backup route service techs.
SPECIAL EVENT PERSONNEL: Depending on the company policy, some PROs will have short pants for event personnel when they are delivering and picking up large numbers of empty units in hot summer temperatures.
RESTROOM TRAILER ATTENDANTS: Company shirts worn by attendants provide the attendees with an easy to identify contact for assistance as well as promoting professionalism for the company.
SALES TEAM: This is another area where company logoed shirts would add to both promotion and the professionalism of your company.
ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICE STAFF: Company shirts inspire teamwork and also prevent instances of inappropriate attire.
Uniforms are an excellent way to promote your company and to also promote uniformity within your company.
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QUESTION: Besides the traditional promotional giveaway items such as pens, hats, shirts, etc., do you have a “unique” promotional idea?
ANSWER: As we know, there are multitudes of items to which company logo can be affixed. One issue we always struggled with was the rhetorical question of how many people can we reach with these physical items? If we order 500 pens, we can only reach 500 people.
Consider promoting your company electronically. In addition to your company website, why not create a monthly, quarterly or seasonal newsletter? We know of several PROs who create and email newsletters to current, past and potential customers on a regular basis.
Perhaps start with a short seasonal newsletter — maybe spring and summer issues — that personalizes your company with an employee of the quarter, several jobs or events that were of interest, information about the industry, and, of course, reference to your company website or Facebook or Instagram page. This idea promotes your company on a more personal level and reaches a much wider audience than a fixed number of promotional items. Email distribution is suggested for more targeted contacts but also consider posting on social media for more widespread distribution.
In terms of actual promotional items, while we would recommend keeping a supply of pens, magnets, etc., consider more widespread distribution via more personalized company information sent via email and social media.
