Outsourcing your work uniform program is more than just laundry service. The right work uniform partner can help you enhance your company image, improve the safety and comfort of your employees, reduce costs, and save you time by providing the right solutions for your business, meaning you can focus on work instead of your workwear.
Whether you are considering switching your current uniform rental provider or implementing a uniform rental program for the first time, here is UniFirst’s list of 10 things you should look for when choosing the best uniform service partner:
- On-time pickup and deliveries.
If uniforms play an integral part of your operations, you need reliable service and people who go above and beyond to ensure all of your cleaned garments are picked up and delivered on time each week. Is your provider taking extra measures such as counting the garments four times prior to each delivery and offering a scan-in system with on-demand reporting? Ask your service provider how they avoid uniform shortages or service interruptions. - A service guarantee.
A service promise should spell out exactly what will be delivered as part of your uniform rental program and state that if it’s not, you shouldn’t have to pay. More importantly, make sure there is language in your rental contract identifying a process that allows you to cancel in the event of poor performance. How often is your service provider coming out for one-on-one visits to check service performance and your level of satisfaction? Good uniform and workwear service providers care about keeping your overall satisfaction high. - A dedicated account team.
Problems or questions are inevitable. A reliable uniform supplier will be ready to take your call and guarantee 24-hour response times and quick resolutions. Having a dedicated service team working on the front lines is essential for delivering what you need, when you need it. Do you have a one-man show or an entire team committed to providing personalized oversight and assistance? At UniFirst we offer our Triple Pro Service team, a local route service representative, a customer service representative, and a service manager to help keep your program running smoothly. - Simple and easy routine changes to your program so you can spend time on more important business.
You’ll want a flexible uniform provider who values maintaining your professional business image. Here’s where a local route service representative needs to be empowered to make ongoing changes to your program on the spot, like new orders, program modifications, and exchanges, to help you save administrative time and headaches. Is your current uniform program flexible, or are there penalties for program changes? People’s bodies often change, so it’s important to work with a provider who can exchange sizes at no cost to you and accommodate your everchanging needs. - Easy-to-read weekly invoices with no hidden or unexpected charges.
Any invoice should be clear and understandable and show exactly what you’re paying for, designating charges by product and individual wearer and itemizing all ancillary charges. Is your current provider providing transparency when it comes to billing systems and customer invoicing? You’ll want to work with a provider who will give you online access to your account so you can see exactly what you’re paying for. Are you ready to get started on a uniform rental program? How can we help? - High-quality garments made in North America at ISO 9001-certified manufacturing plants.
Your uniform supplier should adhere to ISO standards and ensure that you’re receiving the highest-quality workwear made with innovative fabric options and design features that fit your requirements. The workwear brands they offer should boast unrivaled styling, comfort, durability, and protection, as well as wearer-friendly features like roomier cuts, more stitches per inch, and premium construction. Do you know where your uniforms are made? UniFirst’s exclusive Job-Fitted Work Clothes are made in our own ISO 2001 certified manufacturing facilities to ensure consistent, high-quality garments. - 10-point garment inspections and automatic repairs and replacements.
Maintaining quality workwear and projecting a professional business image are vital and should never come with surprise costs. Does your provider perform automatic weekly 10-point inspections of every garment to help ensure that needed repairs and replacements are made before you have to ask? UniFirst not only performs garment inspections; we also automatically replace garments at 18-24 months, which is sooner than the industry average. - Specialty protective garments.
If your business requires specialized safety garments – such as Flame Resistant (FR), High Visibility, healthcare, or food-related (HACCP/GFSI), you shouldn’t have to settle when compliance is critical. In addition, expertly servicing these garments is critical to maintaining their protection. Is your provider knowledgeable about the laundering process needed to keep these garments protecting their wearers? Chlorine bleach and hydrogen peroxides found in some detergents can degrade the FR properties. UniFirst’s industrial laundering methods and wash formulas ensure that we remove ALL potentially flammable materials and soils that may build-up on the surface of these safety garments while keeping the protective qualities intact. - Hygienic and eco-friendly laundering.
A good supplier should have state-of-the-art computerized laundering systems in place that accurately control and monitor wash formulas, water levels, and temperatures in each of their industrial laundering facilities to ensure hygienic workwear laundering. Does your service provider match wash formulas to your particular soiling and garment types, whether industrial, business casual, or more specialized, such as flame resistant, high-visibility, food processing (HACCP/GFSI), or healthcare? UniFirst industrial laundries undergo rigorous inspections to certify that the garments you receive are hygienically clean. Additionally, does your provider use detergent that is biodegradable and made from renewable resources, free of phosphates and other chemicals that could be harmful to the environment? Detergents should be 100% “green” and environmentally friendly. - High-resolution garment emblems and embroidery.
Your supplier should have state-of-the art personalization services that can replicate your unique brand and logo in the exact look and colors you desire. Is your provider able to create custom uniforms and workwear that capture your unique brand? When it comes to projecting your brand on employee uniforms, you should never compromise on quality.
Why partner with UniFirst?
UniFirst outfits more than 2 million uniform wearers and services half of the Fortune 500 companies. As your local uniform expert with more than 260 locations throughout North America, you can trust UniFirst to be there for you every step of the way with full-service uniform rental programs that deliver only the highest quality uniforms and industry-leading service. That’s our guarantee to every customer and potential customer. You always deliver for your customers and that’s why UniFirst will always deliver for you.
Contact a UniFirst representative to get started on a uniform rental program today.
