I can still recall the feeling of pride I experienced as I looked in the mirror just having donned my new uniform as an airline clerk for National Airways way back in 1972. There was something about that uniform that made me feel good inside, a special feeling that ‘I belonged’. A member of a team I was proud to be a part of. The feeling was similar to receiving my ‘cap’ as a member of the Hamilton Boy’s High School First Hockey Eleven.

Airlines know only too well the ‘benefits’ of having staff in uniforms. It says so much about whom the company is, what it stands for, and therefore what you and I as customers can expect from them.

The benefits are not lost on other organisations ranging from McDonalds to banks, rental car companies to security firms, hospitals to fire departments. For centuries, the armies of the world have all worn uniforms, as have sports teams. Can you imagine the Olympics without competitors being decked out in their respective national uniforms?

As you can sense, I am a great believer in ‘corporate livery’ of which staff uniforms are an integral component. The key though, is to ensure that the uniforms are appropriate for the various roles that people are employed to perform. A three-piece suit, collar and tie are hardly appropriate for a motor mechanic, however the mechanic’s overalls don’t just have to be boring brown or grey either. Overalls just like any other uniform can play an important part in how your company communicates its message to your customers. One of my clients, who runs a fleet of mobile servicing vans, has staff decked out in navy blue uniforms with red and yellow trim, including baseball cap, which in turn matches the colours and signwriting of the vans. In all, you can’t help but be impressed with how the whole package looks and the message of professionalism it conveys to current and potential customers. The vans and operators are mobile billboards for the company. In fact everything you do is a billboard for your company.

Another client, whose business is domestic plumbing, makes a feature out of the bright red socks their staff wear as they take their workboots off at the door before entering their customer’s homes. The socks deliver a message of "we care about not making a mess whilst inside your home". As you can imagine, their business is booming through word of mouth referrals from delighted customers.

Just as a picture paints a thousand words, staff professionally presented in corporate uniforms convey many positive messages to the market and your customers. Believe me, and I don’t care what business you are in, uniforms are well worth the investment.

Many happy customer returns!

Graham Harvey APS