Boosting brand image with uniforms

THE humble work uniform rarely gets a second glance, and is often thought to be run-of-the-mill and unimaginative. Yet, the uniform plays such an important role in staff morale and brand image that employers cannot afford to dismiss it any longer, says local designer Esther Tay, founder and creative director of uniform consultancy Esta.

With her background as an award-winning fashion designer, Ms Tay seeks to change the perception companies have about their staff attire by creating uniforms that are stylish and yet functional.

"If employees feel that they look good, they will be confident and happy to serve," states Ms Tay.

"Can you imagine being stuck in a uniform you hate day in and day out? You can't retain staff who are not happy with the attire they have to put on all the time."

Fashion roots

Ms Tay has been in the uniform business for more than 20 years now, and has designed for the likes of major institutions such as Singapore Airlines, the Singapore Armed Forces and Maybank.

However, she first had her beginnings in the fashion industry.

At the height of her fashion career, Ms Tay's clothing line was sold across the world, even as far as the UK, the United States and Tahiti. She was even voted the best woman designer in Singapore by The Straits Times in 1987.

Her foray into uniform design came by chance in 1994, when a friend who happened to be overloaded with projects roped her in. Her very first customer was for cosmetics giant Lancome, and this was shortly followed by a string of many others.

To cope with demand, her company opened another department specialising in corporate wear that same year.

However, the Asian financial crisis hit shortly after that, and that was when international orders for her fashion label dried up and the company faced millions in losses.

Ms Tay then decided to consolidate and downsize the fashion department, and focus purely on the corporate wear department. Even during the crisis, uniforms still did a brisk business, she says.

Previously called Estabelle, the company was renamed Esta in 2005 to mark this change in direction.

Switching from fashion to uniforms was not a difficult decision for Ms Tay to make, as she found that even though it was a different challenge, it still gave her a sense of satisfaction.

"Well, I may have lost some glamour there (from making the transition), but I feel happy when I see large numbers of people wearing the clothes we design. It is still an achievement whenever we design a uniform that is successful and well-received," she says.

Ms Tay adds that her fashion background also gave her an advantage as it helps add a certain flair and style into uniforms that make her designs stand out from the rest.

One of her biggest milestones to date was designing the opening and closing attire for all 1,100 athletes and officials of the Singapore National Olympic Council for the recent SEA Games.

The schedule for the design and production was a tight one, with many levels of approvals. Also, because the attire was made to measure, they had to do a sizing exercise for all 1,100 team members.

For those who could not make it down for the measurement exercise due to their training schedule, Ms Tay and her team decided to go the extra mile by making the trip to the athletes' hotel rooms to do the fitting.

"It was all very hectic as some of the team members were not even confirmed until the very last minute. But in the end we managed to fit everyone and do adjustments," she says.

Watching the team march looking so smart and getting good feedback from the client made all the effort worth it, says Ms Tay.

Not tailors

Uniforms are not just about slapping a logo on some fabric, says Ms Tay.

"In fact, we are more like image consultants, and not tailors. We always tell our clients that uniforms are about dressing right and dressing well as it affects the lives of their staff, their self-esteem and their sense of purpose in their jobs," she says.

On her part, Ms Tay sets high standards for her team - they are always on the search for the perfect, cut, shape and form, as well as the right fabric.

She reveals that whenever the team takes on a project, it first starts with research and background work, whether the client requests for it or not.

They go on site to interview their wearers, understand their environment, their needs, and their likes and dislikes. A report is then submitted to clients based on this research.

Ms Tay shares that many clients are taken aback by the information presented to them.

"We have spoken to wearers who were not happy with their uniforms. Some even considered leaving their jobs because they don't feel good about their uniforms. Companies don't realise that," she says.

Ms Tay says she seeks to draw more attention to the role uniforms play in customer service. As frontline staff and ambassadors of the brand, uniforms should be something they are happy to wear, she says.

"We have to work very hard to help our client see that they need to take care of staff better. It is quite sad that some companies put uniforms as their last priority," says Ms Tay.

However, Ms Tay believes that things are starting to change, and companies are now paying more attention to their uniforms.

"These days, clients are looking for uniforms that are updated and fresher, with more unique designs befitting of their company's identity," she says.

One client which stood out for her was budget airline Scoot. The company worked with the airline to design and produce its new uniforms for its staff and cabin crew.

"From the beginning, Scoot was very open and willing to accept new ideas and approaches - they clearly wanted to make a difference," says Ms Tay.

They designed their new dress to incorporate the material Spandex - something not traditionally used in corporate uniforms.

"The result was a professional, fashionable uniform that their employees loved to wear. This is a perfect example of how a company is willing to think outside of the box, and how by being open to suggestions they can really revamp and improve their brand image," explains Ms Tay.

Lessons learnt

On reflection, Ms Tay says that her journey in the uniform industry has had its fair share of ups and downs.

"If I had a time machine and could travel back to when I started, I would have placed more thought and emphasis on company culture, structure, and developing a strong value system," says Ms Tay.

She feels that getting these defined early on helps to differentiate the company from the competition and provides a sense a purpose for the company and staff.

Another learning point for Ms Tay was the need for processes in her business.

For an industry such as uniforms, there are numerous supply lines and manufacturing stages. Having the right processes can save money and improve delivery times and customer service, she says.

"When you are just starting off and money is tight, this can make the difference between success and failure. It took me a bit of time to really sort this aspect of my business out, but once we had established our own ways of working and standardised all the processes, the business instantly became easier to manage," she shares.

Looking ahead, Ms Tay adds that the uniform industry cannot afford to rest on its laurels as customers get more demanding and are spending more time on their employee image.

"Today's customers demand something special, and anything short of a unique and engaging customer service experience is a failure," she concludes.