Mandatory uniforms?

[Joe Marconi]

We have a strict dress code in my shop with regard to uniforms and grooming. We supplies uniforms that are cleaned by a service, and we also issue T shirts in the summer and sweat shirts in the winter, along with a jacket. The T shirts and sweat shirts are theirs to keep and we give them new ones each year. For years this has worked fine.

 

Now, it seems that some of the younger techs lose their uniforms. They come in wearing their own shirts and jackets. And it is real annoying. We are now in the process of making everyone change at work and keeping all the uniforms in their lockers. We also issued a memo to all explaining company policy. We give them an inventory count and explain why this is important.

 

Is this an industry issue? If so, how do you deal with this? I dont know how everyone feels about this, but I think it makes a difference, from the customers perspective, if everyone is in uniform and well-groomed.

[bsb1264]

I'm not a manager or owner, BUT it drives me nuts when half of us are wearing are uniforms, shirts tucked in and groomed, then you have the rest that look like they have worn the same uniform for 2 weeks. I think it is very unprofessional and the first thing a customer notices is cleanliness.

[nmikmik]

Waring a uniform and taking care of it i.e. not ruining it, is responsibility of the tech and should be a part of our employee handbook. If the friendly and groomed service writer is face of the front shop, the clean and groomed tech is the face of the back shop. Regardless of the age of the person, certain universal "common sense" should apply to all in the shop, no exceptions. Some people will not understand until you hit them in the pocket. Maybe it's time?

[Joe Marconi]

Waring a uniform and taking care of it i.e. not ruining it, is responsibility of the tech and should be a part of our employee handbook. If the friendly and groomed service writer is face of the front shop, the clean and groomed tech is the face of the back shop. Regardless of the age of the person, certain universal "common sense" should apply to all in the shop, no exceptions. Some people will not understand until you hit them in the pocket. Maybe it's time?

Agree!

[ATLAuto]

Uniform pricing in our area is $8 - $12 per employee per week. That's $416 - $624 yearly uniforms that we will never own.

 

Looking at the numbers, we can buy 6 sets of high-quality uniforms for that price (or 20 sets of low quality). I'm talking uniforms with built in knee pads, great pockets, very comfortable, breathable material, etc. Certainly better than what the uniform suppliers offer.

 

Do any of you do this? If so, who is responsible for cleaning them?

[Leonard Lee]

I agree that it will make a big difference in the eyes of the customer. It's never nice to see dirty technicians.

 

I've got friends who are mechanic/owners of their own garage and they are trenched in grease. It's hard to give a good impression under all that grease.

 

At the workshop that i'll be starting (it begins tomorrow! hurray!), i'm looking to do what you've done in the beginning and to have look clean every day.

[mmotley]

Uniform pricing in our area is $8 - $12 per employee per week. That's $416 - $624 yearly uniforms that we will never own.

 

Looking at the numbers, we can buy 6 sets of high-quality uniforms for that price (or 20 sets of low quality). I'm talking uniforms with built in knee pads, great pockets, very comfortable, breathable material, etc. Certainly better than what the uniform suppliers offer.

 

Do any of you do this? If so, who is responsible for cleaning them?

 

I'm still a one man show, but you can find just about any uniform online. Shirts for under $20, pants for under $20 (or just use Dickies from Wal-Mart).

 

I wouldn't think it would be to difficult to do the laundry in house. Reminds me of high-school football and how they did laundry with practice uniforms and such. I would think you could do the same, maybe with a cheap, used washer and dryer.

 

Or you could just leave it up to your employees to take care of their own laundry. It's not hard to explain in the hiring process that your pet-peeve is cleanliness and appearance. Explain they get 1 warning and after that, they are sent home for the day. 3rd time is 3 day suspension.

 

***If you go the route of stressing the importance of looking professional and sending guys home for looking like crap, be ready to actually call some of your technicians up front from time to time and have them speak/work with customers. This will reinforce why they need to look sharp, other than you just being a hard@$$

Edited November 25, 2013 by mmotley

[ATLAuto]

I wouldn't think it would be to difficult to do the laundry in house. Reminds me of high-school football and how they did laundry with practice uniforms and such. I would think you could do the same, maybe with a cheap, used washer and dryer.

 

This is the route I am considering. They can either wash their uniforms on site or bring them home and do them there. The main part that I like, though, is that the uniforms would be theirs and their responsibility overall.

 

I like your thoughts on the procedures and clear expectations.

 

Has anyone gone down this route and gotten away from the uniform services?

[Dustin Rutkowski]

With the uniform company I use I paid all the upfront costs for the uniforms for my employees. Weeks worth of shirts and pants and one winter jacket. Then we use the uniform company for the cleaning which is deducted from everyones pay. for the $10 a week it costs each employee, I cannot see it being better for them to wash it themselves. This way each shirt is pressed and presentable. Also if a button falls off or a shirt is torn, knees rip, the garment is replaced by the next delivery.

[mmotley]

Dustin, would you mind sharing how much the upfront costs were for a set of uniforms like you described?

[Dustin Rutkowski]

Message sent!!