doorman-uniforms

Hospitality Uniforms: Rent or Purchase?

Many business which provide uniforms for their staff rely on rental or lease programs, especially many doorman buildings in major cities such as New York. While this can be a convenient option for a number of reasons such as minimal initial financial outlay, less maintenance, and more flexibility, it’s actually more advantageous to purchase uniforms. In this post, we’ll explore why purchasing can easily wind up being significantly less expensive, the ongoing maintenance of the uniforms is minimal, and how choosing to purchase can provide your building/business with much more control over your image and branding.

Is renting really less expensive?

Many management companies and co-op/condo boards often assume that renting staff uniforms is less expensive than purchasing. In reality, purchasing is in most cases the less expensive option. Generally, unless you have a large staff with a high turnover rate, you’ll almost always save money by purchasing. While rental laundries can make your uniform program easy and convenient, you’ll often pay for the uniforms many times over by renting. When you purchase, you’ll get brand new uniforms that you’ll own, and your only ongoing expense is laundry and/or dry cleaning. If your building has a laundry room, use it during off hours for work clothes, and negotiate a rate with a local dry cleaner for your more formal garments. Or, to make things easy, simply offer your staff a laundry allowance.

How will my choice of renting vs purchasing affect my uniform options?

This is where you’ll see even more differences between renting and purchasing. When renting, you’ll be limited to what the rental laundry has available, and they’ll likely try to steer you toward their most commonly offered products. When you purchase, you can get anything you want. Need a logo embroidered? Not a problem. You prefer brand A of brand B for your porters? Easy to take care of.

Project the right image with your uniforms

Purchasing your uniforms is an excellent opportunity to choose how to present your building and offers yet another way to strengthen your brand. You want your residents to feel at home, to be able to easily identify staff members, and for your staff to project a professional appearance. When choosing purchasing over renting, you can choose a uniform design which complements your building’s aesthetic, whether it’s modern or classic, and to do so while mindful of the color scheme of the common areas.

Your staff’s uniforms are an extension of the design of the building, and play a large role in the image you wish to project. When you work with Uniform Tactical Supply, we’ll visit your building (if located in the NYC area) and will work with you and your staff to present carefully procured options designed to complement the building design and image. We will also take measurements of your staff onsite to ensure that all garments fit properly. We will also work with you to assist with any additional embroidery or patches needed to customize your building’s uniform program.

Contact us today to arrange a consultation.

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