By Jackie Rosselli
In a recent telephone interview with UniformMarket, Tom
McCauley , president and founder of Kentucky Uniforms,
gave his thoughts on the industry, emerging trends and
growth areas, and the pros and cons of selling over the
web:
On Business:
Q. What are your customers looking for in a uniform these
days?
A. Comfort is the number one requirement. They are looking
for fabrics that are lightweight and provide ease of movement.
We also receive numerous requests for products with moisture
wicking and stain resistant properties. Of course, they’re
also looking for a good price.
....
On Trends:
Q. The world has become a casual place. Why is this such
a problem?
A. There’s a thin line between a casual and sloppy
appearance. This is particularly true in public safety,
where knit shirts and BDUs have been overused in recent
years. If a department is too casual, if they look like
the average citizen, their credibility and professionalism
is diminished, and this not only hurts them, but our industry
as a whole suffers. But we’ve seen a backlash to
this option recently, and we think it’s starting
to change.
....
On E-Commerce:
Q. Sounds quaint. Yet you’ve recently entered the
world of e-commerce, which is anything but intimate. Can
you maintain this philosophy on the web?
A. Yes, absolutely. My customers can see our products
online, and they like that. It’s another benefit
of doing business with us, another service we provide.
That’s how we market it. From the store owner's perspective,
it provides a way to instantly satisfy demand for products,
services, and information of each customer From the customer's
perspective, it offers individually, convenience, variety,
cost savings, and anonymity, if desired. It’s a win-win.
Q. How important is it to have an online presence these
days?
A. It’s critical. If you think you don’t
need a site, if you believe you shouldn’t be selling
over the web, then you’re either naïve or on
your way out of business.
Full
On Business. Trends and E-Commerce Story
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