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 markets do you service?
A. We are a regional direct distributor of public safety
and industrial uniforms, and also carry a complete line of scrubs
and lab wear. We can also embroider or alter any uniform in-house,
if needed.
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.
Q. Is the demand for stain resistant fabrics greater in the
healthcare market?
A. You might think that, but it isn’t. What drives the
scrub market most is price. The less expensive, the better.
Q. What’s your biggest seller at this time?
A. High visibility garments like vests and coveralls are doing
very well right now on the industrial side; the Class B uniform
is popular in the pubic safety market.
Q. Where do you see the most potential?
A. The industrial market is certainly a growth area for us,
and is where we’re making the biggest push. Many of our
newer customers have come from larger suppliers, and were disappointed
by the experience. They’re looking for better service and
more choice, things a company our size can offer.
Q. What is the number one problem facing businesses like yours
today?
A. One of the biggest hurdles the entire industry faces is
the downgrading of the uniform program. Part of this is our own
fault, because in an attempt to make the sale we sell our customers
what they say they want, not what we believe they need. The other
part of this is increased competition from non-uniform related
sources. The uniform market is perceived as easy to penetrate,
but most of these companies don’t understand the business.
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.
Q. Can you give me specifics?
A. Our local jail has approached us for advice regarding their
appearance. They’re currently in BDUs, and the public perception
of them is poor. So we’ve talked to them about an upgrade
in their look, and worked on their specifications. The contract
is going to bid this week, and we’re hopeful that we’ll
get it.
Q. With all the competition out there, how do you distinguish
yourself from the rest?
A. It sounds clichéd, but it all about personal touches.
With 15 employees, we may be a small company, but we’re
big on service. There’s no voice mail system here -- we
answer our own phones. I know many of my customers’ names,
and many have been buying from us for a very long time.
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.
Q. Has it helped you grow your business?
A. It’s amazing how many people call about what they’re
seeing on the site. We’ve gotten orders from parts of the
country that we’ve never worked with before.
Q. I understand that UniformMarket designed your site. As you
know, there are many companies that provide the same service.
Why did you select us?
A. Because those companies are not the same. This industry
is unique, and UniformMarket has the best understanding of it.
I’ve heard the horror stories from other dealers -- they’ve
had sites built, put up their catalogs, only to find that the
system doesn’t fit their needs. Or it’s too complicated
to navigate and maintain. You don’t have any of that with
UniformMarket. They know the business, been around a long time,
and have access to an industry-wide information.
Q. Was it difficult getting started?
A. No. UniformMarket didn’t come down here with a set
agenda. They listened to our needs and were open to suggestions.
Consequently, we have a site and a system that works.
Q. How do you use the site?
A. Right now, it functions more as an informational vehicle
for customers. They use it to check our products or see what’s
new, and of course, to order. But there’s so much more
we could be doing. And we need to do a better job with this.
Q. Have you set up any individualized stores for customers?
A. No, right now it’s purely a site open to everyone,
but we recognize the value and potential that such individualized
features have. It’s really a time management issue. Every
time we plan to take it a step further, something pops up.
Q. Is there a downside to ordering on the web?
A. Sure. People don’t like to return things, so we’re
trying to make the process easier. And while we have some of
our products on the site, our customers can’t access our
entire line. As I’ve said, we’d like to do more,
but just haven’t found the time.
The Last Word:
Q. Any final thoughts for our readers?
A. As an industry, we need to put the emphasis back on appearance.
Our customers may say they want casual dress, but what they’re
really looking for is comfort. With all the new fabrics out there,
you can provide comfort without sacrificing appearance. I tell
my customers that if they want to be paid professionally, the
must look professional. That message has been lost for the moment,
but its time to go back to it.
Did you know that…
a recent announcement from the Census Bureau of the Department
of Commerce estimated U.S. retail e-commerce sales for the first
quarter of 2006 at $25.2 billion, an increase of 7 % from the
fourth quarter of 2005.
Learn more about Kentucky Uniforms by visiting www.kentuckyuniforms.com
In next month’s issue: Wonder how individualized stores
work? Learn practical tips from a dealer who uses UniformMarket’s
Store System in November.
|
