by Lyda Durango
And all thanks to a small barcode or radio frequency identification device thanks to which there is no longer an excuse for your employees' uniforms to be left out of the automation of your business.
Seen so far as a simple piece of clothing, uniforms are becoming an unparalleled element of design, marketing and corporate identity. But it is also focusing the attention of the industry, eager for environmentally friendly fibers, long durability and comfort and design for employees. They seem many characteristics to be fulfilled by a simple outfit but some manufacturers are achieving it.
"Our quality standards are often above the average of the textile industry," says Gustavo Camissi, general manager of Grupo Cintas for Mexico. "And not only in the construction of garments but also in productivity incorporating technologies either for clothing, cutting, error detection, review of finished products and all production," he adds. One of the main technological innovations attributed to this manufacturer is the improvement of polyester fibers. "We are trying to wash the face of the bad image and reputation that polyester fiber had in the past," explains Mr. Camissi.
Fashion that does not bother
Traditionally considered as a hot, hard, rough and poor quality fiber, polyester fiber garments produced by Cintas look like a poly wool or linen garment but with the strength and durability of polyester fiber. "We see that many of the sports uniforms are now made with polyester fiber, so we are trying to turn this over to the corporate uniform industry," Gustavo explains. Some of the built-in properties are dry fit, moisture control and soil release. These are characteristics that textile technology is incorporating more and more every day to guarantee freshness and comfort such as allowing a better absorption of moisture, for example. But from the hand of these characteristics comes another that employees are also valuing: modernity in design.
The new styles resemble those that can be found in a fashion show and with greater reason if behind them there are recognized names from the world of fashion. "Actively listening to our customers we have made a fundamental strategic change in our company where numerous fashion trends are continuously being incorporated into our catalog product line, achieving with this an approach from the world of fashion to the universe of uniforms", explains Mr. Camissi.Cintas has a team of more than 20 own designers and also works with renowned external designers to create exclusive collections in which the client requires that their designs be elaborated by a particular designer. Among those names are Calvin Klein, Michel Coors, Lafayette 148 and Teresa Bajandas, among others.
The first impression
While the cleanliness and order with which employees wear their uniforms make a first impression on users, the importance of appearance goes further. That outfit becomes an element that not only beautifies the entire design of the hotel but acts as an important tool for motivation, communication and corporate identity.
"We are convinced that people who wear uniforms are not only wearing clothes but it helps to convey the concept that the hotel wants to project," says Mr. Camissi. "Uniforms promote the best job performance and provide a sense of belonging to the place that decreases staff turnover rates," he adds.
But sometimes we find that what starts very well ends very badly and the process of uniforms is an example of this. From its manufacture to the end of its useful life there has traditionally been a hole that has negatively impacted the management of the hotel. Fortunately, technological solutions are available that allow the magnifying glass to be brought closer to everything that has to do with uniforms, from their purchase to their repair through cleaning and location tracking.
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From the control room
As part of the importance acquired by the uniform department within the hotel, technological solutions to support the management of this area have not been long in coming. This is how Invotech's uniform inventory management system is being used by around 300 hotels in 10 countries around the world and Latin America is waking up to the benefits of this tool. In this way, Invotech's GIMS (Garment Inventory Management System) is the most widely used uniform department management system worldwide.
By means of barcode or radio frequency identification devices, the GIMS identifies uniform parts individually and efficiently tracks their location and movements. "GIMS handles all aspects of the uniform department including location tracking, inventory, cleanliness and cost quantities, purchasing, sales, repairs and more," said Jeff Welles, vice president of Invotech Systems.
For the cleaning process, for example, it all starts with the installation of a barcode or a small 13.56 MHz radio frequency identification device that allows simultaneous processing of multiple items. Barcode seals can last the entire life of the garment while RFID chips can be reused when the garment is already heavily worn or discarded.
The next step is for barcode readers or RFID chips to scan the garment. In the case of chip readers, Invotech provides a counter that shows how many items were read in the batch and the total number of garments scanned. In the case of garments returning from washing, Invotech can install a special antenna through which all garments pass to be read at the same time. Alternatively a vertical antenna can be used to read multiple garments or hooks simultaneously.
Full automation
The success of this solution has resulted in a new management option within the hotel, it is the Uniform Room Management Solution. To manage it, only three components are needed: technology provider, uniform supplier and hotel. This composition creates a winning team for the management of the uniform area and especially for suppliers who provide additional service to their customers. "Cintas has found an opportunity to strengthen ties with its customers and has taken a step forward by innovating with a new service that is the management of the uniform room," explains Gustavo Camissi, director of the Cintas Group for Mexico.
By the way, a new business is opened in the hotel sector. Because the technology provider sells the software to the hotel and the corresponding licenses, the hotel acquires the system and the franchise, and Cintas is responsible for operating it. "We believe that this business area has great opportunities due to the simplicity of use and effectiveness of control it provides over an asset as important as uniforms," explains Mr. Camissi.
Human resources department, laundry and purchasing are related through this tool thanks to its interface. "In the case of GIMS-Laundry Edition it is a program specially designed to track uniforms through the laundry process and check-in automation in different hotels," explains Mr. Welles. In addition, GIMS interfaces with different hotel management systems such as human resources, accounting, purchasing and payroll.
"Hotels that don't use GIMS have a lot of trouble trying to manage an efficient operation of their uniform department. These hotels are generally unaware of their quantities of uniforms and the sizes in which the uniforms are located at any one time," explains Mr Welles. "Also, when uniforms are lost they can't hold the employee or the cleaning area accountable and when they buy new uniforms they often buy the wrong size or quantities that they aren't," he explains.
These are just two direct consequences of not having more control over this area and above all of making it one of the few within the hotel where tasks are performed manually. The time has come to automate the uniform department, the savings in time and costs merit it.
