How Uniform Destination Feeds the Need

By Jordie Papa

Uniform Destination was started by my father 17-years ago with a simple concept: Offer healthcare professionals quality scrubs at discount prices.  Back then there weren’t a lot of options when it came to scrubs.  It was even harder to find a retail store that carried all the most popular brands.  Not only was the first of our stores set up to provide a greater selection in brands, but my father was committed to sharing his knowledge of various scrubs lines with our customers.  Seventeen years later, there are close to 100 Uniform Destination stores across the country, with five located in north Florida.    

      1.      Feeding the need – Prior to opening his first location, my father was an outside sales rep for a company that sold all kinds of uniforms.  This was back in a time when most companies bought locally and dealers sent reps to large firms that required their employees to wear uniforms.  After having sold all kinds of uniforms, he saw a need for a specialized outlet that catered to healthcare professionals.

      2.      The benefit of buying locally – While many healthcare workers buy their scrubs online, this can be a mistake.  Pointing and clicking to buy scrubs might be convenient, but it doesn’t allow customers to try it before they buy it.  One of the advantages of coming to one of our stores is the customer gets to try on any of our scrubs.  Our staff is also there to help them find not only the best fit, but the best value.  Today, there are dozens of scrubs lines from which to choose.  Depending on a person’s body type, not every line will be a perfect fit.  Not every color will flatter every buyer.  Since my staff wear scrubs in all our stores, they have an intimate knowledge of what works and what doesn’t.  They will take the time to find out what a customer does before recommending a line.  Then they will help make sure they help the customer finds the scrubs that work best for them.  This is no longer a 1-size-fits-all industry.  

     

Image courtesy Uniform Destination

3.      Customers demand consistency – Whether a customer buys their scrubs from one of our five stores in north Florida or any of our locations across the country, they can expect the same quality of service, inventory and pricing.  In fact, one of the reasons our stores can usually meet or beat online prices is because of the buying power of the franchise.  Additionally, having close to 100 stores working together also means we have more than 100 people who share their knowledge and ideas to can make the business even better.

      4.      The Next Generation – I started working for my dad 7-years ago.  Since that time, I’ve learned everything there is to know when it comes to making sense of the products and the business.  I know what my customers want and give them much more than simply great products at rock bottom prices.  I’ve taught many of my customers that sometimes the cheapest products aren’t always the best scrubs for them.  What looks good in the store might not stand the test of time if your scrubs spend a lot of time in the washing machine.  Some brands simply hold up better than others.  Our customers appreciate that we aren’t there to sell them something, but to make sure they’re satisfied with the products, the staff and the store so they will come back time after time when they need new scrubs.

Image courtesy Uniform Destination

      5.      Time will tell – A lot has happened in the last seventeen years.  Scrubs have come from the fashion backwater to being considered chic.  There are now fashion shows for scrubs and more clothing designers are throwing their hat into the ring every year.  The staff at Uniform Destination has also learned a great deal about the wants and needs of our customers during more than a decade and a half of service to the healthcare community.  Even though we have expanded to nearly 100 locations across the country, we strive to maintain the level of service, selection and pricing that our customers have always come to appreciate.  In the near future, we are also looking to give customers the convenience to buy from us online  We will only do this if we can guarantee the same superlative customer experience online as our customers currently receive in our stores.

      6.      Ten Years down the road – While I don’t have a crystal ball that can tell me where the industry is headed, suffice it to say that scrubs are here to stay.  As fashions and fabrics continue to evolve for scrubs, the staff of Uniform Destination will stay on the cutting edge.   We will continue to strive to bring innovation and integrity to an industry that was barely born when we opened out first store.  As always, we will be there to make sure that everyone who walks through our doors knows that they are more than just a customer to us. 

Jordie Papa is owner of Uniform Destination with four locations in North Florida offers scrubs and medical accessories, including stethoscopes.