Research has shown that it can take up to two to three years to create a uniform program for a business. To help shorten the design cycle, Cintas Corporation has launched CintasDesign, an iPad application that allows its image consultants to create uniform programs for customers virtually.
“Using the iPad, we can now build uniform programs for our customers faster and more efficiently,” says Todd McKeown, vice president, global hospitality and gaming, Cintas. “With the CintasDesign app, our image consultants can help customers visualize, design, and test new uniform ideas instantly, shortening the amount of time it takes to implement a new apparel program.”
CintasDesign allows Cintas’s image consultants to show customers the latest runway styles and trends on their iPads and also search for Cintas apparel by garment type, collection, theme, and job function.
Using the app’s “Uniform Designer” module, Cintas’ image consultants can try out various uniform concepts for customers and bring their ideas to life via virtual models.
To begin the process, image consultants select a male or female model and then choose from a variety of shirts, pants, suiting, and more to dress the models.
To see how their customers’ uniform creations correspond with their organizations’ interiors or unique color schemes, Cintas’ image consultants can change the background color of the model or upload an actual picture of their customer’s property, such as a hotel lobby or restaurant floor.
For customers who prefer not to start their programs from scratch, Cintas also offers a variety of collections and themes under the “Inspiration Boards” module. Using this functionality, Cintas’s image consultants can have customers view apparel ensembles under themes such as “essential” or “distinctive” and use them as a starting point for identifying elements they would like to incorporate into their own programs.
“We are pleased to be the first uniform manufacturer to use an app with this level of sophistication,” McKeown says. “By allowing our image consultants to design and select merchandise with customers on the fly and narrow down their options in real time, our team can more quickly and efficiently deliver programs that best meet our customers’ needs.”
Additional app features include a full product catalog, the ability to save uniform designs for customers’ future inspiration or purchases, and the ability to export a single product, dressed figure, or an entire uniform program.
By having the ability to quickly and easily export uniform products and illustrations, Cintas’s image consultants can create sell sheets and presentations for customers on the fly.
Cintas will demonstrate the new iPad application during the Global Gaming Expo, held September 24–26 in Las Vegas, and during the International Hotel, Motel + Restaurant Show, held November 10–12 in NYC.
