From rebrand to reality: How Alliance Trade Services built a professional image for growth
Key Takeaways:
- A commercial HVAC, plumbing and mechanical business, Alliance Trade Services, implemented a managed workwear program as part of a broader company rebrand.
- Professional, consistent workwear helps reinforce the company's image with customers and on jobsites.
- The program supports employee pride by providing quality garments that reflect the company's new direction.
- Managed workwear simplifies uniform administration, allowing leadership to focus on growing the business.
When a company commits to transformation, every detail matters.
For Alliance Trade Services (ATS), a commercial HVAC, plumbing and mechanical company based in Phoenix, a recent rebrand represented far more than a new logo. It marked a new chapter for the business and a renewed focus on professionalism, culture and growth.
As part of the rebrand, ATS implemented a managed workwear program with Cintas, helping ensure employees presented a consistent, professional image to customers while simplifying uniform management for a growing workforce.
A rebrand designed for the future
Over the previous year, ATS had experienced several management changes and employee turnover. As new leadership began shaping the company's future direction, they wanted to create a stronger culture, attract quality team members and establish a more cohesive brand identity.
The company knew that rebranding would involve more than updating marketing materials.
Leadership envisioned a complete transformation that would include a new logo and new uniforms. Every customer touchpoint needed to reflect where the company was headed. For technicians who interact directly with customers every day, appearance was an important part of that equation.
They wanted employees to make a positive first impression while reinforcing the company's new direction wherever they worked.
“We deal with high-end customers that are expecting us to conduct good work for them,” said Kevin Filmore, a field supervisor at ATS. “When (technicians are) in a nice, clean, crisp uniform, it’s an image you want to project, and customers know we’re here for business.”
Why professional workwear became part of the strategy
Like many growing service businesses, ATS considered multiple options when evaluating employee apparel. Screen-printed T-shirts were one possibility, but leadership wanted a solution that reflected the professionalism of the services they provide and helped employees look consistent in the field.
Just as importantly, they wanted a solution that could scale. The company was continuing to expand its team and didn't want leadership spending time managing uniforms for every new hire. They also needed a program that helped ensure technicians had access to clean, professional workwear each day.
A managed workwear program with laundry service from Cintas offered both.
“Some of these guys work 20 hours a day. They come in dirty the next day because they just don’t have time at the end of the week to do their own laundry,” said Rhonda Valente, market president for ATS.
Working with Cintas, ATS outfitted employees in branded workwear designed to create a professional appearance across the organization. The program provides employees with consistent, professionally laundered garments while helping leadership remove uniform administration from their growing list of responsibilities.
“Cintas came in and really listened to what our needs were. And we were able to feel and look at all of the choices we had to really ensure that it was the type of uniform we wanted to see on all of our technicians,” added Heather Prather, an HVAC service manager at ATS.
Supporting employee pride and confidence
A rebrand isn't only about how customers see a company. It's also about how employees see themselves within it.
ATS wanted to build a culture centered on quality, professionalism and pride. Providing employees with comfortable, professional workwear became one way to demonstrate that investment. As part of the rollout, Cintas hosted an on-site fitting event for the ATS team, giving technicians a chance to try on and experience the new uniforms.
"Bringing in Cintas and the uniforms does help us maintain that professional image across the board which is so important for retaining employees,” said Ryan Oliver, a commercial development manager at ATS.
By providing employees with professional, comfortable workwear, ATS helped create a more unified team appearance while reinforcing a culture built around professionalism and pride.
Increasing efficiency through managed workwear
While the professional image supported ATS's rebrand, leadership also wanted a solution that made day-to-day operations easier.
As the company continued to grow, ATS wanted to focus on developing the business rather than managing uniform inventory.
By partnering with Cintas, the company gained a program designed to help streamline those responsibilities. Instead of worrying about sourcing and administering uniforms, leadership could spend more time focused on growth, culture and customer service.
More than a new uniform
For ATS, the new workwear program became more than a way to outfit employees. It helped bring the company's new identity to life. By creating a consistent professional image, supporting employee pride and simplifying uniform management, the program allowed leadership to focus on what comes next: continuing to grow the business.
“The new direction with the rebranding and the uniforms seals in that we are making a different name for ourselves out there,” shared Prather.
In this behind-the-scenes video, you’ll get to hear more from ATS leadership and see ATS technicians experience their new workwear in real time.
Discover how a Cintas managed workwear program can help support your brand, simplify uniform management and create a consistent, professional image for your business.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. How does professional workwear support a company's brand?
Consistent workwear helps create a recognizable image, reinforces professionalism and can help customers identify employees on jobsites.
2. What operational benefits does a managed workwear program provide?
A managed program can help reduce the time and effort required to outfit employees, support onboarding and remove uniform administration from leadership's responsibilities.
3. Why are uniforms important during a company rebrand?
Uniforms help bring the new brand to life by creating a consistent, professional appearance for employees. They can reinforce brand identity, support employee pride and help ensure customers experience the same professional image across every interaction.
