Every workday counts: what customers expect from workwear

In manufacturing, automotive and field service work, trust often starts before the actual work begins.

It starts when a technician arrives at a customer site looking professional and ready. It starts when auditors see clean, suitable workwear in use. And it starts when employees open their lockers and find the right garments waiting for them.

That was the message at our recent Service in Spotlight: Workwear customer panel. The discussion brought together Blaž Lupše, Coordinator of Workshop and Logistics, and Monika Čakš Lorger, HR and Marketing at Linde Forklifts Slovenia, as well as Neil Osgood, Site Business Services Leader at Momentive, UK.

They shared how reliable workwear supports everyday operations, from safety and hygiene to customer confidence, digital visibility and long-term partnership.

When workwear works as it should, employees are ready, managers stay in control and customers see a company they can trust.

Trust travels with the technician

Workwear affects how your customers experience your company.

When a technician arrives wearing clean, high-quality and professionally branded workwear, the first impression is positive. Customers see someone who looks organised, reliable and part of a well-structured company. Before any work begins, a certain level of trust is already established.

Monika Čakš Lorger, HR and Marketing at Linde Forklifts Slovenia

At Momentive, workwear also plays a role during audits and customer visits. When visitors see employees wearing clean and professional workwear, it supports confidence in the people, the process and the company behind them.

The effect is both internal and external. Employees feel more prepared, while customers and auditors see a team that looks ready and in control.

A smooth workday starts at the locker

Employees do not usually want to think about workwear. They expect it to be there, clean, comfortable and ready to use. For Neil Osgood at Momentive, this is especially important in a manufacturing environment where safety and cleanliness matter:

If a worker opens the locker and only has dirty clothing, we immediately have a risk of contamination. It also affects how colleagues see them and how they feel. That shows how critical it is to get workwear right every time.

Neil Osgood, Site Business Services Leader at Momentive

For Monika Čakš Lorger, moving to a structured workwear solution was also about employee experience. Linde Forklifts Slovenia had previously managed workwear themselves, but availability and consistency became difficult to maintain.

Today, logistics, delivery and professional cleaning are handled as part of the service. That makes daily work easier and sends a clear message to employees: their comfort, safety and readiness matter.

Workwear is not just clothing. It is part of professional identity and team belonging. When employees feel comfortable, confident and well equipped, they present themselves more professionally and approach their work with greater confidence.

Blaž Lupše, Coordinator of Workshop and Logistics at Linde Forklifts Slovenia

Safety, hygiene and reliability go hand in hand

In manufacturing and regulated industries, workwear is closely connected to safety and hygiene. It helps protect people, products and processes.

After a forklift-related safety incident at Momentive, Lindström and Momentive worked together to improve visibility with orange workwear. Osgood described this as “very much a partnership”.

For Linde Forklifts, reliability is also one of the most important parts of the service. The garments need to be clean, comfortable and delivered to the right place at the right time.

As Blaž put it, the key benefits are simple: “Comfort, hygiene and appearance.”

Digital visibility helps managers stay in control

Reliable workwear also makes life easier for managers. When the service works, there are fewer questions, fewer interruptions and less manual follow-up.

Neil described Lindström’s online portal eLindström as a major improvement in daily service management.

Hand on heart, it has saved me so much time and effort. It is efficient, the data is up to date, and our employees are more at ease because they know where everything is.

Neil Osgood, Site Business Services Leader at Momentive

For managers, this means better visibility. They can track garments, manage changes, spot needs earlier and keep control without having to chase every detail manually.

Digital tools and garment tracking can also support better planning. They help identify when garments need replacing, where stock levels need adjusting and how the service can keep improving over time.

This is where digital tools and human support work best together. Digital tools help with routine work, visibility and follow-up. Local teams and account managers help when the situation needs understanding, service knowledge and practical problem-solving.

Digital tools help, people make the partnership work

When asked what matters most in a successful partnership, the customers came back to trust, communication and understanding.

“For me, the relationship is very important,” Neil said. “Our account manager understands what we need and how we operate. That people element makes it easy for both sides.”

This is also what makes modern workwear management stronger. Data helps create visibility. Trusted operations keep the service running in the background. People make sure the solution fits the customer’s real working environment.

When workwear is ready, clean and fit for the job, it removes one worry from the workday. People can start their shift with confidence, managers have fewer issues to chase and customers see a team that is ready to deliver.

Every workday counts

Manage workwear with fewer manual tasks, better visibility and reliable support, every single day.

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