Miller’s Textile Rebranding Case Study

Miller’s Textile Rebranding Case Study

Challenge:
The industry of rental and laundry services for uniforms, linens, and other supplies is highly competitive and predominately served by a few very large, national brands. When starting a new relationship with Miller’s Textile Services in 2013, they tasked SPARK Strategic Ideas to think strategically about how re-branding their Ohio-based company would help them compete. Their goal “to become the best independent single plant textile rental company in the United States” challenged to SPARK to not only become a strategic partner, but also to serve as the marketing extension of the company. The SPARK worked closely with Miller’s management team to determine what being the “best” meant and how that translated to SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and timely) goals.

 

Solution:
Very simply, the SPARK solution was deployed in three stages. To start, SPARK initiated an online survey to 300 key customers to determine a baseline for brand perceptions and to point the way toward areas for improvement. A parallel survey was issued to employees to ferret out real perceptions of the company and to point the way toward service improvements. Once the baselines were established, SPARK developed key performance indicators to help monitor Miller’s progress towards their ultimate goal of being the best.

The second phase involved re-visioning the company’s brand and identity, combining the personal service aspects of Miller’s business with a more forward-thinking approach. The consumer research revealed that the biggest driver for customer satisfaction was the relationships they built with their individual Miller’s account representative. The original logo was about processes – not people. The new Miller’s logo (the SPARK team likes to call him the Miller’s man) was accompanied by new graphic standards.

Once the new logo was approved, a fresh new energy began to permeate the organization as a dramatic roll out of new materials began. The employees, because they’re in the uniform rental business, hosted an employee contest to design their own uniforms. New signage was installed both outside and inside the plant. New signage was designed and rolled out on the delivery trucks, 18-wheelers and other transport vehicles. A new identity package was developed that included business cards, letterhead, thank you notes and more. SPARK created marketing materials including a brochure carrier piece. This piece not only introduced Miller’s and their services, it allowed their team to customize the piece by adding inserts that spoke to that prospect’s specific industry and needs. Finally, a website redesigned for mobile compatibility completed phase two.

The final phase was the development of a multi-year strategic communication plan that tied together marketing, public relations and even social media through LinkedIn. This third phase included an ongoing quarterly e-newsletter with articles geared towards educating prospective and existing customers on the products and services in the textile rental field, specifically those that Miller’s offers. SPARK also employed a Google pay-per-click program and developed enhanced LinkedIn strategies for the Miller’s brand. The employee and consumer opinion and satisfaction surveys are conducted on a semi-annual basis and continue to offer insights that measure and impact the company’s strategic goals.

Results :

It has been extremely rewarding for the SPARK team to work with a company like Miller’s who

puts so much of their emphasis on the people they work with and for. The feedback SPARK has received from the Miller’s management team has been that the redesign has energized the company’s internal audiences and resonated with their customers. The scope of work for Miller’s Textile Services continues to expand for SPARK as the team collaboratively works towards its overarching goal of being the best. The employees are more engaged and their customers better informed. We believe the relationship is a success…but you don’t have to take our word for it.

“I’m pleased with the relationship, the projects, the results of what now has been an over two-year relationship with SPARK and the team at SPARK,” said Bob Hager, president of Miller’s Textile Services. “We view them as a part of our management team – an inside and an integral part of our management team that we’ve never had before. And I think we’ve got more and better things to come. I look forward to that.”