January / February 2007

Thanks to UPS, the color brown has become a worldwide symbol of quality, reliability and professionalism - and a brand unto itself.

By Jay Gordon
Photography: Mark Pricskett

You would expect the world's largest package delivery company to be driven by efficiency, and UPS does not disappoint.

The company has conducted time and motion studies on virtually every task connected to delivering a package: how long it takes to get in and out of the delivery van, the time it takes to fasten the seatbelt, and then to start the truck and begin moving forward. A savings of just a few seconds per stop, multiplied by 85,000 drivers, can make a huge difference in productivity for a company that delivers 15 million packages every day.

It also should not surprise you to know that UPS applies this same level of scrutiny to the uniforms worn by its nearly 90,000 "customer-facing" employees. For example, virtually every movement required to deliver a package - from the direction the arms move, to the use of a hand-truck, to the need to balance the electronic "diads" drivers use to record delivery information - is taken into consideration in something as simple as pocket placement on uniform shirts and outerwear.

Recently, the size of the pocket opening and the slant of the pocket were adjusted slightly to make it a little easier to put something in or get something out of the pocket; UPS counted it as a uniform upgrade. "If the way our garments are constructed can save a driver time, that allows us to deliver more packages every day," says UPS spokesperson Diana Hatcher.

But efficiency and productivity represent only one side of the equation for the UPS uniform program. The world's largest private uniformed workforce is also the world's most recognizable workforce, and "the Browns" - as the uniform has come to be known - embody the UPS core values of quality and reliability. They are a big reason why Brown has become a brand unto itself, recognized and respected all over the world.

The value of a consistent look From the moment in 1907 when he borrowed $100 from a friend to start the American Messenger Company in Seattle, enterprising 19-year-old Jim Casey understood the value of a consistent look for his employees. Messengers wore caps and badges, suits and ties, polished shoes, and had neat haircuts and clean fingernails.

The color brown wasn't introduced until 1916, when Charlie Soderstrom joined the company and introduced the first vehicles to the delivery business. Soderstrom was inspired by the Pullman railcars of the day, which were widely viewed as symbols of style, elegance and professionalism. And the brown color of the Pullman railcars offered a bonus - it didn't show dirt. That's how UPS settled on brown for its vehicles and uniforms, and by 1929 the color had been adopted for the entire UPS fleet. Seventy years later, UPS would become one of only a handful of companies to successfully trademark a color, preventing competitors and others from using it to create marketplace confusion.

“A consistent uniform and look is important
because it gives our customers a sense of security
about who is coming into their office or home.”
– Diana Hatcher, UPS

"There is a lot of pride wrapped up in putting on the 'Browns,'" says Hatcher. "Employees who put on that uniform realize that they are the face of our business. Who they are, how they conduct themselves, and what they look like are a reflection on our professionalism and the quality of our work."

That was true in the early days of the 20th century, but even more so in the first decade of the 21st. "In this day and age, a consistent uniform and look is important because it gives our customers a sense of security about who is coming into their office or home," Hatcher adds. "UPS's brown color formula is one of the most recognized, trusted and admired brands in the world. Every time a driver delivers a package to a customer, it reinforces the brand promise of guaranteed reliability and quality."

A big change for Big Brown
The last time UPS's uniform had a significant makeover was in 2003 - and it coincided with one of the largest corporate identity transformations in history. In the spring of that year, UPS launched a reimaging campaign designed to highlight the dramatic changes that had taken place in the company over the past two decades. Package delivery was still the foundation of UPS's business, but the company had developed new capabilities in areas such as freight services, international trade, supply chain management, customs brokerage, financial services and e-commerce that would help it expand the UPS brand.
 

What UPS believes about the “Browns” UPS has three core beliefs about the value of its uniformed workforce: 1. A neat, consistent appearance impacts the way our customers view us and how our employees interact on the job, says UPS spokesperson Diana Hatcher. 2. A uniform speaks volumes about the standards and values of the company. An employee in a neat, professional uniform is perceived as well-trained, trustworthy, dependable, and having pride in their company. 3. Uniforms help define our brand and create an image that is unique to our company. The color and the term brown is a powerful tool with a powerful connection when it is associated with UPS. Consistency – with flexibility For a company that places such a high value on the consistency of its employees’ appearance, UPS makes a surprising number of accommodations to its standard uniform set based on climate, religious customs and medical requirements: Drivers in Russia wear heavily insulated parkas with faux fur hoods to protect them from frigid temperatures. Scooter drivers in Asia receive a jacket and trouser to be worn over top the standard trouser, for added warmth. In London and other cities, motorcycle drivers wear brown motorcycle leathers. Brown turbans replace caps in regions where religious or cultural affiliations require them. Drivers with sun sensitivity receive brown widebrim, UV-resistant hats instead of the standard issue. Employees who are allergic to synthetic fibers are permitted to wear 100% cotton uniforms.

The "What Can Brown Do For You?" ad campaign was launched, with the tag- line, Synchronizing the World of Commerce, and the company's famous "shield" logo was redesigned to be more sleek. The Herculean task of rebranding the company's assets - including more than 88,000 delivery vehicles, 269 jet aircraft, 70,000 dropoff and retail access points, 1,700 facilities and 1 million uniform pieces - was expected to take up to six years to complete. The uniform program was one of the first "asset classes" to be transformed, mainly because, other than switching to the new logo, there were no other significant changes necessary. The UPS uniform for package van drivers (see photos, p. 42) includes: two different weights of trousers and shorts, a belt, three different shirt styles – longsleeve, short-sleeve and what UPS refers to as a “shirt-jac,” a shirt that can be worn tucked in or hanging out – outerwear, and one of six different cap styles. In addition, nearly 2,500 employees who are members of UPS flight crews also receive sweaters, ties and scarves. The uniforms are designed as a “system” that enables drivers to wear individual pieces or combine them for more protection in harsh weather. The company does not provide gloves or shoes, but it does ask its

A slow evolution
Just because the uniform is a classic color and doesn’t appear to have changed much over the years, it would be a mistake to think UPS rarely updates its look and style. “We don’t have a timetable for reviewing or updating the uniform,” Hatcher says, “but I can’t count the number of times they have been tweaked or updated. It’s usually a very slow evolution.”

UPS relies on employees to drive changes or enhancements to the uniform. “We provide comment cards in every uniform shipment to a driver, offering the opportunity for them to communicate feedback to the uniform supplier,” says Hatcher. The company also has an internal committee that reviews suggestions and requests by employees to change or update the uniform. “We rely on our employees to make recommendations for comfort and how we can make the uniform better suited to creating efficiencies,” she adds. “Subtle changes are always being made to provide better comfort, functionality and appearance.” One example: vents under the arms for enhanced breathability.

Suppliers also have a key role to play, Hatcher says, “helping us stay consistent when we change styles, keeping us modern and helping us stay on top of advances in fabric and finishes, such as easy-care fabrics and durable, water-repellant finishes.”

Feet on the street UPS does not provide shoes or gloves as part of its uniform system, but it does provide guidelines for these items. These recommendations do not revolve around brand or style (other than color); instead, the focus is on safety features. Excerpts from the UPS footwear guidelines: The best foot protection for most UPS activities is a sturdy, all-leather, well-built work shoe in good condition. Proper workplace footwear provides support for the feet and ankles, and protection from possible falling objects, bruising and bumping. A sturdy work shoe: is constructed with sturdy uppers made from leather or similar protective materials provides good support for the entire foot, including the ankle has non-slip soles is in good condition Work shoes in good condition have: soles and heels that are not worn soles that have not lost tread seams that are not splitting shoelaces that are not threadbare and ready to break Drivers must wear sturdy shoes that are black or brown polishable leather footwear. UPS does allow employees to wear steel-toed tennis shoes that meet ANSI standards. Ankles and feet are the first to absorb the shock that normal activity places on your body. Proper workplace footwear can significantly impact your comfort at work and home.