1) Evaluate the key factors influencing the selection of uniform suppliers in the hospitality industry.

2) Assess the impact of uniform quality on customer satisfaction and employee performance.

3) Analyze the cost implications of different uniform procurement strategies in the context of hospitality businesses.

4) Identify the most critical criteria for assessing the overall value proposition of uniform suppliers.

H1: There is significant correlation between uniform quality and customer satisfaction in the industry.

H2: Effective uniform procurement strategies positively impact employee performance and morale.

H3: There is an inverse relationship between uniform cost and perceived quality.

H4: The consideration of multiple criteria, including quality and cost, leads to a more effective selection of uniform suppliers.

The hospitality sector is widely recognized for its steady dedication & outstanding service; Uniforms have played a vital role in the hospitality domain since as early as the 16th century, when messengers began wearing badges for their easy identification and association with their employers. This longstanding tradition remains integral to the industry till date.Choosing a dependable and effective uniform supplier constitutes a significant decision for hospitality professionals, as it affects both customer perceptions and employee satisfaction.

This research aims to explore the relationship uniform procurement, and to the balance between quality and cost-effectiveness. The need for uniform procurement arises for various reasons, including outdated uniforms, employee discontent, or the refreshed brand image. Meticulous planning is crucial for achieving success, necessitating considerations related to design, production, supply chain management, and size evaluation. A reliable supplier should organize sizing clinics for workers to ensure a proper fit and increase overall satisfaction . The range of roles within the hospitality industry, encompassing chefs to waiting staff, requires distinct uniforms, highlighting the importance of both functionality and visual hierarchy, which complicates the responsibilities of managers and uniform suppliers alike. Outsourcing uniform management to a single integrative partner avoids managerial complexity that arises when splitting supplier functions .

The research focus to various aspects like color, pattern, comfort, strips, identity of staffand administration in hospitality businesses in order to enhancing professionalism and workspace effectiveness. The findings provide valuable information for businesses best-in-class uniform solutions in order to contribute towards greater success and image for the hospitality sector. A reliable supplier should organize sizing clinics for workers to ensure a proper fit and raise general contentment.

While hospitality businesses is focus on a rise in their brand reputation and a means for maintaining a competitive edge. Uniform selection not only reflects the establishment's identity but also affects customer satisfaction as well as morale for in-house individuals. Finding a proper equilibrium between the quality of uniforms and their corresponding costs is a major challenge faced by hospitality professionals. This study aims at providing in-depth information to finalize uniform supplier for strategic decision-making during procurement processes.

Research Design:

This study uses a mixed-method study design whereby qualitative research is integrated with quantitative research in order to gain information to choose uniform supplier for hospitality organizations. The qualitative component involves in-depth interviews with key players like hospitality supervisors, providers of uniforms, and front-line operators. These interviews aim at information concerning decision-making variables, issues faced, and success examples concerning uniform acquisition.

The quantitative phase uses questionnaires administered on a representative sample of hospitality entities including resorts, hotels, and restaurants. The questionnaire is structured in such a way so as to gather information about variables as wide ranging as uniform quality to cost, purchasing behavior, customer satisfaction, and even worker productivity. A structured questionnaire allows for statistical analysis so as to extract patterns, correlation, as well as trend within the set of information.

Sampling Methods-Random Sampling:

Hospitality establishments within each level are randomly selected in order to reduce confusion as much as possible and ensure equal representativeness.The sample population for this study includes a sample of hospitality establishments representing a mix in size, type, and geographical location. Stratified sampling method would be used for ensuring representation across different industry segments. 30 hospitality managers in charge of uniform procurement, front-line workers directly wearing a uniform on a shift or, and representatives from a range of positions (front-of-house, back-of-house, and management) within a range of establishment sizes (small, medium, large), establishment types (hotel, restaurant, resort), and geographical locations (urban, suburban, rural are the target sample.

Samples are selected by particular criteria like years of experience, Job responsibility, accountability for procurement, sex, age, and level of education would ensure mix sample with appropriate representation. More care is taken to ensure an in-depth exploration of views in each direction so as to gain an in-depth understanding of factors involved in choosing a uniform supplier in a range of settings.

The questionnaire contains Likert-scale items for variables ranging from uniform quality, cost factors, up to their influence on customer satisfaction and employee productivity. Statistical analysis would utilize Google Forms quantitative functionalities for Likert-scale responses with demographic information for a detailed exploration. Ethical considerations is send to all participants include informed consent and a guarantee for data confidentiality. The research design to collect data from all types of hospitality companies to make the research more effective and show proper representation of all respondents.

To analyze the data tools like regression analysis and correlation analysis is used. To find important themes and patterns, thematic analysis will be used to examine qualitative data. When these strategies are combined, affecting uniform buying in the hotel industry will be visible. To test the first hypothesis Pearson's coefficient test is employed to test direction and degree of linear association between two continuous variables in an endeavor to prove there is a significant association between level of customer satisfaction and perceived uniform quality.

For second hypothesis Regression analysis can be employed to test the effect of one or more independent variables (e.g., cost of uniform procurement) on a dependent variable (e.g., overall operational efficiency). When comparing the means of three or more groups, ANOVA might be used. In this case, it can make it possible to figure out whether the standards used to choose uniform providing firms by establishments differ significantly dependent on size. To find out if any notable differences between two independent are groups—in this case, the opinions of front-line officers and managers regarding uniform procurement—t-tests can be used.

1) Gender, Age, Education level, Experience in the hospitality industry in years.

2) Responsibility for procurement- Job role.

3) Type of hospitality establishments - (hotels/restaurants/ resorts/ fast food /canteen/ theme restaurant).

4) Size of establishment-(small, medium, and large).

5) Location -(urban, suburban, rural).

a) How would you rate the overall quality of the uniforms provided by your current supplier?

b) To what extent do you believe uniform quality impacts the satisfaction of your customers?

c) How satisfied are you with the cost-effectiveness of your current uniform procurement strategy?

d) In your opinion, does the cost of uniform procurement significantly affect overall operational efficiency?

e) To what extent do you consider customization options (e.g., logos, colors) important in uniform selection?

f) How comfortable do you find the uniforms provided by your current supplier for your staff?

g) How crucial is the ease of maintenance (cleaning, durability) of uniforms in your selection process?

h) To what degree does the timeliness of uniform delivery influence your satisfaction with a supplier?

i) In your experience, how flexible is your current uniform supplier in accommodating varying order sizes?

j) How satisfied are you with the level of customer service provided by your current uniform supplier?

k) Do you consider environmental sustainability a significant factor in choosing a uniform supplier?

l) How would you rate the value proposition (quality vs. cost) of your current uniform supplier?

m) To what extent do you think the design and style of uniforms contribute to your establishment's brand image?

n) How important is technology integration (e.g., online ordering, tracking) in your uniform procurement process?

o) Have you encountered challenges related to compliance with industry standards in your uniform procurement?

p) How likely are you to consider a long-term partnership with your current uniform supplier?

These questions aim to gather insights into various aspects of uniform supplier selection, covering quality, cost, customization, comfort, sustainability, and the overall satisfaction of hospitality professionals.

The restaurant uniform is an important element in a customer’s evaluation because the uniform is a part of the organization’s image and an extension of hospitality service. The style of employee uniform not only generates external marketing effects such as customer satisfaction and customer perception, but also has a main influence on employees' job satisfaction, work enthusiasm, and self-recognition in a restaurant. The color, style, cutting, logo, and pattern of uniform all have influence on employees in different ways.

At the operational level, another purpose of uniform management is the increase of design elements to their functionality and appropriateness, and health and safety especially within the hotel catering environment .A uniform is a set of standard clothing worn by members of an organization while participating in that organization's activity. In this study the uniforms of hotel (coats, aprons, bows, trousers, etc.) were performed by using different materials (linen, gabardine and poplin fabrics) available in Egyptian markets. Depending on the type of hotel and the nature of work that the staff is involved in, uniforms could be simply utilitarian or highly attractive or a combination of both .Customers are sensitive to what they are paying for; therefore, to satisfy customers’ demands, hospitality services must understand the relationship between employees’ uniforms and customers’ perceptions . This paper discusses the relationship between styles of uniform and employee job performance, restaurant identity, as well as the design of uniforms. The participants of this study were employees working in fine dining restaurants and customers visiting these restaurants .Food and beverage service employees in decent uniforms are an advertisement of the brand. Uniforms create a sense of belongingness in the minds of employees. Treating internal customers well leads to job satisfaction and overall joy in serving the external customers. Uniforms help in breaking barriers within employees who may come from different cultural and financial backgrounds and make them look like a team .Balance between practicality, style, and corporate identity . They promote teamwork, act as symbols of power, and influence how customers view a business. Aesthetics, comfort, durability, and usefulness are important components in uniform design. Formality is influenced by color; warm hues foster approachability, whereas cool hues bolster professionalism .The study on Hyatt Regency Tashkent reveals that staff uniforms not only enhance professionalism and employee confidence but also strengthen perceptions of management’s care and efficiency. While uniforms generally meet employee expectations, minor improvements can further boost satisfaction. Overall, uniforms contribute positively to staff morale, organizational image, and customer relations, thereby supporting the hotel’s competitiveness and service excellence .The choice of fabric is essential to functioning. Blends of polyester and cotton provide stain resistance, breathability, comfort, and durability throughout the year. Twill cloth is a popular option for workplaces since it hides stains and does not wrinkle. Longevity and comfort are guaranteed by rigorous testing of textiles for qualities including colorfastness, seam strength, and pilling resistance. Customization and staff participation in design are highlighted by recent developments. Service delivery improves when employees are comfortable wearing their uniforms . Traditional monochromatic fashions are gradually being replaced by vibrant colors, scarves, and embroidery, which has a beneficial impact on employee behavior . Since poorly fitting uniforms can lower guest satisfaction, comfort-driven adjustments include open collars, softer shoes, and better-fitting clothing .In order to represent regional identity, hotels are now incorporating local culture into their uniforms, especially in heritage sites. Nowadays, designers prefer sophisticated monochrome looks that allow for a variety of styles, including skirts, pants, and jackets. By combining formal and informal styles, employees come off as personable while still being professional. With a focus on eco-friendly textiles like hemp, bamboo, and organic cotton, sustainability is becoming more and more important. Long-lasting, easily maintained uniforms cut down on waste and reflect the values of the clientele .Uniforms play a vital role in building organizational culture and corporate image. Frequent wearing of uniforms enhances discipline and team identity, while satisfactory features such as comfort, safety, and functionality improve employee compliance and satisfaction. Functional and professional designs not only ensure safety and ease of work but also project professionalism. Positive employee perceptions of uniforms contribute to better service quality and alignment with company values. Additionally, uniforms serve as a visual representation of corporate image, strengthening branding, customer trust, and loyalty .Uniforms are the outfits of specific designs used to generate a sense of honor, pride, and belongingness among staff. In order to make the hotel industry look more professional, starting from the time the guest comes to the hotel till they check out, all the staff should look confident and smart. This is possible only when the uniforms are efficiently designed . Employees appropriately dressed in matching uniforms can influence the making of the first impression about the place. Treating internal customers well leads to job satisfaction and overall joy in serving the external customers .

Since creating Uniforms is not your primary line of business, finding a reliable supplier is critical to ensure your Uniform demands are met. If you want to have peace of mind, the ideal option is to outsource Uniform Management to a partner who can:

a. Offer an end-to-end solution - splitting your Uniform Processes across different Suppliers will eventually be a managerial nightmare;

b. Make your Uniform processes simpler - nobody needs a robust but complex solution. Uniforms are not just about looking good, but also about being functional. Therefore, our garments are created based on the concept of Functional Design.

For manager it is a very complex undertaking that calls for several elements to be taken into account like aesthetic – formal standard and appearance style, performance, stability, safety material used which is durable, impermeability, flexibility and breathable fabrics, among others .

There are several reasons to start a Uniform Project, including when your current Uniforms are out of date, a high volume of employee complaints, or you want your Uniforms to reflect your updated brand image. Wearing the perfect Uniform matters a lot and, in each situation, the crucial first step is careful planning. When you start there are many difficulties which need to be systematically sort out like the design and the production of the Uniforms; Manage the Supply Chain; Control garments stocks; Provide the items in the appropriate sizes; Assure size assessment; Allow self-ordering for workers; Delivery of the garments to the company or at the employee’s address; Predict demand forecasting by using smart algorithms, to stop further pointless purchases. Vendor must offer sizing sessions so that employees can find clothing that is the correct fit. Hospitality uniforms cover a range of areas as hospitality involves many different customer-facing roles, as well as staff behind the scenes keeping everything running. A restaurant, for example, has head chefs and kitchen assistants, waiting staff, restaurant assistants and maitre d’s, as well as a sommelier and management. Each of these roles requires a different uniform to distinguish each team from another as well as establish a hierarchy for customers to know who to ask for assistance regarding different issues. The range of hospitality uniforms is diverse, reflecting the various customer-facing roles and behind-the-scenes responsibilities in the hospitality industry. Different roles necessitate distinct uniforms not only for practicality but also to establish a visual hierarchy and aid customer interaction which includes Shirts, Pants, Waistcoats, Suits, Jackets, Skirts, Dresses, Cardigans, Aprons, Waist aprons, Ties, Scarves, Chef’s jackets, Chef’s checked pants, Hats, Shoes etc.

The color, style, cutting, logo and pattern of uniform all have influence on employees in different ways. In this study, the main focus was on the influence of the employee uniform styles; they were formal style and casual style of uniform .

Customers are sensitive to what they are paying for; therefore, to satisfy customers’ demands, hospitality services must understand the relationship between employees’ uniforms and customers’ perceptions. The majority of customers view people in uniforms as better trained and more knowledgeable about their company’s products and services .

Data Analysis:

The data from table 1 presents the distribution of gender among respondents. Out of a total of 27 respondents: 96.3% identified as male, which corresponds to 26 individuals.3.7% identified as female, representing 1 individual. This summary illustrates a significant gender imbalance within the sample, with the majority of respondents being male.

The data shows education levels of the respondents.66.7% of the respondents reported having a background in Hospitality Graduate, which corresponds to 18 individuals.7.4% of the respondents indicated having completed Graduation, comprising 2 individuals.22.2% attained a Masters or above degree, accounting for 6 individuals.3.7% of the respondents the "others" category, representing 1 individual.

The data shows respondents' job roles. Managers constitute 18.5% of the respondents, total 5 individuals. Employees represent 33.3% of the respondents, with 9 individuals. HR (Human Resources) personnel account for 3.7% of the respondents, consisting of 1 individual. Others44.4% of the respondents, with 12 individuals falling into this category.

Table 4 shows sHotels, including those with star categories, account for 22.2% of the establishments, with 6 respondents. Restaurants represent the highest proportion, at 33.3%, with 9 respondents. Catering establishments make up 7.4% of the total, with 2 respondents. Canteens constitute 3.7% of the establishments, with 1 respondent. Other types of establishments also make up 33.3% of the total, with 9 respondents falling into this category.

The overall quality of the uniforms provided by their current supplier. 22.2% of respondents rated the overall quality as "Neutral," with 6 respondents. The majority of respondents, constituting 59.3%, rated the overall quality as "Good," with 16 respondents.18.5% of respondents rated the overall quality as "Excellent," with 5 respondents.

The provided data summarizes the responses of participants regarding the extent to which they agree that uniform quality significantly impacts customer satisfaction. 3.7% of respondents indicated "Disagree," with 1 respondent.37.0% of respondents chose "Neutral," with 10 respondents.25.9% of respondents agreed that uniform quality impacts customer satisfaction.

The majority, comprising 33.3% of respondents, strongly agreed with the statement. The distribution of respondents' opinions on the relationship between uniform quality and customer satisfaction.

Hypothesis testing:

To test Hypothesis 1, which states that there is a significant relationship between uniform quality and customer satisfaction, we can use Pearson's correlation coefficient. This statistical test measures the strength and direction of the linear relationship between two continuous variables. For Pearson's correlation coefficient, we first need to compute the means, standard deviations, and covariance of the uniform quality ratings (X) and customer satisfaction ratings (Y).

Pearson Correlation Coefficient (r): The correlation coefficient measures the strength and direction of the linear relationship between two variables. For "Uniform quality over customer satisfaction" and "Satisfaction", the correlation coefficient is 0.507.This indicates a moderately positive correlation between the two variables.

Significance (Sig.): The significance level (Sig.) indicates the probability of obtaining the observed correlation coefficient if there were no true correlation in the population. The significance level (0.007) is less than the conventional threshold of 0.01 (for a 99% confidence level), the correlation is considered statistically significant.

Sample Size (N): The sample size (N) indicates the number of observations used to compute the correlation coefficient. The sample size for both variables is 27.

** Correlation Significance:

The double asterisks (**) denote that the correlation is significant at the 0.01 level (2-tailed).This confirms the statistical significance of the correlation coefficient at a 99% confidence level. Overall, the results indicate a moderately positive and statistically significant correlation between the ratings for uniform quality and customer satisfaction. This suggests that as the quality of uniforms perceived by employees improves, their satisfaction levels tend to increase as well.

The p-value is less than the chosen significance level (typically 0.05), we would reject the null hypothesis and conclude that there is a significant relationship between uniform quality and customer satisfaction.

Hypothesis2 (H2): Effective uniform procurement strategies positively impact employee performance and morale.

To analyze the above hypothesis we computed the multiple variables and new variable namely uniform procurement strategies (UPS) and employee performance (EP) is produced using SPSS.

Variable Labels Ups 'Ups'.

Variable Labels Ep 'Ep'. Execute.

The correlation analysis indicates a strong positive relationship between Uniform Procurement Strategies (UPS) and Employee Performance (EP).The Pearson correlation coefficient between UPS and EP is 0.849.This correlation is highly significant at the 0.01 level (two-tailed), indicating a strong association between the two variables. In simpler terms, as the effectiveness of uniform procurement strategies increases, there is a corresponding increase in employee performance. This suggests that implementing effective uniform procurement strategies may positively impact employee performance within the organization.

Gender: A significant majority of respondents were male (96.3%), with only 3.7% female representation, highlighting a gender imbalance among procurement decision-makers.

Education: Most respondents (66.7%) held hospitality qualifications, followed by 22.2% with postgraduate qualifications, indicating that procurement decisions are largely influenced by individuals with specialized knowledge. Job Role: 33.3% were employees directly impacted by uniforms, 18.5% were managers, and 44.4% belonged to other roles, suggesting diverse perspectives in the evaluation process. Type of Establishment: Restaurants formed the largest group (33.3%), followed by hotels (22.2%) and other establishments (33.3%), ensuring representation across segments.

A majority (59.3%) rated the overall uniform quality as “Good,” while 18.5% rated it as “Excellent,” indicating overall satisfaction with current suppliers.

33.3% strongly agreed and 25.9% agreed that uniform quality has a direct impact on customer satisfaction, reinforcing the strategic importance of uniforms in service delivery.

Respondents emphasized timeliness of delivery, customization options, ease of maintenance, and sustainability as important selection criteria.

The connection between consistent quality and customer satisfaction. A statistically significant and moderately positive association was found using Pearson's correlation analysis (r = 0.507, p = 0.007). This demonstrates that consumer happiness is positively impacted by better perceived uniform quality.

H2: How procurement tactics affect worker performance: There was a significant positive link between Employee Performance (EP) and Uniform Procurement Strategies (UPS) (r = 0.849, p = 0.000). This suggests that good procurement practices—such as supplier flexibility, comfort, delivery dependability, and customization—significantly improve worker morale and productivity.

H3: The connection between actual quality and price: Descriptive statistic shows that there is no strong evidence that while people cared about cost, there wasn’t a clear sign that lower cost meant lower quality. Cost was important, but quality still mattered more.

H4: Selection of suppliers using many criteria:The study found that choosing the right supplier depends on quality, cost, customization, comfort, sustainability, and quick service. Companies using a flexible approach were more satisfied with their uniform suppliers.”

The study investigated the criteria influencing uniform supplier selection in the hospitality industry, with emphasis on quality, cost-effectiveness, employee satisfaction, and operational efficiency. The results from descriptive and inferential analysis provide the following insights:

The study finds that uniform supplier selection works best in the hotel industry when several factors such as quality, cost-effectiveness, customization, delivery reliability, and environmental friendliness are considered. The results show that while effective procurement strategies greatly boost employee morale and performance & keeping a consistently high level of uniform quality is significantly increases customer satisfaction.In conclusion, creating a balance between cost and quality improves productivity and strengthens the image of the business. Therefore, hospitality firms should consider partnering with a supplier offering full life-cycle services to streamline operations .

Limitation:The study is limited by its focus on hotel properties, which may not fully represent broader industry practice also findings based on employee perceptions, which can be subjective and context-specific.

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.