The recent election of Margaret Ramsdale to the board of directors marks only the third time in NAUMD history that a woman has served on the board. Yet Ramsdale is no token selection – she heads Omega Uniform Systems, a Canadian-based firm providing a full range of solutions to customers across North America.
She was recently named one of Canada’s top women entrepreneurs, and was a recipient of Enterprising Woman Magazine’s Women of the Year Award. In May, Omega Uniform Systems won its third consecutive Image of the Year Award, one of only seven image apparel suppliers honored by the NAUMD this year.
We wanted to learn more about Ramsdale and her company, her thoughts on the industry, women in business, and her new role with the association:
UMN: First, congratulations on your election to the board of directors. What are your goals for the association?
Ramsdale: My goals are that of the association’s; namely, to expand its reach to imagewear members and younger entrepreneurs. All organizations need new blood, and it’s refreshing to have a younger population who are not accustomed to doing things the same way as they’ve always been done. These initiatives have already begun, and will accelerate in the coming years.
UMN: Speaking of doing things differently, we can’t help but notice that you are the only female currently on the board. What might you do differently from your male counterparts that can enhance ROI for all members?
Ramsdale: What I hope to bring to the table has more to do with focus than on any gender related differences. I have no specifics yet – I am very new to the NAUMD board. But as an entrepreneur, I want to encourage entrepreneurship, which I believe is key to any business strategy. Those who aren’t legacy companies rely less on tradition and maintaining the way things were always done, and more on their ability to adapt and be nimble. This can give them an edge over their competitors, and is a trait that even some big established companies are working to adopt nowadays.
UMN: Still, there are undeniable differences in the management styles between the sexes. How, if at all, will this influence the NAUMD board?
Ramsdale: Women tend to be very inclusive, a good trait to have and one that I hope to bring to the board.
UMN: You are president and CEO of Omega Uniform Systems. For those unfamiliar with it, please tell us a bit about your company.
Ramsdale: As providers of fully managed uniform programs, we are outfitters that put together apparel programs by drawing from a vast network of sources. We survey the market for the best value and find the customer the best sources for their uniform program, whether it is a custom made or off-the-shelf solution. Omega Uniform Systems is also a leader in technology, and we’ve been able to leverage this to heighten the customer’s overall experience and to add value.
UMN: Everyone talks about value these days. What specifically does Omega Uniform Systems do to give customers more bang for their buck, and how does that differ from competitors?
Ramsdale: We’re not restricted by catalogs and don’t carry a large inventory, which makes us more nimble than others in the business. And we also manufacture very little of our own product, relying instead on a network of vendor partners to provide the widest variety of offerings at the best possible value for our customers. We’re a one-stop shop, offering everything from apparel programs to stainless steel water bottles – it’s the type of service customers seem to appreciate.
Of course, the driving force behind much of the value we offer is technology. Our online ordering system frees our customer to do what he or she does best, and is the foundation of our business model.
UMN: What system do you use and how does it benefit the customer?
Ramsdale: It’s a proprietary web-based system that streamlines the entire uniform procurement process, thus reducing costs for the customer. The Uniform Xpress Manager easily integrates into existing platforms like PeopleSoft and SAP, and gives companies the ability to place and track orders, manage budgets, review existing inventory levels, track shipments, reconcile invoices, pay electronically, send e-blasts and customize reports, to name just of few of its capabilities. Our employee ordering site mimics the shopping experience of a Lands End website rather than a uniform store, and we’ve received a lot of recognition for that.
UMN: Turning to the economy, there seems to be an uptick in business and demand for uniforms across North America. Do you agree, and if so, in which markets is the demand greatest?
Ramsdale: We certainly saw more activity in the beginning of 2011 than we did in ’09 or ’10 – whether or not the industry is through the worst of it, I can’t be certain. In Canada, we’re seeing the greatest demand within the retail services market.
UMN: As you know, costs for raw materials have skyrocketed, forcing many to rethink their sourcing options. How, if at all, has this affected your business and how do you communicate to the customer the need to raise prices?
Ramsdale: For the most part, our customers are in long-term contracts so they haven’t experienced a price increase in a number of years. But of course now, costs are at an all time high, which has forced us to raise prices in some areas. We’ve kept this to a minimum however by working with our vendor partners to negotiate smaller, tiered increases over longer periods and tightened our belts, enabling us to lower prices on other items. So in some cases, it’s been a wash for customers in long term programs.
Our biggest challenge has been on the supply side. Many of our suppliers are experiencing delays and have reduced their inventories, thus there’s a longer waiting period for product.
UMN: What’s the greatest challenge facing the industry today?
Ramsdale: In my view, it is resistance to change. Rather than embracing the future, some companies are understandably but overly cautious and hold on to outdated business models too long. That may be a byproduct of the downturn, but for what it’s worth, my suggestion is that they might want to let that mindset go. Customers are looking for solutions to their problems – they don’t want to be told it can’t be done. Omega Uniform Systems tries extremely hard to never say no to the customer. Hopefully, our ability to adapt and be nimble ensures our viability and continued success within this space.
UMN: Are there any final thoughts or something you’d like to add?
Ramsdale: Being a new NAUMD board member is like getting a new job – I need time to listen, observe and learn from the collective wisdom of the board of directors so that I can make the greatest contribution possible. I’ve been a member for three years and have seen significant change since I’ve joined. There’s a thirst for knowledge out there, as evidenced by the last convention’s education tracks, and I look forward to seeing that escalate. I think it’s going to be very exciting for all NAUMD members and I am very grateful to have the opportunity to contribute.
You can learn more about Omega Uniform Systems by visiting www.uniformsystems.com
