Washroom experience of the users has a lot to do with their overall perception of your establishment. We often overlook the importance of providing users with a comfortable washroom experience in public washrooms. But it shouldn’t be. Given that a lousy washroom experience can cost you your customers, prestige, and damage your brand image. Various researches have identified the impact of bad washroom experience in different sectors.
- Were in an era when most offices are designed with a human-centric approach. However, office spaces are not the only place that helps carry out human-first ethos in design. More employees believe that below standard washrooms demonstrate a lack of care from the owner for them. Although it’s minimum, washroom experiences also impact employee retention.
- People don’t spend much time exploring the store in the retail environment if the washroom doesn’t offer them an experience at the level expected. In the worst cases, unclean and unhygienic toilet facilities will turn customers away.
- Bad washroom experience can cost loyal customers in the hospitality business because people associate the hygiene of the washrooms with the cleanliness of the kitchen in hotels and restaurants. In schools, students who don’t feel safe and clean avoid the restroom totally, which not only reduces their attention levels but can also hugely impact negatively on their health.
Providing an excellent and comfortable washroom experience to the users in public facilities isn’t just about better cleaning or better design. Understanding the users and their behaviours will also allow you to offer them a better washroom experience with simple improvements to your facility.
CUBISPEC presents six essential tips that will surely help you create an excellent and comfortable washroom experience for your users.
Tip 1: Always make sure things are functioning properly for the best Washroom Experience
One of the first things that upset restroom users are broken accessories. Users want to feel safe while using the washroom, but items like faulty cubicle locks, damaged flushing systems, and the broken taps will frustrate and unsettle them. People don’t want to revisit the restroom where they don’t feel welcome, safe and secure.
Make sure you regularly inspect the washroom systems and make regular washroom maintenance of broken things. The accessories like cubicle locks and flush may need routine repair because they are subject to frequent use. Additionally, always make sure the supply levels of toilet paper, hand towels, and soap is well maintained.
Tip 2: Include pleasant lighting and colour
Colours play an interesting role in human psychology. Different colours have a different impact on humans. Since the environment of washrooms aims to make the users feel calm and relaxed, the use of the right colour can guide you to achieve it. The proper use of colour makes users feel relaxed without them noticing it.
Sufficient lighting is crucial in every washroom. Users don’t feel comfortable and could even feel scared or unsafe using a restroom that doesn’t provide them with adequate lighting to be able to see clearly. Make sure your washroom environment is well lit up.
Also, Read: Washroom Colour: How to Get the Right Colouring
Tip 3. Provide users with ways to manage their belongings
It needs to be considered, that sometimes users enter with their hands full of goods, whether it be shopping items or personal belongings. They will be delighted if your washroom provides them with ways to manage these items. Simple objects like hooks in the cubicle can be of great use in such cases, and result in an excellent washroom experience for your users.
Find ways and systems that can fit in a small environment and help users manage their possessions while using the washroom. Who wouldn’t want a safe and hygienic place to store their stuff while using the loo?
Tip 4. Include More Touchless Systems
Touchless systems are not only crucial for the safety of the users but also the cleanliness of your facility. Since more places are accommodating touchless systems for safety concerns, it’s never a wrong time to introduce such technology in restroom environments. Automatic flush, automatic taps, dispensers, and hand dryers have been very common in public restrooms for a while. It’s time to make extensive use of technology to make the washroom systems touchless where it’s possible. Users feel safe with touchless convenience, especially during flu season. Since the global pandemic has educated us about the impacts of common touchpoints between humans, touchless systems should be more common in the new way of life since COVID-19, and it will make your customers and patrons more at ease and comfortable using the facilities.
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Tip 5. Introduce Nature Indoors
The impact of nature in human life is immeasurable. When you are better involved with nature, you not only perform better, your stress level also decreases dramatically. It’s often suggested that just looking at the picture of nature can positively impact a human mind. So why not try it in the restrooms?
It has been a growing trend of introducing elements of nature in our workspaces and the washrooms because different studies have suggested numerous positive impacts of nature in human life. Users feel fresher and calmer in washroom environments that have natural elements.
Though it’s not possible for all washrooms to exclusively introduce all the elements of nature, you can start by adding indoor plants and natural textures in your restroom.
Tip 6. Accommodate the needs of all users for the best Washroom Experience
Users of all shapes and sizes visit your washroom. Preparing it to welcome everyone is crucial. Although today’s building regulations have catered extensively for disabled and family facility requirements in public buildings, one of the most common issues to date have been hospitality industry customer’s complaints about not having appropriate washroom facilities for their children. The only way to address this satisfactorily is by preparing a facility that accommodates the need of all users.
Always make sure your washroom is accessible by people of special needs, and give special attention to children and ladies while designing your washroom.
And most importantly, make sure your washroom is impeccably clean. There’s nothing more upsetting than a dirty, smelly washroom. No one wants to revisit a place that offers a filthy washroom experience. Here are some ideas for a more hygienic and comfortable washroom experience:
- Regularly clean all exposed areas and surfaces (not just the floors)
- Use effective disposal systems.
- Eliminate smells with the right treatment.
- Inspect and maintain ventilation frequently.
- Use proper use of instructions and indications.
Also, Read: Human Psychology Behind Restrooms And How It Might Affect Your Organisation
