COVER STORY
CREATING A FIVE STAR WASHROOM EXPERIENCE
Simeon Barnes, MD of Excel Dryer UK, talks to Tomorrow’s FM about the company’s recent study into washroom expectations, and what businesses can do to improve the user experience.
Almost every facility has some form of washroom. Whether it’s used by employees, guests or clients, the experience we have using a public washroom impacts our perceptions of an entire facility and indeed, the organisation itself.
To understand the components of a fi ve-star washroom experience, Excel Dryer undertook a research study talking to the public about their expectations and what can improve the public washroom experience. We also engaged facility and washroom operators, to understand their perceptions of customer needs and their washroom planning.
Given the last 15 months, washrooms will need to be cleaner and more hygienic than ever before. The fi ve- star washroom experience enshrines hygiene safety and makes users feel comfortable, acknowledges sight and sound and uses the latest technology to create effi cient experiences that protect the planet.
Creating safety and comfort The natural place to start our research was washroom hygiene. What factors do users rate that relate to hygiene?
Despite whatever other elements are in place, users simply do not want to linger in a washroom longer than necessary. Four-fi fths (80%) of users said minimising time spent in a washroom is essential. The less time users spend, the less time they are exposed to hygiene risks.
26 | TOMORROW’S FM
It was with this in mind that Excel Dryer launched the industry redefi ning Xlerator Hand Dryer in 2003, reducing dry time over conventional dryers by more than 300%.
Even the cleanest washrooms need to acknowledge and incorporate hygienic effi ciency. This is well understood by the operators we spoke to; four out of fi ve rank washroom effi ciency essential for users.
“80% of users said minimising time spent in a washroom is essential.”
Even prior to 2020, washroom design was trending towards improvement in turnaround time. This generally took the form of increased automation in facilities whilst eliminating communal touchpoints, increasing hygiene safety and decreasing time spent in the washroom.
Amongst the operators we spoke to, 78% acknowledged that touch free sinks were an important part of hygienic washroom design, as well as reducing touchpoints on taps and soap dispensers.
Hygiene in a washroom, and the desire to minimise time there, is the fi ne point of a broader issue. Do users feel comfortable using public washrooms? What factors into their sense of comfort within a washroom?
twitter.com/TomorrowsFM
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68
