Is your restroom giving you a bad reputation? Did you know that 73% of people surveyed believe a bad restroom indicates poor management? In the same survey, conducted by Bradley Corporation (a manufacturer of bathroom and locker room fixtures), another two-thirds say a dirty or unsavory restroom lowers their opinion of the company, shows the business doesn’t care about customers, and gives the impression that the business is sloppy or lazy in all they do.
An unpleasant restroom experience can also translate into lost sales since 64% of Americans say they’ll either think twice about patronizing the business or will never go there again. And the younger respondents said they might trash your business on social media.
The top restroom complaints were:
- Empty or jammed toilet paper dispensers
- A really bad smell
- Toilets that were clogged or not flushed
- An overall appearance that’s dirty, unkempt, or old
When survey respondents were asked what improvements they’d like to see, it’s not surprising that cleanliness topped the list. After that, Americans want touchless fixtures and better stocking of supplies, such as toilet paper, soap, and paper towels.
Have you, as a business owner, paid attention to the overall cleanliness of your restrooms? If not, this survey shows you really need to. Is your commercial cleaning company or janitorial service scheduled to clean the restrooms every day? Do they need to clean them more than once a day? Are toilet paper, soap, and paper towels all well-stocked? Are the trash receptacles emptied well before they overflow?
If you’re a really small business or in food service, you may have your own employees clean and stock the restrooms. Whether you have a commercial cleaning company or an employee cleaning your restrooms, make sure they have a checklist to follow to make sure nothing is left undone or uncleaned.
Cleaner, nicer restrooms can actually increase your business, according to the survey. 77% of the younger respondents said they’ve selected a particular business to frequent because it has cleaner, better maintained facilities. And nearly 60% of the older respondents indicated they’ve done the same thing.
If your commercial cleaning company or janitorial service isn’t keeping your restrooms as clean and well stocked as you would like, call ServiceMaster Clean PBM at (410) 618-4527 for a free estimate on commercial cleaning services in Baltimore and Harford County. Restrooms are just one part of commercial cleaning, but a dirty restroom can have disastrous consequences for your business.
