Survey: Biggest Aggravations In Public Restrooms

A new survey shows how businesses ultimately pay a price for having unpleasant restroom conditions – and reap the rewards of providing good ones.
 
Fifty-six percent of American adults said they are unlikely to return to a business after experiencing unpleasant restrooms, according to the Healthy Hand Washing Survey by Bradley Corp.

Other disheartened customers will complain to management, tell a friend, post a comment on social media or leave right away without completing their business.
 
Conversely, businesses that have pleasant, well-maintained restrooms can turn into customer magnets.

Seventy percent of Americans say they have made a conscious effort to select a specific business because it has restrooms that are cleaner and better maintained. That number is even higher for Millennials – 77 percent of respondents aged 18-34 say they’ve patronized certain businesses because they have cleaner restrooms.
 
Moreover, expectations for a business’ restrooms are clearly tied to customers’ perceptions of the quality of the goods or services. According to the survey, 92 percent expect that a business that provides high quality products or services would also have restrooms that deliver a high quality experience.
 
Despite the high value that customers put on restroom conditions, the survey also uncovered an adverse trend showing that more businesses are at an increased risk for losing customers due to messy facilities. In 2017 almost 70% of Americans said they recall having an unpleasant restroom experience – that number was only 60 percent in 2015.

When asked what restroom improvements they’d like to see, cleanliness topped the list. After that, Americans want touchless fixtures and better stocking of supplies, such as toilet paper, soap and paper towels.
 
The annual survey queried 1,042 American adults online Dec. 12-15, 2016 about their hand-washing habits in public restrooms and concerns about germs, colds and the flu. Participants were from around the country, were 18 years and older, and were fairly evenly split between men and women (49 and 51 percent). 
 
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