As previously mentioned, I'm at that ever so joyful phase of life when I get to shop – and visit many public restrooms – with the newly potty-trained (and potty-fascinated and public potty-touring) girls in my life. And I have a son who (thankfully) doesn't really need any assistance at all anymore in that department, but frankly, he has a mother who is too chicken to let him walk on his own into the dark cave of doom, aka the men's room.
So, with this phase of my life in its prime, I've become a fan of the new politically correct "family restrooms." It's a thoughtful idea whose time has come – but whose experience hasn't quite reached its potential.
As to the concept, my general assumption (I mean, they didn't issue them with a manual) is a family restroom is a gender neutral space. By the signs of the traffic in and out, the family restroom is even more of a relief to the daddy's of the world when they venture into public with their young daughters. (Andy just confirmed that this is very true. He said simply, "I'm a fan.")
Here are my thoughts on how to make the family restroom experience a great one – a memorable, hassle-free, drama-free experience for your already stressed out parents shopping with children customers. Oh, and if that happens, guess what – those parents will come back – and they will tell their friends. Here goes:
2. Add a stool for the little ones to stand on so they can reach the sink/soap dispenser/paper towels all on their own. Froghead Grill, an independent restaurant here in my hometown of Clinton, Miss. has such a stool. The kids are huge fans of the Froghead Grill because of the bathroom experience, and therefore, we go often.
3. Install quality changing table gear. Not long ago, our client at Jordan Furniture Company in Kosciusko, MS remodeled his store's bathroom about the same time that his wife was expecting their first child. He commented to me that he wanted to have a NICE changing table and plenty of room so that parents could come and shop and feel comfortable there – and not feel rushed to leave because of inadequate facilities. He also commented that he wanted his wife to feel comfortable hanging out at the store as well with their new little one. I would go a step further and recommend adding a basket with spare diapers of all sizes (refreshed often), wet wipes, antibacterial hand rinse, etc. – baskets like these score big with the diaper changing crowd. And mommy's do talk – word of mouth on this issue is HUGE.
4. Add cubbies for all the "stuff" that kids carry, shopping bags, etc. In a family restroom there tends to be a lot of "stuff" in tow – and no place to put it. Again, my church has done a great job of this by leaving shelving and the bench near the door where people can drop their "extras" and not have their purse, books, etc. relegated to the bathroom floor.
5. Consider a divider wall (but not a door) between the potty and the vanity area. This speaks to the need for "family restroom" visits without too much "family time." My son would like his privacy, thank you very much – but I don't want him alone in there. This is a common courtesy overlooked in nearly 100% of all family restrooms I have visited.
6. Decorate with childlike enthusiasm and flare. To really seal the deal, assume that the family restroom will need to appeal to all ages. Leave reading material (think marketing) for adults near the bench and a basket near the potty – and also leave children's books in both locations. Use vivid colors, be gender neutral in the theme, and consider entertaining wall murals and music to complete the package. Our local Mexican restaurant has hand painted tile covering the vanity area, bright colors (several different ones) on the walls, music playing, and paper mache parrots and silk plants decorating the room. There is even a grouping of the paper mache animals over the changing table area for the babies to watch – what a thoughtful touch! Our kids LOVE this bathroom – I mean we get to visit it EVERY time we go eat there. And again, if the kids are happy, I'm happy.
The tall and short of it is that a great family restroom experience leads to a great overall shopping experience. I mean, how many of us would have had a great trip to the mall had it not been for an awkward or unfortunate bathroom experience with a young child? Ditto on the grocery store, dinners out, convenience store stops…the list goes on and on.
In order for a customer's experience at your business to be great – it has to be great in every forgotten corner of your business. That means that you need to remember your forgotten spaces because your bathroom experience might be the difference between your business' success or failure in today's economy. Leave no corner unattended – and pay special attention to the needs of young families – who are not only in the potty-touring prime of their lives – but also in their spending prime.
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Marianna, I hope that every retailer and public service provider reads this and acts on your suggestions! What a difference they would make. I love how IKEA places the stools it sells in the restrooms to make it easier for kids. Thank you!
Marianna, I hope that every retailer and public service provider reads this and acts on your suggestions! What a difference they would make. I love how IKEA places the stools it sells in the restrooms to make it easier for kids. Thank you!
Marianna, thank you for spreading the word on this important and often overlooked issue. For more advice, retailers should read “Skip to the Loo! Bypass Big-Ticket Advertising and Build Business with Better Bathrooms.” It includes tons of tips for simple upgrades to a typical commercial restroom that can sway shoppers to choose one store over another based on the restroom experience. Business operators need to know that this really matters, so I hope all of your readers will visit http://www.skiptotheloo.com to vote in the restroom poll and make their voice heard regarding the importance of this little room as an influence on shopping behavior.
Three cheers for basing business loyalty on the bathroom experience. I do it – and I’m sure I’m not the only one – I’ve seen my clients experience success over great bathrooms – and of course, great customer experiences in general. But it’s just that added level of thoughtfulness and respect for your customer that seals the deal. And we can all use a little customer loyalty boost these days! Thanks for the great comments.