Horrible Histories and Washroom Woes

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• Horrible Histories and Washroom Woes

18 August 2017 | Updated 01 January 1970

As entries roll in for the Kimberly-Clark Professional Golden Service Awards which focus on the cleaning industry, research shows where FMs might be missing a huge opportunity to improve washroom standards and user satisfaction.

A recent survey of office washroom users by Kimberly-Clark Professional identified a significant gap between end user experience and facilities managers’ awareness of washroom problems. Nearly half of respondents are not telling FMs when they encounter a wide range of poor washroom conditions.

A worrying 90% of respondents say empty dispensers in their office washroom have a negative impact. Meanwhile 85% suggest cheap or low-quality products make a bad washroom experience, which shows that the washroom really does matter in the eyes of the typical office worker.

“The research demonstrates the importance of the washroom on overall satisfaction levels of a facility,” said Suzanne Halley, FM Segment Marketing Manager at KC. “It also represents a missed opportunity to continuously improve standards.” The international paper towel and toilet tissue supplier has several initiatives which help benchmark washroom standards and improve the overall washroom experience for users.

These include the Kimberly-Clark Professional Golden Service Awards and Washroom 5D programme.

The Washroom 5D programme is an easy way for FMs to identify problem areas that they may not be aware of and implement solutions across five areas: Cleanliness, Hygiene, Efficiency, Sustainability and Satisfaction.

“The results clearly show that office washroom users care about standards but don’t always say when they are unhappy, leaving facilities managers in the dark and problems unfixed,” added Halley. “Findings also indicate poor standards affect how washroom users feel about their company. So, how can FMs do the best for their facility and improve standards if they don’t know all the problems or issues?”

In terms of Cleanliness the survey asked FMs how their washrooms rated based on odours, blockages, and overall appearance. The results indicate many FMs face issues of cleanliness between service visits: 83% encounter hand towel pieces on the floor, and 81% find soap dripping on countertops, water on floor and waste bins full.

“With 45% of FMs also frequently finding recurring unpleasant odours in the washroom and 43% finding weekly toilet blockages, we can see why users are unhappy and the importance of the washroom to overall satisfaction levels,” said Halley.

Through a free on-site assessment, Washroom 5D helps FMs take a deep dive and identify any problems, address those issues and measure standards against industry benchmarks. Tools are used to measure washroom traffic and washroom satisfactions levels to help FMs answer the question ‘How do you measure up?’ and provide them with valuable data they have been missing up until now.

For information about the Kimberly-Clark Professional Golden Service Awards and how to enter one of the 14 cleaning categories go to goldenserviceawards.co.uk

Deadline for entries is 2 October 2017.

Article written by Cathryn Ellis | Published 18 August 2017

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