The results of Bradley Corporation’s 2016 Hand Washing Survey are in and they show that nearly 70 per cent of Americans have had an unpleasant experience in a public washroom due to the condition of the facilities. This is a 20 per cent increase over 2012’s results.
The online survey, which was completed in December 2015, asked 1062 adults about their hand washing habits in public washrooms as well as their concerns about germs, colds and the flu. Male and female respondents were almost equally split.
The survey results show that most consumers believe a bad restroom is an indication of poor management and it lowers their opinion of the company. According to consumers, an unpleasant washroom can also be a sign that the company is lazy and it may indicate that the business does not care about its customers.
“The vast majority – 91 per cent – told us that a business with high quality products or services should have high quality restrooms,” said Jon Dommisse, director of global marketing and strategic development at Bradley Corp. He added that in the workplace, 88 per cent of workers think the condition of restrooms is one indicator of how a company values its workforce.
The survey found that the top restroom grievances included toilets that are clogged or not flushed, a bad smell, a dirty overall appearance and partition doors that do not latch.
Restroom improvements that Americans would like to see include: improved cleanliness; a completely touchless experience; better stocking of restroom supplies; and unlimited paper towels, even if the restroom offers dryers.
This is the eighth year that Bradley Corporation has conducted the survey.
