December 10, 2007
The Ultimate Traffic Driver: The Rest Room
By Bernice Hurst, Managing Director, Fine Food Network
Translations first. What Americans call GPS is called satnav (short for satellite navigation) in the U.K. And what you call rest rooms are referred to as lavs (lavatories). Hence the nickname Sat Lav for Westminster Council’s new text messaging service.
Designed to help people find the nearest toilet when they’re out and about in London, it started with the Council’s own public conveniences. Stores started signing up almost immediately, according to councilor Alan Bradley.
Westminster covers 8.5 square miles in the center of London and includes virtually all of its main shopping areas.
Councilor Bradley told BBC Radio 2’s Rebecca Fox that the idea came from an industrial design student who won a competition sponsored by the Council seeking innovative ways to help visitors to the city. Although many people use stores’ facilities whether or not they are shopping, some may feel the odd twinge of guilt at taking advantage. Security guards and sales staff have been known to chase people away and point out that they are for paying customers only. A store that has no objection, however, may be chosen over another destination. And, once through the doors, there is every likelihood that the potential customer will relax and become an actual customer.
The system couldn’t be easier to use. Texting the word “toilet” to the designated number produces a reply within three minutes outlining the nearest facilities and their opening times. A satellite pinpoints the caller’s location and calculates distances automatically. Unlike satnav systems that are notorious for giving longwinded and incorrect directions, satlav does not tell users how to get where they want to go. Although, as the service is only available within Westminster’s borders at the moment, anyone calling from further afield may have quite a distance to travel.
Discussion Questions: What do you think of easy-access rest rooms as a traffic driver to stores? Could this be a new point of differentiation? Have you heard of any American retailers finding success with similar services?
[Author’s commentary] I’ve been warned to expect wise cracks about drunken Brits and their foul public behavior but somehow that would be missing the point which, as I see it, is a grand opportunity to encourage folks to do what they do already but without having to sneak around, looking over their shoulders for a security guard. Once they’ve entered, of course, it’s up to the retailer to encourage them to stay and shop.
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My experience is that a poor restroom does more to drive away business than a clean restroom does to attract it.
Europeans have far higher usage rates on text services than do Americans. I suspect the traffic you’d get with this service in the US would be a younger clientele. If that’s what you’re after, this is a low cost system to drive potential consumers to the back of your stores.
In theory, this sounds like a no-brainer. In the U.S., however, I’m not sure that retailers really want to differentiate themselves via their restrooms anymore. It’s one thing to be known for having clean restrooms. It’s another to start inviting potential slobs in when a bathroom is their primary need. Might be more trouble/expense than it’s worth.
I just wonder if this would be the number one solution for retailers or number two! Sorry, Bernice I couldn’t resist.
Guess it could be a traffic builder in some cases. But I suspect you’d be doing more to clog the plumbing than the aisles. Sorry, again.
Every retailer pays something to drive traffic. Whether the retailer uses flyers, e-mail, premium enclosed mall rents, a snuggle-up site next to a premium mall, a standalone site along a highway, TV and radio ads, publicity, free hot dogs, celebrity events, etc.: it all costs money. Most Wal-Marts graciously allow overnight RV parking. So why not encourage folks to use the bathroom? It’s not free to the store, because bathrooms need constant cleanup, but it’s a low-cost way to encourage traffic.
Well, this is humorous–but probably effective. Heaven knows it would be effective in Manhattan.
The only rub is that there is no real screening of consumers. I could imagine that a retailer could turn into a kind of bus station environment, like a Port Authority. Then the store would be hiring rent-a-cops for the bathrooms. Sure, only those with cellphones would have access, but that is increasingly…everyone. Perhaps only certain segments of shoppers and pedestrians could get the messages.
What the heck, if the retailer has deep enough pockets, why not be truly populist? Then, is the retailer taking over a small segment of government responsibility by creating havens for citizens?
I think this is a good idea. I might be biased because I go to a lot of stores for a living and therefore end up using their restrooms. I know how important a restroom is to a customer. I bet everyone reading RetailWire can tell me the quality of the toilet paper at McDonald’s. We all know the disappointment we will have visiting a McDonald’s restroom, but any port in a storm, right?
I have found a high correlation between the condition of a store’s restroom and the overall operations of the store. Often, the first impression a customer has comes from the restroom. You might just win a customer over and keep them coming back just by the condition of your restrooms.
Restrooms say a lot about a retail location. If a retailer is not willing to provide clean, safe restrooms, then what else are they willing to cut corners on? McDonald’s has always made restrooms a priority, it certainly hasn’t hurt them in their quest to build their business.
I honestly think offering a clean, easy to access restroom should be part of the welcoming strategy for any retailer. I was struck a year or so ago when I was spending more than $100 on office products at a Staples store in NYC and when I asked to use the rest room they told me I should go next door to the Starbucks.
One of the key differentiators I have noticed in shopping at Lowe’s vs. Home Depot is that Lowe’s offers a clean, easily accessible restroom right in the front of the stores.
Retailers need to remember that they are running public facilities, which would helpfully draw a lot of traffic. There is also no harm in being very clear that restrooms are for “customer only.”
In this day and time, with the total lack of class or consideration exhibited by 20% of the American public, I can only see “public toilets” becoming a nightmare for retail operators. Based upon what I have seen over the last five years, 20% of those traveling our highways have never seen a porcelain fixture before. You might be able to hold down the abuse of public fixtures by installing 18″ doors on the stalls. Good Luck!
I’m not sure drunken slobs could actually work a GPS unit properly in that state of mind so that’s not too much of an issue. You could also put a time constraint on when the system is operational–say 9:00AM-6:00PM which would cut down on the riff-raff. However, this will probably not fly in the US and may not be necessary. Most stand alone retailers have their own bathrooms and if you are in a Mall there are public facilities. In Westminster, there are many shoppes all crammed together so it’s more practical there–so let the Brits keep it. I prefer a TFO any day.
Many chains overlook bathrooms for customer use. But my wife swears by the parenting rooms at Toys R Us and Babys R Us. This is a convenience matter for the customer and should not be taken lightly. Bathrooms are reflective of how the overall store looks and feels. A customer who has to wade through boxes and skids does not receive a good customer experience. A customer may be more apt to stop at a store that has clean, accessible facilities. And if those facilities are strategically placed, some selling opportunities may be created as well.
Clean restroom are a great draw and people who use them can be great customers. There was a great study done a couple of years ago on the Law of Reciprocity, which says “I do something nice for you at some point you will pay me back and so something nice for me.” Think about how you try and pay back a favor.
Making clean restrooms available will trigger the Law of Reciprocity.
Having a bunch of non-customers parading through a store is not a competitive advantage. The quilt factor is less today than ever, so expecting them to buy something is unrealistic.
I see the service for public facilities as another use of technology to help people. Also identifying where a mother can change a baby is a plus. Overall, from a retailer point of view, the facilities should be for customers. To make them available for non-customers won’t be an image enhancer.
I think I would have to agree with most above that this seems to be a great opportunity in the making. It really depends on execution…if a retailer can a provide decent, clean and attractive restroom, take advantage of signage opportunities, and coordinate with others via GPS at the same time, then it could work well.
Clearly, there is room here for exploitation but I just don’t see cell phone GPS moving the tide in that direction. There is too much to be overcome first before GPS becomes that widespread that “droves of people” are using them to find restrooms. (Not that this is a bad idea–just not yet a mainstream one). I say retailers should take advantage of the possibility and sign up–could be a good impetus for restroom overhauls industry-wide.
Clean restrooms with easy access are certainly an added bonus. However I still believe the best traffic driver is Human Capital. Focus on well trained employees that have skill, knowledge and experience. All retailers should provide a clean environment that keeps the customer in the stores longer. At the end of the day, the condition of your restroom and its cleanliness could be a factor in driving down sales, however you need to get then in the store first.
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My experience is that a poor restroom does more to drive away business than a clean restroom does to attract it.
Europeans have far higher usage rates on text services than do Americans. I suspect the traffic you’d get with this service in the US would be a younger clientele. If that’s what you’re after, this is a low cost system to drive potential consumers to the back of your stores.
In theory, this sounds like a no-brainer. In the U.S., however, I’m not sure that retailers really want to differentiate themselves via their restrooms anymore. It’s one thing to be known for having clean restrooms. It’s another to start inviting potential slobs in when a bathroom is their primary need. Might be more trouble/expense than it’s worth.
I just wonder if this would be the number one solution for retailers or number two! Sorry, Bernice I couldn’t resist.
Guess it could be a traffic builder in some cases. But I suspect you’d be doing more to clog the plumbing than the aisles. Sorry, again.
Every retailer pays something to drive traffic. Whether the retailer uses flyers, e-mail, premium enclosed mall rents, a snuggle-up site next to a premium mall, a standalone site along a highway, TV and radio ads, publicity, free hot dogs, celebrity events, etc.: it all costs money. Most Wal-Marts graciously allow overnight RV parking. So why not encourage folks to use the bathroom? It’s not free to the store, because bathrooms need constant cleanup, but it’s a low-cost way to encourage traffic.
Well, this is humorous–but probably effective. Heaven knows it would be effective in Manhattan.
The only rub is that there is no real screening of consumers. I could imagine that a retailer could turn into a kind of bus station environment, like a Port Authority. Then the store would be hiring rent-a-cops for the bathrooms. Sure, only those with cellphones would have access, but that is increasingly…everyone. Perhaps only certain segments of shoppers and pedestrians could get the messages.
What the heck, if the retailer has deep enough pockets, why not be truly populist? Then, is the retailer taking over a small segment of government responsibility by creating havens for citizens?
I think this is a good idea. I might be biased because I go to a lot of stores for a living and therefore end up using their restrooms. I know how important a restroom is to a customer. I bet everyone reading RetailWire can tell me the quality of the toilet paper at McDonald’s. We all know the disappointment we will have visiting a McDonald’s restroom, but any port in a storm, right?
I have found a high correlation between the condition of a store’s restroom and the overall operations of the store. Often, the first impression a customer has comes from the restroom. You might just win a customer over and keep them coming back just by the condition of your restrooms.
Restrooms say a lot about a retail location. If a retailer is not willing to provide clean, safe restrooms, then what else are they willing to cut corners on? McDonald’s has always made restrooms a priority, it certainly hasn’t hurt them in their quest to build their business.
I honestly think offering a clean, easy to access restroom should be part of the welcoming strategy for any retailer. I was struck a year or so ago when I was spending more than $100 on office products at a Staples store in NYC and when I asked to use the rest room they told me I should go next door to the Starbucks.
One of the key differentiators I have noticed in shopping at Lowe’s vs. Home Depot is that Lowe’s offers a clean, easily accessible restroom right in the front of the stores.
Retailers need to remember that they are running public facilities, which would helpfully draw a lot of traffic. There is also no harm in being very clear that restrooms are for “customer only.”
In this day and time, with the total lack of class or consideration exhibited by 20% of the American public, I can only see “public toilets” becoming a nightmare for retail operators. Based upon what I have seen over the last five years, 20% of those traveling our highways have never seen a porcelain fixture before. You might be able to hold down the abuse of public fixtures by installing 18″ doors on the stalls. Good Luck!
I’m not sure drunken slobs could actually work a GPS unit properly in that state of mind so that’s not too much of an issue. You could also put a time constraint on when the system is operational–say 9:00AM-6:00PM which would cut down on the riff-raff. However, this will probably not fly in the US and may not be necessary. Most stand alone retailers have their own bathrooms and if you are in a Mall there are public facilities. In Westminster, there are many shoppes all crammed together so it’s more practical there–so let the Brits keep it. I prefer a TFO any day.
Many chains overlook bathrooms for customer use. But my wife swears by the parenting rooms at Toys R Us and Babys R Us. This is a convenience matter for the customer and should not be taken lightly. Bathrooms are reflective of how the overall store looks and feels. A customer who has to wade through boxes and skids does not receive a good customer experience. A customer may be more apt to stop at a store that has clean, accessible facilities. And if those facilities are strategically placed, some selling opportunities may be created as well.
Clean restroom are a great draw and people who use them can be great customers. There was a great study done a couple of years ago on the Law of Reciprocity, which says “I do something nice for you at some point you will pay me back and so something nice for me.” Think about how you try and pay back a favor.
Making clean restrooms available will trigger the Law of Reciprocity.
Having a bunch of non-customers parading through a store is not a competitive advantage. The quilt factor is less today than ever, so expecting them to buy something is unrealistic.
I see the service for public facilities as another use of technology to help people. Also identifying where a mother can change a baby is a plus. Overall, from a retailer point of view, the facilities should be for customers. To make them available for non-customers won’t be an image enhancer.
I think I would have to agree with most above that this seems to be a great opportunity in the making. It really depends on execution…if a retailer can a provide decent, clean and attractive restroom, take advantage of signage opportunities, and coordinate with others via GPS at the same time, then it could work well.
Clearly, there is room here for exploitation but I just don’t see cell phone GPS moving the tide in that direction. There is too much to be overcome first before GPS becomes that widespread that “droves of people” are using them to find restrooms. (Not that this is a bad idea–just not yet a mainstream one). I say retailers should take advantage of the possibility and sign up–could be a good impetus for restroom overhauls industry-wide.
Clean restrooms with easy access are certainly an added bonus. However I still believe the best traffic driver is Human Capital. Focus on well trained employees that have skill, knowledge and experience. All retailers should provide a clean environment that keeps the customer in the stores longer. At the end of the day, the condition of your restroom and its cleanliness could be a factor in driving down sales, however you need to get then in the store first.