Cleanzine: your weekly cleaning and hygiene industry newsletter 18th April 2024 Issue no. 1110
Your industry news - first
The original and best - for over 20 years!
We strongly recommend viewing Cleanzine full size in your web browser. Click our masthead above to visit our website version.
Excel Dryer UK research finds public are looking for more unified, efficient washroom experiences in facilities and public spaces they visit
Excel Dryer UK recently conducted a research study into the components that make up a five-star washroom user experience. Speaking with members of the public across a variety of topics, Excel Dryer gained insight and understanding into what creates comfortable experiences for them when they use public or shared washrooms.
Excel Dryer also spoke to washroom operators to gauge what they thought the public wanted and what their plans were for their washrooms in the future.
Understandably, on the back of a yearlong pandemic, hygiene and efficiency were high priorities for users. They want bathrooms to be cleaner and they want to spend less time in them. Aesthetics such as sights and sound also featured prominently, identifying a need for less littering and better noise reduction.
The public are also keen to see better technology used in washrooms. Improving washroom technology touches on a number of key needs, not least the hygiene safety and efficiency that comes from developments such as the elimination of touch, but also the enhanced sustainability possibilities.
In terms of cost effectiveness and consumer satisfaction, sustainability is a key area where the washroom experience can be improved.
Another area where the two groups are at odds is the look of a washroom. Consumers are looking for an experience that is unified, but 69% of operators stated it's unnecessary to brand a washroom consistently with the rest of the establishment. The disconnect between areas that have been designed and built to be consistent, with a washroom that isn't part of that consistency, will likely leave users feeling disconnected.
Other research findings included:
- 70% want to see more technology solutions used in washrooms
- More than a third rank washroom noise as an irritant
- Minimising the time spent in a washroom is deemed essential by users
- Users are looking for elegant, unified experiences that make them feel comfortable
"The results of this research study speak very clearly," notes Simeon Barnes, Excel Dryer UK managing director. "Despite increased provisions of general and hand hygiene at facilities, washroom users are looking for faster, more efficient washroom experiences.
"This reflects developing trends in shared washrooms over the last 10 years where we have seen automation and enhanced technology remove touchpoints throughout a washroom.
"The public are building on that and are doubling down in a post-pandemic environment. They want to feel safer, more comfortable and take less time. They know ongoing developments in washroom technology can take them there and facility managers need to be alert to that.
"For us, it's validation of our continued desire to innovate. Hand dryers were too slow, so we made them faster with XLERATOR. Hand dryers used too much electricity, so we made them more energy efficient with XLERATOReco. Our latest offering, the XLERATORsync system combines the latest technology, efficiency and sustainability into a unified experience for washroom users.
"Excel Dryer is at the forefront of hand dryer technology, placing success and design at the heart of what we do. The XLERATORsync system is an intuitive, unified experience. Water, soap and air alongside a purpose-built custom wash basin that is the product of modern design innovation means cleaner and more hygienic washrooms, where users wash and dry their hands in a single location. Beneath the surface, our proven industry leading XLERATOR energy efficiency sits alongside safety features that include HEPA filtration which removes 99.999% of bacteria and viruses from the air.
"As facilities reopen, the general public's eye for hygiene will be in full effect. Facilities must ensure that washrooms meet the needs and goals of the customers that are returning. Reopening your business is important, but reassuring your washroom users they are safe, is vital.
"Our mission is to revolutionise washrooms throughout the world by providing our customers with a super-fast, highly efficient and economical hand drying solution. For years, the technology used to create hand dryers remained virtually unchanged, and many hand dryer models on the market today are still based on the first 1948 electrical hand dryer design. Through a process of research, innovation and adaptability, we intend to continue creating cutting edge products that bring hygiene, safety and sustainability to every washroom."
20th May 2021