INDUSTRY NEWS
Survey finds restrooms make a lasting impression A new survey commissioned by US-based Cintas Corporation has found nearly three-quarters of respondents (74 per cent) say dirty restrooms would cause them to have a negative perception of a business. More than two in three Americans (68 per cent) also say restrooms with empty hand soap, toilet paper and paper towel dispensers would impact their opinion of a business negatively. The survey of more than 2000 U.S. adults was conducted online by The Harris Poll. “Facility cleanliness has been in the spotlight since the onset of the pandemic and is more important than ever in protecting a business’s reputation,” said John Engel, director of marketing, Cintas. “This survey confirms that a clean and well-stocked restroom is important to any business’s image.”
The survey also found that restroom cleanliness is more likely to impact perceptions of older patrons. For example, more than half (56 per cent) of 18 to 34-year-old say dirty restrooms would cause them to have a negative perception of a business. In comparison, 92 per cent of adults 65 and older would have a negative opinion of a business with dirty restrooms. Well stocked and pleasant-smelling restrooms are also more likely to impact older adults’ perceptions of a business compared to younger adults. For example, 58 per cent of 18 to 34-year-olds say foul smelling restrooms would cause them to have a negative perception of a business. In contrast, 86 per cent of adults 65 years of age and older say foul smelling restrooms would cause them to view a business negatively. Additionally, more than half of 18-34-year-olds (56 per cent) say restrooms with empty hand soap, toilet paper and paper towel dispensers would cause them to have a negative perception of a business compared to 85 per cent of those 65 years of age and older. In addition to restroom cleanliness, the survey found other areas of facility maintenance can impact people’s perceptions of a business. Other key findings include: More than two thirds of respondents (68 per cent) say dirty floors would cause them to have a negative perception of a business More than half say dirty building entryways (57 per cent), obvious use of dirty mops (56 per cent), dirty windows/exterior glass (51 per cent) and poorly maintained parking lots (51 per cent) would influence their opinion of a business negatively. “Perception is reality, and the perception of a business can be impacted by facility cleanliness,” Engel added. “Consider working with an experienced facility services provider that offers outstanding services and supplies so you can focus on what you do best – serving your customers.”
i-team ANZ expands partner network in New Zealand i-team ANZ is excited to announce the expansion of its partner network across New Zealand, which has been made possible by the addition of Filta as an i-team master partner to solidify availability of our product line-up and support our growing presence across the country. “As demand for the range of i-team products grows in New Zealand, so too will our capacity to provide our products throughout the country, while taking a more hands-on approach
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to both customer support and sales side of our business,” said the company. Since the addition of Filta, i-team ANZ has also welcomed Commercial Cleaning Supplies, Waikato Cleaning Supplies and Specialist Cleaning Supplies. According to i-team ANZ, this will allow the company to grow its product line-up across the key regions, enable closer contact with customers, and provide a more robust and immediate network across both the North and South islands to assist customers. “The new working collaboration with Filta and partners means that more businesses across New Zealand will be able to discover our range of innovative and class-leading commercial cleaning products, like the i-mop and vac range, the i-air PRO air purifier, and a whole lot more,” the company said. “2021 has proved an exciting and influential year for i-team ANZ, watching as our network expands to close to 30 active partners across both the Australian and New Zealand markets. This also translates to added opportunities for hands-on demonstrations, so you can witness the class-leading power and efficiency of the i-range in your own office or commercial space.”