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The Bathroom Experience

October 28, 2011 By 7 Comments

Once again I am participating in the Bathroom Blogfest. As I have mentioned before, if you have a physical presence, whether you are B2C or B2B, your bathroom is an important part of the customer experience. What does it say about your brand?

I have been on the road A LOT these past few months since my book launched, so I have had the opportunity to stay in many different hotels across the country (and at a variety of hotel brands). I thought it would be fun to post photos of some of the bathrooms I encountered during my travels (mostly in my hotel room). Which bathrooms do you think belong to which brands? The following are some of the brands where I stayed: Marriott, Westin, Ritz-Carlton, and a boutique hotel, Paramount Hotel in New York City. (Answers are at the end of the post.) Do they say would you would have expected about that brand?

Be sure to check out the list of all the participating bloggers, also at the end of the post. A big shout-out to CB Whittemore for leading the charge again this year!

Bathroom 1

 

 

 

 

Bathroom 2  Bathroom 2

 

 

 

 

Bathroom 3  Bathroom 3

 

 

 

 

Bathroom 4  Bathroom 4

 

 

 

 

 

Here are the list of Bathroom Blogfest bloggers (answers afterwards):

 

Name Blog Name Blog URL
Susan Abbott Customer Experience Crossroads Customer Experience Crossroads
Paul Anater Kitchen and Residential Design http://www.kitchenandresidentialdesign.com
Shannon Bilby From the Floors Up http://fromthefloorsup.com/
Toby Bloomberg Diva Marketing Diva Marketing Blog
Laurence Borel Blog Till You Drop http://www.laurenceborel.com/
Bill Buyok Avente Tile Talk http://tiletalk.blogspot.com
Jeanne Byington The Importance of Earnest Service http://blog.jmbyington.com/
Becky Carroll Customers Rock! http://customersrock.net
Katie Clark Practical Katie http://practicalkatie.blogspot.com/
Nora DePalma O’Reilly DePalma: The Blog http://www.oreilly-depalma.com/blog/
Paul Friederichsen The BrandBiz Blog http://brandbizblog.com/
Tish Grier The Constant Observer http://spap-oop.blogspot.com/
Elizabeth Hise Flooring The Consumer http://flooringtheconsumer.blogspot.com
Emily Hooper Floor Covering News Blog http://www.fcnews.net/category/blog/
Diane Kazan Urban Design Renovation http://blog.urbandesignrenovation.com
Joseph Michelli Dr. Joseph Michelli’s Blog http://www.josephmichelli.com/blog
Veronika Miller Modenus Blog http://www.modenus.com/blog
Arpi Nalbandian Tile Magazine Editors’ Blog Tile Editor Magazine Blog
David Polinchock Polinchock’s Ponderings http://blog.polinchock.com/
Professor Toilet American Standard’s Professor Toilet http://www.professortoilet.com
David Reich my 2 cents http://reichcomm.typepad.com
Victoria Redshaw & Shelley Pond Scarlet Opus Trends Blog http://www.trendsblog.co.uk
Sandy Renshaw Purple Wren http://www.PurpleWren.com
Bethany Richmond Carpet and Rug Institute Blog Carpet and Rug Institute Blog
Bruce D. Sanders RIMtailing http://www.rimtailing.blogspot.com
Paige Smith Neuse Tile Service blog http://neusetile.wordpress.com/
Stephanie Weaver Experienceology http://experienceology.blogspot.com/
Christine B. Whittemore Content Talks Business Blog Content Talks Business Blog
Christine B. Whittemore Smoke Rise & Kinnelon Blog http://smokerise-nj.blogspot.com/
Christine B. Whittemore Simple Marketing Blog http://www.simplemarketingblog.com/
Ted Whittemore Working Computers http://www.kinneloncomputers.com/
Chris Woelfel Artcraft Granite, Marble & Tile Co. http://www.artcraftgmt.com
Patty Woodland Broken Teepee http://www.brokenteepee.com/
Denise Lee Yohn brand as business bites http://deniseleeyohn.com/bites/

Answers: Westin, Marriott, Paramount, Ritz-Carlton – how’d you do?

Filed Under: Bathroom blogfest, Customer experience Tagged With: , , , ,

Bathroom Blogfest 2010 – Stuck in the 60s?

October 26, 2010 By 14 Comments

BathBlogfest 2010 buttonOnce again this year, I am pleased to be participating in the Bathroom Blogfest. This is the 5th year of the Blogfest (4th year participating for me – now with 34 other bloggers in 2010), and we use this opportunity to focus on the customer experience in one of the “forgotten” spaces, bathrooms! This year’s theme is inspired by Mad Men, and we will look to see whether some of these areas area still “stuck in the 60s”. Unless your business is 60s-inspired, it probably won’t work for you!

Now, here on Customers Rock!, I like to focus on the positives. So, I will show you one bathroom experience that is definitely “stuck”. However, I will then share photos of bathroom experiences that do a beautiful job of carrying the customer experience from the establishment into the washroom.

This Bathroom is Really Stuck!

I always advocate looking at the entire customer experience and working to ensure positive feelings as a result of those interactions. Recently, I was in Las Vegas for the BlogWorld conference, and I went to eat at Burger Bar in Mandalay Bay with some friends. The bar had a lot of great beers on tap, as well as a wide selection of bottled beers; it was a point of pride with them. So when I went to use the restroom, I wasn’t surprised to see the hallway lined with metal beer signs.

burger bar 1

This is a pretty neat experience; I felt immersed in the atmosphere as I proceeded (the door to the bathroom is at the end of the hall).  burger bar 2

Imagine my surprise when I opened the door to this ugly scene:

burger bar 3

Apparently, the restaurant shared the bathrooms with other stores/restaurants in that area (it was similar to a shopping mall), so their cool Beer experience ended at the door. It was such a stark contrast that at first it made me wonder whether I was in the right place!  The Burger Bar is “stuck” with this experience. Much like a parking lot, this bathroom situation was out of the control of the establishment.

What could be done to make this experience better? I don’t think there is much that could be changed, other than to create a sign at the end of the hall, before the door out of Burger Bar, noting that you are now leaving the restaurant and entering shared space. I am not sure that would completely remedy the situation, but sometimes simply setting expectations is all that is needed to turn a crummy experience into a tolerable one.

And Now For Some Great Bathrooms!

Las Vegas is definitely the city of glitz and glam, and the casinos and resorts make sure that feeling is carried through to every corner of their facilities.

Mandalay Bay

This washroom in the casino area of Mandalay Bay conveys the lush feeling that permeates the whole facility. The opulent furnishings mirror the carpets and upholstered walls leading into the bathroom. Luxurious.

Mandalay Bay bathroom

The Mirage

We went to The Mirage to see the fabulous Cirque du Soleil show Love (which was an absolutely wonderful experience itself, and one I highly recommend!) The bathroom was beautifully decorated with drawings of flower arrangements, which can be seen on the walls as one enters the restroom. (I definitely got some strange looks as I took this photo!)

Mirage bathroom overallWhat interested me was that the floral art actually continued right into the stalls themselves. There was a floral drawing mounted above each toilet (yes, I peeked into more than one stall to confirm it); see pics below for proof.

Mirage bathroom stall

While the pictures were indeed lovely, it would have been more practical to make the marble shelf a little larger so that a purse or small package could be placed there while using the facilities.

mirage stall 2

New York, New York

New York, New York hotel and casino is designed to look like something out of New York, and there were a lot of Broadway-style touches to the decor. We finished up our evening by sending the younger members of our party onto a voyage aboard the wild and long roller coaster at this hotel. While waiting, I stopped into the ladies room to check out the scene. The entrance to the bathroom had photos of famous stars from earlier decades (Marilyn Monroe, for example) lining the walls. The most striking feature of the restroom, however, was the fireplace! I don’t believe it was operational, but it looked very extravagant, especially with the chandelier above it.

nyny bathroom

What About Your Bathroom?

We have looked at the good, bad/ugly in this post with respect to how the customer experience carries over to the washroom. Whether your business is a retail establishment or a commercially-focused company, your bathroom still speaks volumes about your company. Is your bathroom “stuck in the 60s”, or are is it fully present in the year 2010, reflecting the best image possible about your organization? Let me know what you think about the bathroom experience!

Thanks to the Participating Bloggers!

Here is the list of all the participating Bathroom Blogfest 2010 bloggers! Thank you to CB Whittemore of Simple Marketing Now for her hard work pulling this blog festival together. I am honored to be a part of this effort

http://www.customercrossroads.com/customercrossroads/

http://www.KitchenAndResidentialDesign.com

http://blog.bigbobsoutlet.com/

http://blog.carpetsnmore.com/

http://blog.dolphincarpet.com/

http://fromthefloorsup.com/

http://blog.mybigbobs.com/

http://bloombergmarketing.blogs.com/bloomberg_marketing/

http://www.laurenceborel.com/

http://tiletalk.blogspot.com/

http://blog.jmbyington.com/

http://customersrock.net/

http://www.resultsrevolution.com

http://practicalkatie.blogspot.com/

http://www.professortoilet.com/

http://www.oreilly-depalma.com/blog/

http://livepath.blogspot.com/

http://www.awarepointblog.com/

http://circulating.wordpress.com/

http://spap-oop.blogspot.com

http://yourfifthwall.com/

www.josephmichelli.com/blog

http://www.modenus.com/blog

http://www.tilemagonline.com/Articles/Blog_Nalbandian

http://www.people2peopleservice.com/

http://www.onqualitativeresearch.blogspot.com/

http://blog.polinchock.com/

http://trendsblog.co.uk/

http://reichcomm.typepad.com/my_weblog/

http://www.arounddesmoines.com/

http://www.purplewren.com/

http://www.carpet-and-rug-institute-blog.com/

http://rimtailing.blogspot.com/

http://stevetokar.wordpress.com/

http://spiritwomen.blogspot.com/

http://experienceology.blogspot.com/

http://flooringtheconsumer.blogspot.com/

http://www.simplemarketingblog.com/

http://smokerise-nj.blogspot.com/

http://carpetology.blogspot.com/

http://lindaloo.com/

http://secretsinsandiego.com/

Filed Under: Bathroom blogfest, Customer experience Tagged With: , , ,

Bathrooms and Customer Experience

October 30, 2009 By 8 Comments

BB_2009-200x320-buttonYes, it is that time of year when the Bathroom Blogfest comes around and our thoughts turn to those forgotten spaces where the customer experience, and customer perceptions, are still impacted. Yes, even the bathroom at your establishment (restaurant, retail store, hotel) reflects on your brand. As you know, here at Customers Rock! there is a strong focus on looking at your business from the customer’s perspective. Sometimes, that perspective takes place in the restroom, and this blogfest focuses on exactly that.

The Bathroom Blogfest 2009 has been taking place all week this week, with a variety of bloggers providing insight. While this is the fourth year of the Blogfest, I have participated in it since 2007 (see the end of my post for links to my previous posts as well as links to other Bathroom Blogfest bloggers). My previous posts have featured interesting bathrooms from Disney (both Disneyland and Disneyworld) as well as from the airport in Maui, HI, and Las Vegas.  This year’s Bathroom Blogfest post looks at bathroom theming in the guest rooms at the Disneyland Hotel in Anaheim, California. (Note: I took these pictures last year when I was at the Disneyland Resort for the NACCM Customers 1st Conference, where I am giving a keynote speech this year at the event in Phoenix, AZ. My speech will be about using social media for customer loyalty.)

Special thanks go to CB Whittemore for pulling together the Bathroom Blogfest this year and for our first ever Bathroom Blogfest sponsor Kaboom! (Disclosure: Kaboom! sent me a Bathroom Cleaning Kit to trial.)

Find the Hidden Mickeys

Mickey Hand Vanity

A popular game for Disney enthusiasts is to find the “Hidden Mickeys” throughout the theme parks (images of Mickey Mouse’s ears). This bathroom had Mickeys everywhere, including his hands. Take a closer look at these lights around the bathroom vanity. Mickey Mouse’s hands are holding the lamps – thanks, Mickey!

Mickey Mouse wallpaperCheck out that wallpaper; nice pattern, huh? Now take a closer look. The pattern actually incorporates Mickey’s entire image – welcoming us into the water closet.

Disney Vanity SneezyThe vanity itself is decorated with the Mickey ears as well as Sneezy, one of the Seven Dwarves, above the tissue container. Clever!

Mickey Bath GelMy favorite part, however, are the toiletries. Mickey ears adorn the top of the shampoo, conditioner, and hand lotion containers. These little beauties definitely came home with me!

These are just a few examples of the way branding can be carried through in even the smallest details of the guest experience, all the way down to the toiletries in the bathrooms. As a Disney fan, I was completely delighted with the entire hotel experience, but having these surprises in the bathroom told me a few things. One, Disney is very focused on making sure their brand continues to stand behind Mickey Mouse and his unique ears – and they should be. Second, Disney likes to pay attention to details, so I can feel confident that I will be taken care of throughout my entire Disney vacation experience. Third, these little touches are very clever, and they had me looking forward to my visit in the theme park so I could be surprised even more!

What Does Your Bathroom Say?

Whether you are a retail establishment, a restaurant, a service (such as a doctor’s office) or a corporate business, every aspect of your customer experience speaks volumes about your brand, your organization’s culture, and the way you conduct your business. While you certainly don’t need to “decorate” your bathroom with as many details as they did at the Disneyland Hotel, you do need to ensure at least the basics are met:

  • Bathroom is neat and clean
  • Bathroom has all the necessary supplies refilled on a regular basis
  • Bathroom has the appropriate services to help meet your patron’s needs (purse hook for ladies, for example)

Ideally, your bathroom can also go a bit further and be a clear reflection of your brand or business. Carry through the color or decorative theming from the rest of your facility. Add a small something to “surprise and delight” your customer – could be a sign, a nicely framed photo or picture, or a fun color theme. (A note on fun – Macaroni Grill, a casual-dining Italian restaurant, has “learn to speak Italian” lessons playing over the bathroom speakers instead of music!)  Whatever you decide to do, don’t let your bathroom be an after-thought, or your customers may decide they don’t want to think about you anymore, either.

Bathroom Blogfest Resources

Here is a list of the other Bathroom Blogfest bloggers; go and check out their varied perspectives on bathrooms. You can also find them via tag #ladiesrooms09 on Twitter. Below the list are my links to Customers Rock! Bathroom Blogfest posts from previous years.

• Susan Abbott at Customer Experience Crossroadshttp://www.customercrossroads.com
• Reshma Anand at Qualitative Research Blog http://onqualitativeresearch.blogspot.com/ 
• Shannon Bilby at From the Floors Up http://fromthefloorsup.com/ 
• Shannon Bilby and Brad Millner at My Big Bob’s Blog http://blog.mybigbobs.com/ 
• Laurence Borel at Blog Till You Drop http://www.laurenceborel.com/
• Jeanne Byington at The Importance of Earnest Service http://blog.jmbyington.com/
• Becky Carroll at Customers Rock! http://www.customersrock.net
• Leslie Clagett at KB Culture www.kbculture.blogspot.com
• Katie Clark at Practical Katie http://practicalkatie.blogspot.com/
• Iris Shreve Garrott at Checking In and Checking Out http://circulating.wordpress.com/
• Julie at Julie’s Cleaning Secrets Blog http://cleaningsecrets.greatcleaners.com/
• Marianna Hayes at Results Revolution http://www.resultsrevolution.com 
• Maria Palma at People To People Service http://www.people2peopleservice.com/ 
• Professor Toilet at Professor Toilet’s Blog http://www.professortoilet.com/ 
• David Reich at My 2 Cents http://reichcomm.typepad.com/ 
• Bethany Richmond at The Carpet and Rug Institute Blog http://www.carpet-and-rug-institute-blog.com 
• Carolyn Townes at Becoming a Woman of Purpose http://spiritwomen.blogspot.com 
• Stephanie Weaver at Experienceology http://experienceology.blogspot.com
• C.B. Whittemore at Flooring The Consumer http://flooringtheconsumer.blogspot.com and Simple Marketing Blog http://www.SimpleMarketingBlog.com
• Linda Wright at Lindaloo.com: Build Better Business with Better Bathrooms http://lindaloo.com/

Customers Rock! Bathroom Blogfest Posts

The Disney Experience

Luxury Disney

Door Signs

Hawaiian and Venetian (Sort of)

Filed Under: Bathroom blogfest, Customer experience Tagged With: , ,

Bathroom Blogfest ’08: Hawaiian and Venetian (sort of)

November 2, 2008 By 14 Comments

As mentioned earlier this week, I am once again participating in the annual Bathroom Blogfest - Cleaning Up Forgotten Spaces Around Us. What, you might wonder, is that all about?  As you know, here at Customers Rock! there is a strong focus on looking at your business from the customer’s perspective. Sometimes, that perspective takes place in the restroom, and this blogfest focuses on exactly that.

The customer experience travels everywhere with your customers, even into those forgotten spaces!  Some of my fellow Bathroom Blogfesters have included other forgotten spaces in this year’s festival photos; I have chosen to stick with the main event, the restroom.

Hawaiian:

Last year, I spent time blogging about restroom signs.  Some can be very confusing, and some can be amusing.  These signs on the restrooms at the Kahului Airport on Maui make it very clear which room is for which people. I love it.

Customers Rock! tip: Having clear signs at your business makes for a simplified customer experience. Don’t try to be too “cute”, especially when it comes to signs on restroom doors! Customers don’t want to be embarassed if they can’t figure them out.

Venetian Restroom

I was recently in the Venetian Hotel in Las Vegas during my time at BlogWorld; it is very upscale. I was impressed by my surroundings, and the ambiance carried over to the public ladies room as well (this one was by the Blue Man Group’s theater). Having my Flip Mino video camera in my purse (you never know when you might need it!), I took this tasteful video in the restroom to show off the beautiful fixtures. (Note: Don’t blink when you watch the video. I did it rather quickly so as not to be taping when another customer came in. It might have been difficult to explain!)

 

Customers Rock! tip: Try and keep your “forgotten spaces” consistent with the rest of your customer experience. Every interaction with your brand counts, even the bathroom!

Bathroom Blogfest ’08

If you would like to see more perspectives on the bathroom experience and other forgotten spaces, be sure to check out the posts from this past week at these other Blogfest participants below! You can see all my posts from last year’s Bathroom Blogfest regarding: Disney Bathrooms as well as Door Signs.

Susan Abbott at Customer Experience Crossroads
Katia Adams at Transcultural Marketing
Shannon Bilby at Floor Talk!
Laurence Borel at Blog Till You Drop
Jo Brown and the blogging team at Kohler Talk
Lisbeth Calandrino at Lisbeth Calandrino
Sara Cantor at The Curious Shopper
Becky Carroll at Customers Rock!
Katie Clark at Practical Katie
Iris Shreve Garrott at Circulating
Ann Handley at Annarchy
Marianna Hayes at Results Revolution
Elizabeth Hise and C.B. Whittemore at The Carpetology Blog
Maria Palma at Customers Are Always
Sandra Renshaw at Purple Wren
Kate Rutter at Adaptive Path
Claudia Schiepers at Life and its little pleasures
Carolyn Townes at Becoming a Woman of Purpose
Stephanie Weaver at Experienceology
C.B. Whittemore at Flooring The Consumer

Filed Under: Bathroom blogfest, Customer experience Tagged With: , , , , ,

A Quick Update

October 28, 2008 By 5 Comments

Just a short post to let you know about a few great things that are going on around here at Customers Rock!  More posts on customer experience, social media, and a few videos coming soon.

First things first: I have been a busy lately with my new job. I just accepted and started in my role as Director of Social Media at Brickfish.  Brickfish is a social media advertising network, and they focus on helping brands reach their customers via the social web and viral marketing.  This is a great position for me as it marries my two key areas of interest: social media and customer loyalty (you couldn’t have guessed that, could you?). I will definitely report back more on this company and role as I get my feet firmly planted there!  I will still be writing my Customers Rock! blog and will also continue my gig at UCSD Extension teaching the Marketing via New Media class.  Consulting projects are being put on the back burner at the moment, but do let me know if I can help you via my great network!

In other news…

  • I just returned from the MarketingProfs Digital Marketing Mixer, and I had a great time speaking, learning a lot, and connecting with bloggers I had met online but not yet in person.  Write-ups, video, and photos to come soon!

 

  • Bathroom Blogfest ’08 is happening now!  I participated in this last year with my blog posts on the customer experience and the restroom, highlighting bathrooms at Disney theme parks. I will post my bathroom customer experiences later this week, towards the end of the blogfest, but I wanted to highlight the other bloggers who are taking part in this annual event.  Here they are:

Susan Abbott at Customer Experience Crossroads
Katia Adams at Transcultural Marketing
Shannon Bilby at Floor Talk!
Laurence Borel at Blog Till You Drop
Jo Brown and the blogging team at Kohler Talk
Lisbeth Calandrino at Lisbeth Calandrino
Sara Cantor at The Curious Shopper
Becky Carroll at Customers Rock!
Katie Clark at Practical Katie
Iris Shreve Garrott at Circulating
Ann Handley at Annarchy
Marianna Hayes at Results Revolution
Elizabeth Hise and C.B. Whittemore at The Carpetology Blog
Maria Palma at Customers Are Always
Sandra Renshaw at Purple Wren
Kate Rutter at Adaptive Path
Claudia Schiepers at Life and its little pleasures
Carolyn Townes at Becoming a Woman of Purpose
Stephanie Weaver at Experienceology
C.B. Whittemore at Flooring The Consumer

  • Last year, I participated in a great project to write a book with over 100 other bloggers, the Age of Conversation.  This year, we are doing it again with the Age of Conversation 2: Why Don’t They Get It? It launches shortly (tomorrow); stay tuned for details!

(Photo credit: Tinka)

Filed Under: Bathroom blogfest, Customer experience, social media, word of mouth Tagged With: , , , , ,

Bathroom Blogfest: Door Signs

November 2, 2007 By 6 Comments

An important part of crafting a great customer experience is attention to detail.  Today I am sharing some very creative signs which indicate the location of the bathroom door.  They all align with the theming of the establishment or area in which they are found.  Which one do you like best?

Disney doors:

Disney’s California Adventure: This is the door sign that went with my earlier post on the Route 66 bathroom.  It is shaped like a USA highway sign.

dscn1666-small.jpg

Disneyland at Space Mountain: This sign is found on the women’s room door which is at the exit to the Space Mountain rollercoaster.  As the coaster has outer-space themes, so does the door.  Good for large and small aliens to use.

dscn1674-small.jpg

DisneyWorld at EPCOT World Showcase: In case you haven’t been to this Disney theme park, EPCOT in Orlando, Florida has two main areas.  The first is FutureWorld, and the second is the World Showcase.  Several countries are represented there.  These two signs come from the Norwegian pavilion and the USA pavilion, respectively.

dscn1691-small.jpgdscn1727-small.jpg

Non-Disney:

Samba Room, Orlando, Florida

This restaurant serves Cuban cuisine in an Asian-fusion style.  I couldn’t resist taking pictures of the doors to their men’s and women’s rooms (respectively).  Clever!

romeo.jpgjulieta.jpg

The Bathroom Experience

Have you considered how even the smallest of details can speak volumes about your establishment?   I hope this blogfest has given you some ideas to consider.  Who knows; maybe I will feature your bathroom in next year’s blogfest!  Feel free to send me pictures throughout the year, and I will credit you and your establishment.

Visit the Bathroom Blogfest group blog, as well as the other Blogfest bloggers:

Filed Under: Bathroom blogfest, Customer experience

Bathroom Blogfest: Luxury Disney

November 1, 2007 By 8 Comments

 Why are we looking at bathrooms this week?  The customer experience truly spans all customer touchpoints, including the bathroom!  If the experience is great throughout an establishment but the washroom is dirty, lacks supplies, or is unappealing, a customer’s impression of your brand will be affected.  Disney has a very strong brand, and its bathrooms are generally kept very clean and tidy.  Today I will show you a few pictures of exceptional bathrooms – luxury Disney.

Disney’s California Adventure Park, Ariel’s Grotto

Ariel’s Grotto is a restaurant which serves what Disney calls “character meals”.  In other words, this is the place to come if you want to meet the Disney characters while you eat.  This particular restaurant is focused on those popular Disney princesses, and you can get your photo taken with Ariel (from the Little Mermaid).  Right across from her beautifully-themed mermaid photo spot is this ladies room.  Of course, it has the “children’s sink” which is lower than the other sinks, but its most striking aspect is the lighting.  In order to achieve that “under the sea” effect, there is a blue glow which is emitted from the mirrors.  The bathroom in general is dimly-lit in the sink area so the blue glow can be seen.  In addition, the bathroom is in shades of teals, green, and blue, and the mirrors are luxurious with gold and granite all around, fit for any little (or big) princess to use!

dscn1671-small.jpg

Disney World: EPCOT, House of Technology

Inside the Innoventions area of EPCOT at Disney World, you can take a tour of the House of Technology.  This “house” shows off many futuristic ideas about how we can use technology in every day life – such as the room-darkening glass controlled by a touchscreen or the wall speakers (which are the wall!).  One of the most interesting parts of the house was the bathroom.  While Disney guests can’t use this bathroom, it is so visually-appealing that I had to share it!

It includes a shower with multiple shower heads that can turn on and off as desired, creating a pulsing effect.  It also includes this toilet and sink area.  The toilet is tankless, and water is pumped directly to the bowl.  The sink is simple in its elegance, with the blue glass basin adding a nice touch of color.  The overall effect is one of a very neat and tidy area which could be replicated for hotels or eating establishments.  Well done, Disney!  (And Kohler, as they are the ones who make these fixtures.)

dscn1699-small.jpg

Tomorrow, I will share fun bathroom signs!

Visit the Bathroom Blogfest group blog, as well as the other Blogfest bloggers:

Filed Under: Bathroom blogfest, Customer experience

Bathroom Blogfest: The Disney Experience

October 29, 2007 By 4 Comments

blogfest-logo-2007.jpg The customer experience spans across all places a customer touches an organization: sales, marketing, customer service, and yes, even the bathroom!  The Bathroom Blogfest takes place this week, and I am honored to be part of the contributing author list.  As I am such a Disney fan, I decided my theme for bathroom posts this week would be Disney bathrooms.  Some are themed in amazing ways, some have really fun door signs, and some are yet to come!

I will begin the week with a fun, themed bathroom from Disney’s California Adventure park.  Disney takes the experience of being in California all the way into the stalls (and I don’t mean traffic stalls!).  This part of the park is themed around the famous Route 66 road in the USA.  To set the stage (because Disney has a strong focus on their show): Just outside this particular restroom is a McDonald’s, disguised as a giant hamburger.  It is similar to some of the giant icons seen on the roadside of Route 66. 

dscn1660-small.jpg

Inside, the theme is carried through all the way down the hall.  The yellow lane markers guide you to the stalls, and in solid Disney fashion, you can see the lowered “kiddie” sink on the left hand side.  This is great for the mom with the child who says, “I want to do it myself!”  Plus, with a lower sink, the child doesn’t get their shirt all wet when mom has to lift them up to the faucet over the inevitably-wet counters.  As you can also see, this bathroom is spotless.

dscn1664-small.jpg 

On your way out, you see a fabulous Route 66 mural on the wall tiles!  Get your kicks…

dscn1662-small-small.jpg

More from me in my next installment later this week.  Visit the Bathroom Blogfest group blog, as well as the other Blogfest bloggers:

Filed Under: Bathroom blogfest, Customer experience Tagged With: , , , ,

Bathroom Blogfest 2007

October 22, 2007 By 2 Comments

blogfest-logo-2007.jpg Last year about this time, I was preparing for my keynote speech for the British Columbia Association of Integrated Marketers.  In talking about the customer experience, I wanted to mention all potential customer touchpoints that could impact how customers feel about an organization.  I found Stephanie Weaver’s blog, experienceology, and asked her for permission to use some of the bathroom photos she had.

This year, I am participating in the blogfest!  Bathroom Blogfest 2007 runs from Sunday, October 28 through Friday, November 2.  The blogfest features 22 bloggers from around the globe, writing about the importance of bathrooms in the customer experience, including photos of both the best and the worst bathrooms.  To get an idea, here is the link to the wrap-up from last year’s blogfest.  Be sure to check out the group blog listed above to see all the posts, as well as some amusing videos.

I will be posting on something a little unique – Disney bathrooms.  I have been doing my research, and I will be including bathrooms from Disneyland, Disney’s California Adventure, and hopefully, some bathrooms from Disney World (where I will be at the beginning of the blogfest).

If you would like to contribute, please send me your photos and explanation to becky at petraconsultinggroup.com, and I will link to you and include them in the festival.

Here are the links to this year’s participating bloggers:

Filed Under: Bathroom blogfest, Customer experience