At Flow Office, we believe great design should extend to every corner of your space, and yes, that includes the toilets. That’s why we’re excited to be exhibiting at this year’s Loo of the Year Awards.
We recently spoke with Becky Wall BEM, Managing Director of the awards, about why this event matters so much. Read on to find out why washrooms deserve more attention, how the awards help raise standards, and what makes a truly memorable toilet experience.
Let’s Talk Toilets…
I’m Becky Wall BEM, and I’m passionate about toilets. It might sound a little odd, but I’m so passionate about these essential facilities that it’s part of my job title – I’m the Managing Director of the Loo of The Year Awards.
These awards are almost 40 years old, and I know about them because I won an award for outstanding washrooms over a decade ago when I entered the business I run with my husband, Charles – A Plush Flush. We supply luxury mobile toilets to events, companies and private individuals across the UK. We felt, back then, that it was important to stand by our belief that our mobile washrooms were of the highest quality.
It's easy to say you offer a great product, but it’s far more powerful to get third-party validation and to provide the proof. Being part of this movement was a way of showing that we were authentic and honest about the products we hire out to our customers.
When the opportunity came up to take over these awards a few years ago, Charles and I decided it was a natural thing for us to do – we both want to encourage excellence around these vital facilities, which we all need to use every day.
A Grading Scheme For Excellence
The Loo Of The Year Awards is not just about being able to win a ‘gong’, it’s about being part of a grading system so that you know how good your facilities are, ranked against more than 100 criteria.
It also shows a commitment to continually improving those facilities to show that you care about the experiences of your customers, clients or staff.
We all know and remember facilities which are frankly awful. We may have actually turned around and walked out of the premises where the washrooms are appalling.
At the Loo Of The Year Awards, we work with organisations, large and small, that care and aspire to be better.
This need for excellent toilets came from my own childhood. My mother wouldn’t allow us to eat anywhere until she had checked out the toilets. Her view was that if they can’t look after what you can see, i.e. the washrooms, then what about the areas you cannot see, i.e. the kitchen?
I can remember leaving many places because the toilets were not hygienic. I’ve brought that into my own adult life both personally and professionally.
Fantastic washrooms speak to a culture of caring and respect for those who use them. That kind of culture can improve customer loyalty or even staff retention.
Why Does Design Matter When it Comes to Toilets?
Design is integral to someone’s experience when they use a public or out-of-home washroom. It can make a washroom memorable for all of the right reasons.
It can be seen as creating a subliminal positive experience within a venue which encourages people to keep coming back because the toilets are of a standard which the customer expects, or even better. It can even become a talking point.
With toilets, design has to take so many factors into account. One is complying with building regulations and laws for accessible and changing places toilets.
These washrooms must have certain facilities by law. This includes:
- Adequate light and ventilation
- Accessible to as many people as possible
- Hot and cold running water and soap
- Toilet paper
- A means to dry hands
- Sanitary bins
- Protection from the weather
- Locks on cubicle doors
Yet it’s not just the law that caring organisations should take into account – they will consider the ‘customer experience’.
Those who really want to retain the loyalty of their customers or add an element which will help to retain top talent will take design much further. These may be considered:
- Separate toilets for Parents and babies or toddlers
- Changing Places toilet to support those with complex special needs and any carer
- Free period hygiene products
- A space which is beautiful alongside being practical
- Regular cleaning, or even a cleaner or attendant on hand
- Eco lighting, water harvesting, and solar panels to run electricity
We work with companies and organisations which take this part of running their premises very seriously. We celebrate them and we work with them to make improvements so that they can get better and better.
How Does the Loo Of The Year Awards Work?
Each year, we encourage people to nominate the venues they have visited where they consider the washrooms to be of good or great quality.
Nominations can be made by visitors, guests, customers, clients or staff who feel that this ‘washroom’ deserves to be recognised. This means we get nominations (this year to date we’ve had 450 nominations with over 1500 entries) for a wide range of venues from shopping centres, to pubs, to cafes, restaurants, garden centres, through to caravan sites and visitor attractions. Each nominated venue covers the cost of the inspection; however, the inspector is independent.
That inspector will grade the washrooms across 101 criteria, and then a grade will be given some time later, which can be displayed within the establishment. The business or organisation can then pay another fee if they wish to have a report detailing any improvements they can consider. This grading is given in November.
In January each year, we hold a gala event and a day where we celebrate those organisations, of all sizes, who scored highly, and 17 trophies are awarded – including the Lifetime Achievement Award, the Best Washroom Technician and many more. We also run an expo on the day to provide a networking opportunity between the many organisations that enter the awards and those who serve the facilities management sector. We’ve found that this day is both a celebration and an opportunity for new business relationships to be formed.
