At shopping malls and downtown areas everywhere, restrooms are overlooked as other areas of the retail experience take center stage. It usually doesn't start out that way. Many well-meaning restroom hosts post inspection charts on the wall...but forget about them as time goes by. Imagine the message that is conveyed to customers when charts indicate periods of inattention...are totally blank...or altogether missing. Check out this example.

Besides after-hours deep cleanings, the key to a good restroom maintenance program is consistent in-service touch-ups, at regular intervals, during business hours. This will keep a facility looking presentable at all times. Someone has to be responsible for enforcing the effort, lest lackadaisical staff slough it off --- and that duty most likely belongs to the business manager. Let's face it, who's going to jump at the chance to be a washroom warden? Someone with a stake in the business who understands the big picture has to take charge. Maybe they don't teach this concept at business college....but they do teach it at the school of hard knocks!

Participating bloggers for the Bathroom Blogfest ’09 include:

• Susan Abbott at Customer Experience Crossroads http://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 I mportance 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/

Be sure to visit the Bathroom Blogfest on Facebook!