Monday, November 2, 2009

The Entire Bathroom Blogfest 09 Lineup

Bathroom Blogfest 09What a Kaboom! of a Bathroom Blogfest 09 it has been!

We had fun on the Bathroom Blogfest Facebook Fan Page.

We were also active on Twitter. Here is the transcript for the #ladiesrooms09 conversation that took place from October 23 through November 1, 2009 from What The Hashtag. Here, too, is the Twazzup page with our search terms.

Thank you to our sponsor, Kaboom. We appreciate that they put together a special Bathroom Blogfest promotion featuring a cleaning system to keep your bathroom looking [and smelling] very clean!

Many thanks so Susan Abbott at Customer Experience Crossroads for once again creating our Bathroom Blogfest logo. Despite a hectic travel schedule, Susan published Catching up: immersive experiences, bathroom blogfest & simplicity.

Thank you to all of the bloggers who participated in the 4th annual Bathroom Blogfest and generated such fun, thought-provoking, and unusual content in support of the this year's theme: "Flush The Recession & Plunge Into Forgotten Spaces."

From Professor Toilet at Professor Toilet’s Blog:
+ Flushing this economy will take more than the average toilet.
+ Bathroom Blogfest 09: Flush this economy, but do it with science

From Stephanie Weaver at Experienceology:
+
Bathroom Blogfest 09 comparing two visitor experiences.
+ Bathrooms Around the World

From David Reich at My 2 Cents:
+ Going on the Go
+ Bathroom Blogfest - Late Entry.

From Jeanne Byington at The Importance of Earnest Service:
+ Service of Paper Towels in Public WCs
+ Service of Interior Design to Achieve a Spick and Span Bathroom
+ Service of Market Research

From Iris Shreve Garrott at Checking In and Checking Out:
+ The Mystery on Our Hands
+ A Hospital's Hand-y Hygiene Hint
and marvelous cartoons in honor of the Bathroom Blogfest 09:
+ Scorekeeper
+ What is the most important question you can ask your customer?
+ Rather You Than Me
+ 12 most creative bathtubs....
+ How many times did you wash your hands today?

From Julie at Julie’s Cleaning Secrets Blog: Adventures in Potty Training

Shannon Bilby at From the Floors Up:
+ Announced its participation in the Blogfest and its contest
+ Bathroom Blogfest 09: Bathroom Tile Design
+ Bathroom Blogfest 09 Design Contest
+ Bathroom Blogfest 09 Wrap Up

From Shannon Bilby and Brad Millner at My Big Bob’s Blog:
+ Announced its participation in this year's Bathroom Blogfest.
+ Environmentally Friendly Bathroom Flooring Choices

From Becky Carroll at Customers Rock!: Bathrooms and Customer Experience. Thanks to Becky Carroll, too, for featuring me on Customers Rock Radio on 10/9/09 to discuss customer experience and Bathroom Blogfest 09!

Linda Wright at Lindaloo.com: Build Better Business with Better Bathrooms:
+ A dramatic facility facelift
+ Lindaloo loves Kaboom!
+ Bathroom Blogfest 2009: Good, Bad and Ugly Plungers
+ Bathroom Blogfest 2009: A Spooktacular Loo

From Leslie Clagett at KB Culture:
+ Noir Boudoir...
+ Vertical Vitreous
+ Autumn Leaving
+ Clean Sweep

From Bethany Richmond at The Carpet and Rug Institute Blog: David Record, Mohawk Home, on Bath Mats For Bathroom Blogfest '09

From Katie Clark at Practical Katie: A Bad Bathrooom Can Ruin a Trip
Kaboom
From Nora DePalma at O'Reilly.DePalma's Blog: Bringing Professor Toilet to Bathroom Blogfest 09

From Carolyn Townes at Becoming a Woman of Purpose: Plunging Into Forgotten Spaces

From Laurence Borel at Blog Till You Drop:
+
Flushing Out The Recession - adding value through social media
+ Announcing Bathroom Blogfest 09!

From Maria Palma at People To People Service:
+ Bathroom Blogfest: Details Are Everything
+ Kaboom Review: Clean Restrooms Do Make an Impression

From Reshma Anand at Qualitative Research Blog: The discounted customer experience - Bathroom Blogfest 09

From Chris Kieff from 1 Good Reason: a video of the bathroom he and his wife created: Ladies Room 09 Bathroom Video.

Do checkout on Flickr Ladiesrooms09 photos, too.

From C.B. Whittemore:
At Flooring The Consumer:
+ Bathroom Blogfest 09 Off & Running
+ Details of the retail experience Kaboom contest
+ Bathrooms & The Retail Experience
+ Charmin & Bathroom Blogfest 09
+ Hotel Bathtubs Going the Way of the Fingerbowl - Bathroom Blogfest '09
+ The Best Bathrooms Remind You Of Home
+ Bathrooms & The Hospitality Experience: How Much Is Too Much?

At Simple Marketing Blog:
+ Bathroom Blogfest 2009: Ready to Flush Recession & Plunge Into Forgotten Spaces
+ A recap of Liane Evans' presentation at the MarketingProfs Digital Marketing Mixer in Chicago where she blends social media and search for greater marketing impact.
+ Listening To Customers & Bathroom Blogfest 09
+ Making Things Simple Is Not Simple - Simplicity in Design Solutions
+ BJ Fogg's Persuasive Bathroom Epiphany: MarketingProfs Digital Marketing Mixer 09
+ Flush The Recesssion Simply & Ecologically

At The Carpetology Blog: Design Your Bathroom Around Your Rug!

Happy Bathroom Blogfest '09!

~ C.B. Whittemore

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Saturday, October 31, 2009

Bathroom Blogfest 09: Friday's Highlights

Bathroom Blogfest 09These are the highlights from Day 5 - Friday 10/30/09 - of Bathroom Blogfest 09!

From Customers Rock!: Bathrooms and Customer Experience

From Flooring The Consumer: The Best Bathrooms Remind You Of Home and Bathrooms & The Hospitality Experience: How Much Is Too Much?

From Lindaloo: Bathroom Blogfest 2009: A Spooktacular Loo

From Simple Marketing Now: Flush The Recession Simply & Ecologically

From From The Floors Up: Bathroom Blogfest 09 Wrap Up

Happy Bathroom Blogfest!

~ C.B. Whittemore

PS: Happy Halloween, too!


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Friday, October 30, 2009

Bathroom Blogfest 09: Thursday's Highlights

Bathroom Blogfest 09Here are highlights from Day 4 - Thursday 10/29/09 - of Bathroom Blogfest 09. Another day of awesome posts. check them out for yourself!

From The Qualitative Research Blog: The discounted customer experience - Bathroom Blogfest 09

From Checking out and checking in: A Hospital's Hand-y Hygiene Hint

From Professor Toilet: Bathroom Blogfest 09: Flush this economy, but do it with science

From Flooring The Consumer: Hotel Bathtubs Going the Way of the Fingerbowl - Bathroom Blogfest '09

From The Carpetology Blog: Design Your Bathroom Around Your Rug!

From Simple Marketing Blog: BJ Fogg's Persuasive Bathroom Epiphany: MarketingProfs Digital Marketing Mixer 09

From People2People Service: Kaboom Review: Clean Restrooms Do Make an Impression

From From The Floors Up: Bathroom Blogfest 09 Design Contest

From KB Culture: Clean Sweep

From Lindaloo: Bathroom Blogfest 2009: Good, Bad and Ugly Plungers

Chris Kieff shares a video of the beautiful bathroom that his wife designed and that he did the tile work on. Oh, my goodness is it gorgeous! See Ladies Room 09 Bathroom Video.

Thanks to Becky Carroll for featuring me on Customers Rock Radio on 10/9/09 to discuss customer experience and Bathroom Blogfest 09!

Happy Bathroom Blogfest!

~ C.B. Whittemore


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Thursday, October 29, 2009

Bathroom Blogfest 09: Wednesday's Highlights

Bathroom Blogfest 09Here are the highlights from Day 3, taking place Wednesday 10/28/09, of Bathroom Blogfest 09. I hope you get to check out these awesome posts:

From People 2 People Service: Bathroom Blogfest: Details Are Everything

Once again, Circulating shares attention getting images: How many times did you wash your hands today?

From Blog Till You Drop: Flushing Out The Recession - adding value through social media

From Experienceology: Bathrooms Around the World

From Flooring The Consumer: Charmin & Bathroom Blogfest 09

From Simple Marketing Blog: Making Things Simple Is Not Simple - Simplicity in Design Solutions

From The Importance of Earnest Service: Service of Market Research

KaboomKB Culture: Autumn Leaving

And, don't forget to check out the sponsor of Bathroom Blogfest 09: Kaboom!

Learn more about Kaboom.

Go enjoy Kaboom's special Bathroom Blogfest promotion featuring a cleaning system that will keep your bathroom looking [and smelling] very clean!

Happy Bathroom Blogfest '09!

~ C.B. Whittemore


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Wednesday, October 28, 2009

Bathroom Blogfest 09: Tuesday's Highlights

Bathroom Blogfest 09Day 2 of Bathroom Blogfest 09! Here are the highlights from Tuesday 10/27/09:

From Carpet and Rug Institute Blog: David Record, Mohawk Home, on Bath Mats For Bathroom Blogfest '09

From KB Culture: Vertical Vitreous

From Simple Marketing Blog: Listening To Customers & Bathroom Blogfest 09

From Flooring The Consumer: Bathrooms & The Retail Experience

Circulating's Iris Garrott shares this photo Rather You Than Me and this link to the 12 most creative bathtubs.... OMG!

From Practical Katie: A Bad Bathrooom Can Ruin a Trip

From From The Floors Up: Bathroom Blogfest 09: Bathroom Tile Design

From My Big Bob's Blog: Environmentally Friendly Bathroom Flooring Choices

From The Importance of Earnest Service: Service of Interior Design to Achieve a Spick and Span BathroomKaboom

From O'Reilly.DePalma's Blog: Bringing Professor Toilet to Bathroom Blogfest 09

From Becoming a Woman of Purpose: Plunging Into Forgotten Spaces

From Lindaloo: Lindaloo loves Kaboom!

Happy Bathroom Blogfest 09!

~ C.B. Whittemore

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Tuesday, October 27, 2009

Bathroom Blogfest 09: Monday's Highlights

What a terrific start to the 4th annual Bathroom Blogfest with a slew of fascinating posts and tweets all around the subject of Bathroom Blogfest and #ladiesrooms09. Here are highlights from Monday 10/26's posts:

Flooring The Consumer announced details of her [my] retail experience Kaboom contest

Simple Marketing Now shared a recap of Liane Evans' presentation at the MarketingProfs Digital Marketing Mixer in Chicago where she blends social media and search for greater marketing impact.

Experienceology posted Bathroom Blogfest 09
with marvelous insights and visuals that compare two visitor experiences. What would you do differently to brand yourself?

My 2 cents described Going on the Go.

Importance of Earnest Service covered the Service of Paper Towels in Public WCs

Circulating wrote about the Mystery on Our Hands and Iris also shared marvelous cartoons in honor of the Bathroom Blogfest 09:
+ Scorekeeper
+ What is the most important question you can ask your customer?

Professor Toilet described a free independent testing to measure bulk removal in Flushing this economy will take more than the average toilet.

Julie's Cleaning Secrets discussed Adventures in Potty Training

From The Floors Up announced its participation in the Blogfest and details on the contest it is conducting this week!

Lindaloo shared a dramatic facility facelift

My Big Bob's Blog announced its participation in this year's Bathroom Blogfest.

KB Culture posted Noir Boudoir...

You can follow the Bathroom Blogfest via Twazzup and #ladiesrooms09 on What the hashtag?!

Stay tuned for more....

Happy Bathroom Blogfest '09!

~ C.B. Whittemore

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Monday, October 26, 2009

Bathoom Blogfest 09 Has Begun!

Bathroom Blogfest 09Bathroom Blogfest 09 has officially begun!

So far, setting the stage for the week's profound inspiration, we have:

Bathroom Blogfest 09 Off & Running
Announcing Bathroom Blogfest 09!
Bathroom Blogfest 2009: Ready to Flush Recession & Plunge Into Forgotten Spaces

And, then, original thinking about Bathroom Blogfest 09:

David Reich shares Going on the Go.

Professor Toilet says that Flushing this economy will take more than the average toilet.

There's lots more ahead so do be on the lookout for #ladiesrooms09 and other mentions of Bathroom Blogfest 09.

Happy Bathroom Blogfest!

~ C.B. Whittemore



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Monday, October 19, 2009

Kaboom Sponsors Bathroom Blogfest 2009

Kaboom: Bathroom Blogfest 09 SponsorLots of exciting news leading into the Big Bathroom Blogfest event next week! First, Kaboom is our official sponsor. And they have put together a Bathroom Blogfest Deal worth exploring.

Next, we have 20 bloggers, and 21 blogs, ready to address "Flush The Recession and Plunge Into Forgotten Spaces" next week during the 2009 Bathroom Blogfest.

They are all listed on the sidebar, but I'll list them here, too:

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 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/

Others may join us, too.

Are you ready?

Don't forget to follow us on Twitter @BathroomBlogfes, join our Facebook Fan Page [check out the sidebar for the link], and look for #ladiesrooms09!

~ C.B.Whittemore


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Saturday, September 26, 2009

Mark Your Calendars: Bathroom Blogfest 2009

Bathroom Blogfest 09Yes, finally! The event you've been waiting almost a full year for: The 2009 Bathroom Blogfest is gearing up.

It takes place the last week in October and the theme is:

Flush the Recession and Plunge Into Forgotten Spaces!

Mark your calendars.

Become a fan of the Bathroom Blogfest on Facebook.

Follow us on Twitter.

Check on the sidebar for who's participating.

Many more details are coming.

So, please, stay tuned.

Happy Bathroom Blogfest 2009!

~ C.B. Whittemore




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Tuesday, November 4, 2008

Bathroom Blogfest '08 - Recapping The Details

As just published in Bathroom Blogfest '08 - Final Recap of Cleaned Up Spaces, I am happy to share with you a recap of all posts from this year's event:

Stephanie Weaver:
+ Forgotten Spaces: The 2008 Bathroom Blogfest continues,
+ Forgotten Spaces Day 2,
+ Forgotten Spaces Day 3 and
+ Forgotten Spaces Day 4

Susan Abbott:
+ Customer Experience Crossroads: Forgotten Space Blogfest - 2008 version

Maria Palma:
+ Bathroom Blogfest 2008: Creative Public Restrooms.

Claudia Schiepers:
+ 3 American toilet things to hate

Carolyn Townes:
+ Bathroom Blogfest '08: Toilets and WCs

Becky Carroll:
+ Bathroom Blogfest '08: Hawaiian and Venetian [sort of].

Katia Adams:
+ Blogfest '08 - Cleaning Up Forgotten Spaces Around Us

Shannon Bilby:
+ Floor Talk Invited to Participate in Bathroom Blogfest with WearDated
+ Bathroom Blogfest ‘08 - Cleaning Up Forgotten Spaces Around Us
+ “Bathroom Blogfest ‘08 - Cleaning Up Forgotten Spaces Around Us”
+ Quick Tips for Cleaning Bathrooms

Julie Hirt, Christine Loose and Jo Brown at Kohler Talks:
+ Wine Corks to Clean Cast Iron Sinks
+ The Clean Look of a White Bathroom
+ The "Other" Jo The Plumber

Marianna Hayes:
+ What would momma say if she knew I was participating in "Bathroom Blogfest '08 - Cleaning Up Forgotten Spaces Around Us"?
+ Reading Material anyone?
+ The "Family Restroom" Experience

Elizabeth Hise and C.B. Whittemore:
+ Bathroom Blogfest '08 - Cleaning Up Forgotten Spaces Around Us
+ Bathroom Blogfest '08 - Potty Parity
+ Bathroom Blogfest '08 - How Hotels Inspire Me
+ Bathroom Blogfest '08: Great Flooring Store Examples
+ Bathroom Blogfest '08 - Art of Living
+ Bathroom Blogfest '08 - Recap

Sandy Renshaw:
+Can you believe it? It's time for Bathroom Blogfest '08

Iris Shreve Garrott:
+ Bathroom Blogfest 2008 Best Tips
+ When You Care Enough to Clean the Very Best
+ Hidden Behind Forgotten Customer Spaces

Lolly Borel:
+ Bathroom Blogfest ‘08 - Cleaning Up Forgotten Spaces Around
+ Shop till you drop! (but don’t drop when you shop…)

C.B. Whittemore:
+ Announcing Bathroom Blogfest '08: Cleaning Up Forgotten Spaces Around Us
+ Bathroom Blogfest 2008: Trends in Bathrooms
+ Bathroom Blogfest '08 - A Place For Luxury
+ Bathroom Blogfest '08 - Fear and the Bathroom
+ Bathroom Blogfest '08: Dressing Rooms
+ Bathroom Blogfest '08 - Art & Shoppertainment
+ Bathroom Blogfest '08 - Advertising.

In addition to the Bathroom Blogfest Community, many thanks to:
+ David Reich for Put the Seat Down.
+ Darryl Orht for blog while you lay a log.
+ David Polinchock for Facebook The 2008 Bathroom Blogfest - Cleaning Up Forgotten Spaces All Around Us and Thrillist : SitOrSquat.

Thank you to Kate Rutter for having such relevant photos available on Flickr.

We promoted the Bathroom Blogfest more heavily in 2008 via a Facebook event. In fact, I added links to all of this year's posts there as well as to Twitter using the #ladiesrooms08 tag.

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Monday, November 3, 2008

Bathroom Blogfest '08 - Cleaning Out Forgotten Spaces Around Us

This year's Bathroom Blogfest took place from 10/26/2008 through 11/1/2008.

Here are the Bathroom Blogfest Community [BBC] members for Bathroom Blogfest ’08 - Cleaning Out Forgotten Spaces Around Us:

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

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Monday, November 5, 2007

Posts from Experienceology

Bathroom Blogfest is shaping up for 2007
Last year, a small group of female bloggers took on the challenge of bathrooms and their role in the customer experience. We had so much fun that we decided to repeat it this year and invited more women to take part. We currently have 22 bloggers signed up to participate, including the blogger for the National Kitchen and Bath Association (Ed Pell)...

Bathroom Blogfest starts today!
In our country, we take good facilities for granted. But in other countries, public sanitation is still an evolving experience. In Kiev, Ukraine, the world's first toilet museum caught a visitor "using" one of the exhibits...

Bathroom Blogfest visits American Girl Place
It's Day Two of the 2007 Bathroom Blogfest and we're at American Girl Place in Chicago. This amazing retail experience, three floors' worth, is all about girls and their mothers. So it might not be a surprise that...

Bathroom Blogfest: Stall of shame
Today we're going to look at some less successful examples. The first is nothing new, a line for the ladies room at a touristy area in San Diego.

Thoughtful bathrooms
Today I'm sharing some great features I've seen on my travels this last year. This cool sink at O'Hare Airport in Chicago provides easy access for people using wheelchairs while looking (and being) designed in. Would that all universal design was so seamless...

Special touches and attention to detail
What makes a bathroom memorable? I've been thinking about that on my travels this year. Despite the raised eyebrows I get when taking photos in and around public bathrooms, I have found some nice details to share...

Oceanaire Restaurant serves up a swanky bathroom
Yes, the food was great at the Oceanaire Seafood Room. But it was their bathroom that won them the coveted "Best Bathroom Experience Award 2007" from Experienceology. Okay, so it's not coveted yet. But it should be.

The last word
We've done it... another great time in the ladies room. I'd like to thank all the bloggers (24 of us!) and others who picked up the blogfest and gave it their own swirl. It had some odd moments, like when White Cloud toilet tissue added a fake person to our Facebook group...

Sunday, November 4, 2007

Posts from Flooring the Consumer

Bathroom Blogfest 2007 Wrapup

In case you missed any of the posts from Flooring The Consumer, here's what happened, starting with Let the 2007 Bathroom Blogfest Begin....

Day 1:
Taking Bathrooms To The Next Level - Kohler
Taking Bathrooms To The Next Level - II
Taking Bathrooms To The Next Level: Michigan Tile...

Day 2:
Bathroom Brand Manifestations:M&Ms
Bathroom Brand Manifestations: Bass Pro Shops
Bathroom Brand Manifestations: Mickey Mouse
Brand Manifestations In The Bathroom: Advertising

Day 3:
Bathroom Blogfest 2007 - Extreme Solutions
Bathroom Blogfest - More Extreme Solutions

Day 4: Bathroom Blogfest and Measurement

Day 5 [overlapping into Day 6]:
Bathroom Blogfest Brings It Home to Retail
Bringing The Bathroom Blogfest Home - Advice
Bringing the Bathroom Blogfest Truly Home


Friday, November 2, 2007

Posts from Customer Experience Crossroads

Best of the blogfest, or how to increase your traffic using a crazy topic
You can get a lot of people talking about something with a blogfest. Many of the less well-established blogs on the list saw major traffic boosts as a result of their participation. But the big jump in traffic on the group blog set up by organizer Stephanie Weaver was especially interesting to me. She sent in a note to Blogger, letting them know, and they highlighted the blog. Instant jump to thousands of page views. of course Blogger would not have done this if they didn't think the concept was interesting. So the formula remains the same -- you can get publicity if you have something interesting to say. read more

Extra touches at convention hotel ladiesroom
...when a convention centre goes to some extra effort to add comforting touches, it is noticeable. The Westin Bayshore was practically flawless in this area. See what they did with their bathrooms to keep conference goers happy. read more

Dining upscale casual and how this has improved the ladiesroom
Join us on a visit to Wildcraft in Waterloo, and see how this dining trend has changed the ladiesroom experience. People in our group were encouraging those who 'didn't have to go' to 'go anyway', just so they could see it. Lots of good pix, thank goodness for camera phones! read more

Taking the brand into the bathroom
In a retail space designed to profile a brand, what should the bathrooms look like? This question is addressed on Flooring the Consumer by guest author Marianne Cone. Ms. Cone visited the M&M's World and Hershey's stores in Times Square and discovered... that all the attention on the brand image completely disappears with the bathroom. read more of this round-up article

A family bathroom for a family restaurant

There's a neighborhood in Toronto we call Little India. It's really more Little Pakistan, but whatever. There's an iconic restaurant there called the Lahore Tikka House. It's been under renovation for at least two years, but in the fashion of this culture, they've continued to run the restaurant the whole time, building as resources permit. The staff are delightful, and the food is excellent, plentiful, and inexpensive. read more

Cleaning up the ladiesroom
The bathroom blogfest was cooked up on a let's-get-acquainted phone call between me and San Diego blogger Stephanie Weaver (Experienceology) a little over a year ago. We wanted a blogfest topic that related to customer experience but not in a specialized way … we tagged it ladiesrooms. ... What's the point of this? Well, every human being has to use the bathroom. But most organizations act like the bathroom is just a nuisance. read more

Posts from The Corporate Entrepreneur

Innovation Where You Least Expect It

Last year Susan Abbott of Customer Experience Crossroads and Stephanie Weaver of Experienceology alerted me to a blogfest they were running to clean up the ladiesrooms of the world. I wrote a post letting folks know about the Bathroom Blogfest and this year I was invited to participate in Bathroom Blogfest 2007 where 23 bloggers signed up for the event--Oct 28 through Nov 2--to coincide with National Kitchen and Bath month.

You might ask yourself what entrepreneurship, innovation, loos, and customer experience all have in common. Sometimes, the most innovative solutions are (dare I say it?) right under your nose.


The LightHouse for the Blind and Visually Impaired, based in San Francisco, has a workshop in West Oakland - LightHouse Industries - where a tank-size, high-tech machine spews out 61,000 packets of toilet paper an hour for servicemen and women. The military placed a rush order for millions of t
he little tissue packets for Iraq.

One of their largest customers, the military isn't their only customer.
The business also has contracts with the Federal Emergency Management Administration, pitching in when disasters require backup, as well as a growing list of commercial enterprises.

The workers at the Oakland plant--eight employees partially or completely visually impaired--played a big part in helping people displaced by Hurricane Katrina.


ABC news aired a short segment on Lighthouse for the Blind and Visually Impaired this past August.

George Clark, Chief Development Officer, and Gayle Uchida, Business Development Manager, look forward to expanding the markets for their TP packets with the new $800,000 machine that both improves workers' safety and increases production output. More customer contracts also mean greater profit for the workshop and financial perks for its employees!

Wednesday, October 31, 2007

Posts from Library Bytes

Posts coming soon!

Kitchen and Bath Business

If you are thinking of going eco-friendly, the bath is a great place to start. Check out our easy tips for going green during National Kitchen and Bath month.