The Ultimate Traffic Driver: The Rest Room
By Bernice Hurst, Managing Director, Fine Food Network
Translations first. What Americans call GPS is called satnav (short for satellite navigation) in the U.K. And what you call rest rooms are referred to as lavs (lavatories). Hence the nickname Sat Lav for Westminster Council's new text messaging service.
Designed to help people find the nearest toilet when they're out and about in London, it started with the Council's own public conveniences. Stores started signing up almost immediately, according to councilor Alan Bradley.
Westminster covers 8.5 square miles in the center of London and includes virtually all of its main shopping areas.
Councilor Bradley told BBC Radio 2's Rebecca Fox that the idea came from an industrial design student who won a competition sponsored by the Council seeking innovative ways to help visitors to the city. Although many people use stores' facilities whether or not they are shopping, some may feel the odd twinge of guilt at taking advantage. Security guards and sales staff have been known to chase people away and point out that they are for paying customers only. A store that has no objection, however, may be chosen over another destination. And, once through the doors, there is every likelihood that the potential customer will relax and become an actual customer.
The system couldn't be easier to use. Texting the word "toilet" to the designated number produces a reply within three minutes outlining the nearest facilities and their opening times. A satellite pinpoints the caller's location and calculates distances automatically. Unlike satnav systems that are notorious for giving longwinded and incorrect directions, satlav does not tell users how to get where they want to go. Although, as the service is only available within Westminster's borders at the moment, anyone calling from further afield may have quite a distance to travel.
Discussion Questions: What do you think of easy-access rest rooms as a traffic driver to stores? Could this be a new point of differentiation? Have you heard of any American retailers finding success with similar services?
[Author's commentary] I've been warned to expect wise cracks about drunken Brits and their foul public behavior but somehow that would be missing the point which, as I see it, is a grand opportunity to encourage folks to do what they do already but without having to sneak around, looking over their shoulders for a security guard. Once they've entered, of course, it's up to the retailer to encourage them to stay and shop.