Bathrooms

We have a continuous problem with mall shoppers treating our bathrooms as public bathrooms. They are for customers. One time, some kid came in wanting to know where a bathroom was. Told him there was Macy's and the food court. The mall has three public bathrooms. One in the food court, another one a floor above that, and another one in the other food court. Now, most department store associates do not have to clean their own bathrooms. As far as we know. We do. We like to keep our bathrooms clean, since we use them more than anyone else.

Another time, a older man came in wanting to know where there was a public bathroom. My boss directed him to the mall's public bathrooms because it was obvious he didn't need to use one. He already had. He needed to clean up. If you know what I mean.

Then, last year, this guy comes in with his little girl who apparently really needed to go. My LA makes a comment that our bathrooms are not for public use, but for customers. He gets all offended and they got back and forth in this heated dispute. My SM at the time had to come out and calm them down. He says he and his wife do shop at Talbots and they were here just the other day and spent a lot of money. His daughter should be able to use our restroom. He, too, is a business owner. When the LA said the restroom was for customers, he pulled out his wallet and said, "fine, you pick something out and I'll buy it." He was really mad. Personally, she handled the situation the wrong way.

My current SM says if the person wanting to use the restroom is a shopper at our store, fine. It's a judgment call. If it's obviously just someone looking for a public restroom, point them to one. Because I have done that to teenagers and people who are obviously not going to shop in our store. If they come in looking for a public restroom, I'll send them on their way. Just this week, someone asked me if they could use our restroom. I responded that, it was for customers. She turned around and walked out. Now, if she went in, used it, and shopped around, fine. No big deal. But obviously, she just wanted to run in, use our "facilities", and run back out.

We have a big problem with people treating our restrooms like public restrooms. Leaving messes, plugging up the toilets... and when I mean messes, I mean MESSES. I don't think I need to get into detail here, do I? I think you get my point. Does anyone have anything to say? Anyone know if department stores have their associates clean the bathrooms or do they have cleaning crews?

Now, personally, yes, I do run into bookstores, Old Navy, and coffee places to use their restroom. But what do I do usually after I'm done? I do some shopping there. Personally, I feel guilty running into Starbucks, Borders, Old Navy, Michaels, or Barnes & Nobles JUST to use their restroom. The least they deserve is that I browse their store. Most of the time, with the exception probably of Old Navy, I do end up buying something. Old Navy... just don't always find anything there. Borders and Barnes & Nobles - there's always a book I can buy. Starbucks. Come on. Can you really walk in and use their restroom and walk back out? How do you not feel guilty about that? At least buy a drink. It doesn't even have to be that expensive. They've got stuff that costs around a dollar.

Topic of the next post: kids in the store.