How to Improve Hygiene in Shopping Centres

With cases still on the rise almost a year after the global pandemic began, maintaining good hygiene and disinfection standards and applying social distancing measures is more vital than ever, especially in high-traffic areas like shopping centres. 

You’ll be well aware that first impressions are crucial. Keeping your shop tidy will improve your clients’ experience. Remember that a customer’s initial impression is a direct reflection of your brand. Nothing makes customers happier than shopping in a clean store.

Improving hygiene and taking extra care is critical not just to prevent  Covid-19 infection and other illnesses, but also to give shoppers and employees peace of mind that your stores are safe settings, not just now, but in the future.

Hence, let’s check some valuable insights and tips on how to improve your store’s general hygiene and cleanliness and create effective shopping mall guidelines for Covid-19 with sample hygiene products

Retail Hygiene Recommendations

Unsanitary and unkept restrooms and urinal care have been shown to have a detrimental impact on judgment, evaluation, purchase likelihood, and willingness to pay for things. 

To avoid unsanitary conditions, 66% of buyers would shorten their shopping time. 

In the retail market, where generating customer loyalty is critical to profitability, the consequences of inadequate hygiene could be disastrous for your company and include the following:

  • Drive traffic to your competitors
  • Reduce the lengths to stay and, as a result, overall spending
  • Drive people away during peak periods because facilities are overloaded
  • Alienate certain visitors, resulting in customers refusing to return due to their negative experience in hygienic facilities.  

Entrances /Escalators /ash desks

The customer’s first impression of your business is formed from the entryway of any retail establishment, regardless of location. Make it a pleasant welcome into a friendly setting for your visitors that promotes your brand.

Germs can be transferred from contaminated hands to seven different surfaces and can remain on a surface for up to 48 hours.

Ensure dirt, sticky handprints, and stains are removed from high-traffic locations such as entrances and high-touch surfaces such as counters, till points, and handrails.

  • 80% of the dirt in buildings comes in on your clients’ shoes from the street. Entrance mats serve to improve your business image by demonstrating more concern and care to your visitors.
  • Poor air quality creates the impression of a dirty space. To eliminate odours and provide a good first impression, use air fresheners or air purifiers. Make sure to check our wide range of high quality air fresheners to find the best match for your shopping centre.
  • Touch is responsible for 80% of infectious illness transmission. Prepare a supply of hand and surface sanitisers to kill germs and prevent the spread of diseases. We are happy to provide affordable hand sanitisers that will keep your shop safe and clean. 

Washrooms

Washrooms are an important part of a good shopping experience and have a significant impact on customer spend and dwell time.

Shopping centre cleaning programs should not just focus on removing apparent dirt; they should also pay attention to high-risk locations like feminine hygiene facilities, handles, and the area surrounding the sink.

  • If they realize the restroom facilities aren’t able to keep up, more than 20% of people will leave a store earlier than expected. Ensure that they are clean and that proper facilities for hand washing and drying, as well as sanitary waste disposal, are accessible. 
  • No-touch fixtures help to prevent the spread of germs, which is important in achieving customer expectations for personal hygiene.
  • When people enter a restroom, the smell is the first thing they notice. To guarantee that visitors are not repelled from the space, provide a fresh smelling or scented washroom.

Food courts /Kitchens /Food preparation areas

Bacteria levels in some food courts have been discovered to be 1,000 times higher than the permitted norm, according to studies. 

Open kitchens in food courts are highly visible to customers and demonstrate how much your management team values their customers. To complement the whole shopping experience, food cleanliness, disinfection process, and safety are essential.  

  • To decrease the possibility of contamination from the surface to the hands, wipe high chairs completely after each use.
  • Ensure that sink area are clean and that hand washing, drying, and sanitizing facilities are available on the premises.
  • Educate employees on proper hand-washing and glove-wearing procedures.
  • Kitchen surfaces should be cleaned on a regular basis. Provide hand sanitiser to further reduce cross-contamination.

Concluding Thoughts

Cleaning your shop will pay off in the long run because your customers will return for more. No customer will return to a dirty establishment that has not been properly maintained. As a result, make simple maintenance, and a disinfection process a priority for your own health and that of your customers. After all, you want them to have the best experience possible. 

Hyex is happy to provide all the essential hygiene solutions for your shopping centre to keep it safe and clean. 

Make sure to check our high-quality hygiene products, bathroom equipment and make your purchase today! Keep in mind we provide Australia-wide shipping. 

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