changeadminIf you are a woman and have travelled to different places, how many times have you grimaced at the very thought of using a public toilet?
Especially during road trips, you will often not find a decent toilet unless you stay at a hotel.
If you are a man and have travelled with a female companion, it is your duty to ensure that the lady addresses her nature’s call in a secure and private place.
You need to ensure that any unwanted elements are not snooping around in your woman companion’s private space.
While most of us would only hope that things change for the better in our society, few would dare to make a difference.
The story of Yashwant and Neelam Singh is the same: a young couple from Indore.
During one of their intercity bus trips, when Neelam (wife) could not find a suitable toilet at a supposed stop, she searched for a dark corner.
Instead of a dark corner, she encountered hooligans with dark intentions; her husband noticed the incident in time and raised the alarm.
This is not a one-off story; women face this frequently, and some may not be as fortunate as Neelam.
That said, regardless of gender, it is important for all of us to have a clean, hygienic, and comfortable toilet.
With that thought, Yashwant decided to launch Lootel, a smart, technology-enabled, comfortable, and luxurious restroom.
It was in 2017 when IIT graduate Yashwant decided to quit his well-paying job and became an “accidental entrepreneur”
Here is an edited version of our conversation with Yashwant Suthar, in which we discussed his story about starting Lootel Cafe and Restroom. For the full discussion, please watch the video.
How did it start? – A life-changing event
I am an industrial designer and worked at an automotive OEM as an automotive designer. I never intended to work in the sanitation industry.
One day on a bus trip, my wife had to use the toilet but couldn’t find a suitable place, so she decided to slip into a dark corner.
One guy started following her; I raised the alarm, and it was a near miss. It was one of the worst incidents I’ve ever experienced.
By God’s grace, nothing happened, but it was a life-changing event.
So what is the concept?
The main problem with public toilet infrastructure in India is not the buildings or facilities, but operations.
Additionally, we found that in India, there are two things: a toilet and a tea shop, neither of which is up to the mark.
We decided to combine the two with LooTel, a portmanteau of “loo” and “hotel”. It is a cafe on the front and a toilet at the back, where the cafe supports the toilet.
We opened our first public toilet in January 2017 and charge Rs. 10 for use; this amount can be applied as a discount on a purchase from the cafe.
This way, it is financially sustainable; without that, no product or service can succeed.
We currently have 4 cafes: 3 in Indore (Madhya Pradesh) and 1 in Rameshwaram (Tamil Nadu).
How do you manage the Logistics?
We work with municipal councils and submit tenders, which is a standard process. Depending on the location, different models may apply.
Despite a few bureaucratic challenges, such as delays and officer changes, the government overall supports startups, as it is encouraging them.
Given the social stigma associated with the toilet, how was your family’s support?
As a married man with kids, I have many responsibilities. Before going to mother and father, one has to go to their life partner; she was okay when I told her about this.
My father commented, “Jab sulabh hi chalana tha toh IIT se kyon padha” (When you had to run a toilet, why did you go to study in IIT).
What is the role of technology in your concept?
From Day 1, we invested in technology, but it has evolved continuously over the last 3 years due to various issues.
We have applied an IoT (Internet of Things) solution for LooTel toilets that provides comprehensive, real-time access to toilet health and significantly improves outcomes. Sensor data is helping generate insights and drive improvements.
Additionally, we feature sensors to detect odours and assess water consumption, and an emergency button that raises the alarm at the outlet and alerts the central control room.
The central dashboard provides live data on whether the toilet is in use or vacant, and all information is captured.
How are the response and the footfalls?
Depends on the area; sometimes it is 200-300, and in the peak time, it reaches 600 as well.
Are you looking for investments?
Yes, we are looking. Having said that, we are in a taboo sector, like who would like to invest in public toilets? As such, we are not a tech company; we operate as a service company.
This is a CAPEX-heavy business, so I want investment, but I know it will take its own time.
How are you pulling people to use and pay for the toilet?
We might charge Rs 10, but a person can redeem it for a cafe item, so, in a way, it is free for the user. Interestingly, a street hawker boy is my returning customer; he uses the toilet 3 times a day.
We are using digital marketing, and word-of-mouth publicity is working amazingly. So we have many returning customers.
Do you have any idols?
I try to learn from many people; you can learn anything from anyone. Ratan Tata, Mahindra, Ambani. Elon Musk, Jack Ma – everyone has their unique point. You cannot become 2nd Ratan Tata or 2nd Mahindra.
I can learn a lot from these people and adopt many of their practices. I do not blindly follow anyone; I learn from everyone.
I am happy to be known as a Public Toilet guy, I did this startup to provide service of Public Toilets accessible in India.
Future Plans?
Our future plan is to work on both design and technology. One day I want to see 70mm INOX screen of all the Public Toilet – one control room of whole India.
My goal is to make a significant change in public toilets in India.
Let us wish Yashwant Suthar and his Lootel cafe and restroom success.
Here is the complete video of the conversation.
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