Introducing BaaS. And we don’t mean Billing-as-a-Service.

by Kyle Christensen, Senior Director of Product Marketing

 

It seems like every day the Subscription Economy manages to convert another “product” into a “service”: Software-as-a-Service. Platforms-as-a-Service. Infrastructure-as-a-Service. Music-as-a-Service. Movies-as-a-Service.

 

Today we stumbled upon what may be the most…ahem…innovative service yet:

 

The Bathroom-as-a-Service.

 

No, really. Check it out at www.cloo-app.com. It’s called CLOO’ (short for community loo). To quote from their site: “CLOO’ is based on one simple truth— we all have to pee. Though in urban cities finding a clean, available restroom is difficult & frustrating. That’s where CLOO’ comes in.”

 

The idea is that if you live in a city, you can open up your private bathroom to members who sign-up for the CLOO community. In exchange for using your facilities rather than waiting in line for the Starbucks bathroom, members will kick you a small monetary contribution. Users can track down the closest loo on their mobile devices, members and hosts rate one another, and happiness and relief ensue.

 

Now…I’m sure peer-to-peer peeing doesn’t exactly appeal to everyone. But the fact that such a service actually exists is yet one more indicator that the “Subscription Generation” is growing more and more accustomed to sharing or subscribing rather than buying. And this shift is fundamentally changing how all companies will eventually do business.

 

Yes, Software-as-a-Service. Yes, Media-as-a-Service. But also Vehicles-as-a-Service (www.zipcar.com), and Handbags-as-a-Service (www.bagborroworsteal.com) and Vegetables-as-a-Service (www.farmfreshtoyou.com.) And today…the introduction of the Bathroom-as-a-Service (www.cloo-app.com.)

 

It’s a brave new world. Happy bathroom hunting.

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