BWH Hotel Group has selected eTip as an endorsed digital tipping solution for guests to send gratuities to team members. It will be available at properties within the BWH Hotel Group portfolio, including Best Western Hotels & Resorts and SureStay Hotel Group hotels in the United States and Canada.
Online and digital payments continue to rise to the point when it is now reported that only 16 percent of U.S. customers still carry cash. The eTip system lets guests support workers who rely on tips while removing complexities and friction points found in traditional tipping models.
"We are committed to providing the best possible experience for our guests and bringing value to BWH Hotel Group hoteliers and their associates," said Michael Morton, VP, brand management, BWH Hotel Group. "We're excited to offer eTip digital tipping solution as a convenient way our valued guests can show appreciation to our dedicated hotel associates. We are equally excited to offer our associates a choice to receive their tips in real-time directly into their bank accounts. Innovation and caring are at the heart of our brand and we're proud to partner with eTip to innovate the tipping experience for guests and hoteliers alike."
The system requires no mobile app download or login credentials. Guests can scan a QR code using the camera on their mobile phone, tap the banner that appears on their screen and then securely tip using their preferred payment method. It also offers "tap to tip," which gives users the ability to pay through an NFC-enabled QR-code. The feature is activated by a user tapping their smartphone on the QR code, automatically opening the profile of the associate or department the guest wishes to tip. Once the guest leaves a tip electronically, associates can receive the tip in their bank account in real-time through Visa Direct, eliminating the need to wait for a tip to be paid through the weekly or biweekly payroll process.
"We are seeing an increase in market demand for a fast, reliable, and fully digitized tipping experience for hotel guests and employees in the hospitality industry," said Yanilsa Gonzalez-Ore, SVP of Visa Direct. "ETip now offers a digital tipping solution, enabled by Visa Direct, to BWH Hotel Group, helping to modernize that process for their guests and employees."