The Green Sheet Online Edition
January 1, 2017 • 17:01:01
Mobile app for convenient, secure cashless tipping
Dallas-based SmartBlue Technologies Inc. created Tipatuity, an application that uses the Dwolla Inc. payment platform to process cashless gratuities. Growing adoption of mobile payment technologies has decreased the average amount of cash that consumers typically carry day-to-day.
The movement toward a cashless society has affected many service professionals who have traditionally relied on cash tips. Tipatuity bridges the gap by enabling its members to give and receive tips on the spot and instantaneously, the company stated.
Tipatuity's instant money transfers and digital tip jars facilitate simple and anonymous tipping across numerous service industries, including valet professionals, hotel staff and outdoor event coordinators. Tipatuity members can send and receive payments via linked bank accounts or prepaid debit cards without exchanging names, email addresses or physical currency. Users receive automatic notifications within the app and by email with every transaction.
"Our goal to allow people to express their gratitude towards others," said Trevor McLaughlin, Chief Executive Officer at SmartBlue Technologies. "We feel that our service and app allows for a fun and simple way to do this."
Shehadi Dayekh, Ph.D., founder of SmartBlue and Tipatuity, said members appreciate Tipatuity's built-in reporting and tracking tools. The service will "empower service professionals with the tools they need to make the money they deserve and to bring more of the in-store tip jars online," he added.
One-on-one, one-to-many payments
Tipatuity noted that its members can use a dynamic group management feature on the app's money transfer portal to direct payments to individuals, teams and businesses. The service is free to senders; recipients pay a 2 percent facilitation fee for gratuity transactions.
The company imposes no limits on the number of daily transactions members can do each day. Business account transactions have a default limit of $10,000 per transaction; personal accounts are typically capped at $5,000 per transaction. Exceptions may apply, company representatives stated.
Following are additional standard features of the app listed by Tipatuity:
- Simple account activation: Account setup can be easily completed on a computer or connected device. Tippers have the option of signing up as members or tipping as guests.
- Go Active feature: Service professionals can "Go Active" when they begin their shifts to become discoverable to tippers.
- Search: Members can use geolocation search to locate nearby individuals, tip jars and businesses. They can also search by Tipatuity username and read profiles and reviews.
- Give and receive tips: Users can give and receive tips of up to $5,000 per transaction for personal accounts and up to $10,000 per transaction for business accounts.
- Anonymous tips: Tipatuity facilitates anonymous donations for select transactions such as charitable and fund-raising activities.
- PIN security: Tipatuity members can receive two-factor authentication with a one-time PIN code to further safeguard transactions. PIN activation can be done in the security settings of the app.
- Tip and review: Social features enable users to rate and comment on provided services. Members can add photos to personalize their Tipatuity profiles and make it easier for others to discover and identify them.
- Tip sharing: Digital tip jars facilitate tip-share, a feature that divides collective tips among active jar users. Tip jar administrators collect any extra cent(s) that may result from that division.
- Recordkeeping: Tipatuity reporting and recordkeeping enables members to maintain a history of their jobs.
- Operating system support: Tipatuity currently operates in the U.S. market. The downloadable app is available on the web, Google Play and the Apple App Store.
Website: www.tipatuity.com Contact: support@tipatuity.com
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