Hotel Equities Partners With Grazzy and Visa Direct for Digital Tipping

Hotel Equities has launched a digital tipping platform powered by Grazzy and Visa Direct.

The platform provides guests staying at any of the firm’s hotels with a convenient, secure and cashless way to leave tips for housekeeping, front desk, and other hotel staff, Hotel Equities said in a Tuesday (July 11) press release.

“Our associates drive results, and we are constantly seeking ways to enhance their work experience, which is why we are excited about our partnership with Grazzy and Visa Direct,” David Rosenberg, senior vice president of operations at Hotel Equities, said in the release. “By implementing digital tipping, we are not only modernizing the tipping process but also providing our associates with an additional avenue.”

Guests at Hotel Equities locations are able to scan a property-branded QR code in their hotel room or other signage around the hotel and then select the staff they wish to tip and enter the amount.

As of now, the initiative is available at select HE hotels and will continue to be introduced in the coming months, the release said.

“We are committed to turning inefficient, time-consuming processes into innovative digital experiences for businesses, their employees and customers,” said Yanilsa Ore-Gonzalez, senior vice president and head of Visa Direct, North America, said in the release.

PYMNTS research has found that customer are hungry for digital experiences when they travel.

For example, a recent survey found that 73% want to use their mobile phones for functionalities such as checking in to hotels, ordering food and paying, as reported in “Can Automation Solve Labor Shortages in the Hospitality Sector?,” the May edition of the “Hospitality Tracker,” a PYMNTS and LS Retail collaboration.

For hospitality businesses, instant cashless tips also offer a retention solution at a time of labor shortages. Companies across the restaurant and hospitality spectrum have added digital tipping capabilities.