We get it, the act of tipping can be a little awkward - even for cultures where tipping is common (or even expected), the act of tipping someone to show your gratitude can be a little uncomfortable. Doubts and concerns can creep in... How should I give it to them? Is this right amount? Do they keep it all?
Admittedly, this was a little easier when cash was the default choice for payments but this is no longer the case as cash use declines across the world at varying rates.
"[In the UK] Cash was used for 51% of all payments in 2013, but by 2023 this had fallen to 12%"
"In card-dominated markets such as the United States, where cash transactions represent just 5 percent of the value of consumer payments, cash usage will continue the gradual decline"
With fewer people carrying cash, the opportunities for receiving tips start to disappear and cause a problem. How does a customer who wants to tip, do so when they don't have cash? For the receiver, they're unlikely to have their own card machine or want to swap any personal details. If they're working for a business, the business doesn't want to process tips through their revenue and administer payments and liabilities. On top of that, what if the tips need to be split between a team or group of people, it starts to get very messy.
At the start of 2026, we were approached by Marmot tours with these very problems. Marmot run incredible supported cycling tours across Europe. Their specialist guides work in 2 person teams to lead avid cyclists through beautiful mountain landscapes. Guides are paired for their complementary skills, and their great teamwork creates fantastic cycling tours.
When guests have such a memorable time and they see how hard the guides work, most are keen to leave a token of their appreciation by tipping. Marmot guides never ask for or expect a tip but they had noticed how many guests were now asking for a way to tip without cash.
Following a short trial run in winter, Marmot setup with Tipd for the summer season. Each tour is set up as a Team in Tipd and the guides are added as Team Members. At the end of the tour when guests actively ask how they can tip, they can still use cash or they can choose to use Tipd to pay by Google Pay, Apple Pay or bank card.
Tipd lets the guest tip from their own phone without the awkward conversation, they can choose a pre-set amount or enter their own and the amount is evenly split between the two guides, automatically. In addition, in the vast majority of cases, the guest covers the Tipd platform fee too, so that the guides receive 100% of the intended tip amount for the trust and convenience guaranteed by Tipd.
The barrier to cashless tipping has been smoothed out and the guides receive their tips within 2 working days, direct to their bank account.
What's more, guests can leave messages with their tips so the guides now see a stream of positivity against their transactions to reflect on after a hard week of touring! We've included a couple of these lovely (but anonymous) comments below
Thanks for a great holiday! Already on the next Marmot trip 😀
Thank you for being so enthusiastic and encouraging in your cycling adventures. Always happy to help and accommodate our needs. Always pleasure to have you as our guides in my trips 😊
The reviews and the messages speak for themselves... Amazing trips mean very happy customers and they often want to tip to show their appreciation. All your tour business needs to do to see these same benefits, is make this process as easy as possible and Tipd is here to help you do that.
For more information you can contact us for a demo or download the app to get started 🚀
