TipDisc Success Story

The Genesis of TipDisc

Xenia: How did you come up with the idea of TipDisc?

TipDisc: The pandemic reshaped the world economy in unprecedented ways. Entire industries went digital seemingly overnight. New sectors were born as a result. The pandemic forced a dramatic shift in the service industry. Restaurants and other organizations scrambled to adopt new business models just to stay afloat. While many restaurants were fortunate enough to stay open throughout 2020, many others were not. In the U.S., the pandemic forced roughly 110,000 restaurants and eateries to shut down. Those that survived found it difficult to attract and retain workers.

Despite the massive business casualties and the pandemic’s lasting impact, there remains a silver lining. The crisis shed new light on how vitally important service industry workers truly are. The brave men and women who prepared and delivered our food during the pandemic demonstrated the importance of this portion of the workforce. The pandemic highlighted the vital role service industry workers play. While many restaurants struggled to stay afloat, the dedication of these workers ensured people still had access to food.

The Challenge of Fair Compensation

Were these workers always fairly compensated for their efforts? Perhaps there are other service industry professions, beyond waiters and waitresses, who could benefit from a system that allows customers to directly tip for outstanding service. Tipping service industry workers can be tricky, especially for those who don’t traditionally receive tips. TipDisc was created to solve this problem. It’s a user-friendly app that allows customers to send digital tips to these workers easily. This benefits everyone involved. The customer can conveniently show appreciation. The employee receives extra income. The business sees happier and more motivated staff.

In many Western countries, if one wishes to add a tip to their restaurant bill, they can either leave a cash tip or add it to the total of their card transaction. This is commonplace in the United States. But it’s generally only limited to restaurants, bars, and hair salons. What about service industry jobs that lack an easy way to provide a tip, such as an accountant, travel agent, or barista? What about locations where tipping isn’t as traditional, such as the United Kingdom? This was ultimately the issue to address.

The Modern Tipping Solution

Cash is becoming less common. Only one in five people carry it nowadays. Nearly half of all transactions are made via debit or credit card. This highlights the need for a new way to tip – something intuitive, contactless, and designed for the modern world.

Because service workers in the UK are mostly low-paid, tips for outstanding service are a great means of support for those struggling, especially those reeling from the lasting effects of the pandemic. People often find themselves in the precarious situation of wanting to leave a tip, but not having the cash on hand to do so. Non-tip businesses generally don’t have an easy way for a customer to add a credit or debit card tip for good service. This is ultimately the problem that needs to be solved, and TipDisc offers a solution to the issue.

Benefits for All

This new tipping system aims to make things easier for both customers and staff. Customers can instantly tip with their cards, ensuring service industry workers receive their well-deserved gratuities. Happier and more motivated staff, in turn, lead to a more positive customer experience. This translates to higher customer satisfaction and, ultimately, increased profits for the business. Satisfied customers are more likely to tip generously and return for future visits, creating a positive cycle for everyone involved.

With this solution, everybody wins.

Naming and Development

Xenia: Why “TipDisc” and not another name?

TipDisc: The tip portion of the name is self-explanatory. As for the other half, the prototype of the product was originally in a disc-shaped holder. Hence the name TipDisc. Inside the disc is a tablet with running software that allows customers to simply tap their card and provide tips instantly. However, the name might not be permanent.

As the United Kingdom begins to open up its service sector in the wake of the pandemic, we are growing and scaling quickly, leading to many changes and reconfigurations. The finished product is vastly different from the prototype, due to countless improvements and upgrades to its design during beta testing. This is normal in the development of a product. Thus, the company will likely alter the name to better describe the product and enhance branding as we move forward. The product evolves, and we hear feedback from our users. This will undoubtedly result in a more efficient product with sleeker UI and UX components.

Overcoming Development Challenges

Xenia: What was the original challenge you had that led you to look for development?

TipDisc: By far the biggest hurdle in developing the product was startup expenditures and making the whole process cost-effective. As a single entrepreneur with no large company behind me and a very limited budget, I had to get creative without being reckless.

It was imperative to develop the product on a budget while still receiving the best possible value for my money. This wasn’t easy at first and led to many internal dilemmas. Do I cut my losses and go with a well-established design company? Should I go as cheap as possible to accommodate my budget while still having a financial cushion in case something went astray?

Initially, I chose not to work with smaller companies due to the fear that they may be here today and gone tomorrow. Or even worse, I ran the risk of developers just quitting halfway through the project – not out of the question during uncertain economic times. This would be a nightmare.

I hoped for a company of a particular size that could meet my requirements and cost expectations. I eventually came to the understanding that working with an offshore agency was the optimal choice. Doing so was the best option to see that my vision would be implemented correctly and made into a valuable product for people across the globe.

I eventually met with Will in Danang, Vietnam, and we began to talk about a development plan. His knowledge and expertise were immediately clear. Thus, I felt confident he and his team possessed the resources to meet my requirements and cost projections. The entire experience exceeded all expectations, and I have absolutely zero regrets about the decision to develop offshore with Xenia.

Collaboration with Xenia

Xenia: What are the things you like the most about working with Xenia?

TipDisc: The aspect I find most impressive is that Xenia Tech is always consistent with its resources. Even if a developer is on sick leave, there will always be others who fill in and seamlessly take on the role. They have technical leads and senior members who are well-informed experts in their field. This makes product management much easier and provides a sense of trust that I highly value in a design team.

The team always welcomes me at their office with warmhearted smiles and greetings. They are not only professional but also friendly and caring on a personal level. This was welcomed while doing business in a foreign country in an unfamiliar culture. I couldn’t have asked for a more welcoming and professional atmosphere.

One of the key elements that was extremely helpful was their weekly reports detailing work that had been recently undertaken. These comprehensive reports include project management hours, development hours, key milestones, problem fixes, and the project status as a whole.

Having that kind of all-encompassing information in one place helps make sure everyone is always on the same page regarding what progress has been made and what issues have arisen. This was all completed in English and without any flaws in information. The whole organization functioned like a well-oiled machine.

Positive Feedback and Future Growth

Xenia: What have your first impressions been from the bar owners you demoed to?

TipDisc: I visited fifty venues and all of them unanimously stated, “Yes, we want this solution!” I am happy to report that the number of interested business owners outperformed my assumptions. I am thrilled with the amount of positive feedback. That just goes to show that innovating for the better good truly resonates with people. The product speaks for itself and provides a sleek solution to a well-understood problem, so businesses are on board. This has saved valuable time and we have so far managed to avoid long and pricey business pitches as a result.

The positive response was significant because it proved my theory. People are genuinely open to giving tips so long as there is an easy means to do so. Imagine a situation where you are completely satisfied with your service and hope to give extra compensation for a job well done, just to discover you are short on cash and have no way to transfer funds. This could lead to an unwanted awkward encounter that may or may not result in receiving their tip. However, by allowing customers the opportunity to send tips instantly, such as is the case with TipDisc, there is less chance of such an occurrence.

Additional Support from Xenia

Xenia: Apart from development matters, did you receive additional support from Xenia that played a significant role in your product launch and growth?

TipDisc: Hoang, who is the CTO, was a great help during product development by identifying the problems before they even existed. He and the team provide tremendous support and have kept me updated and in the loop throughout the entire process. Despite a few very minor pitfalls, the team’s communication and expertise have been impressive.

Besides development matters, my relationship with Will – CEO of Xenia Tech – is one of the key factors that has made TipDisc successful. I am no stranger to running a business, but I have never had a project that required so much scalability as this one did. Will’s expertise and experience as an entrepreneur proved invaluable. His knowledge and command of strategic investments are unparalleled. I feel privileged that I had the chance to work with him and hope to team up with him again soon.