Gratuity option for parents to tip staff members

I have been a customer of Procare Software since 2012. I love the software and how it helps me manage my business. However, there is one super important feature missing that will help the entire struggling industry.

Procare has the possibility of being at the forefront of solving the child care crisis, with one very simple feature: having parents be able to tip staff members.

It is no secret that the biggest problem facing our industry since COVID is the ability to hire and retain qualified staff. All are fleeing to higher paying, remote jobs. In the past few months, every time I turn around, a new business that never asked for tips is now asking for them. Why should such an important industry be left out of this tipping frenzy?

Last night I was out to dinner with my family and the Square screen was turned toward me with the minimum tip suggestion being 25%! It used to be that the three choices were 10%, 15% and 20%. Now 25% is the low end, and I doubt that people will select "Custom Tip" to tip something lower.

What would make sense for my business is:

1. After processing Tuition Express, I always email parents their account statements.

2. That email should include a button that says "Tips for Staff" with the text "100% of tips go directly to staff members". It should be clear this is optional, but cute and inviting.

3. In my case, I want pooled tips, ie. not tips to a particular staff member (our staff move from one age group to another too often). Maybe some centers want to allow picking a staff member or group of staff members. I don't need that.

4. It should give a suggested percent of tuition, with the parent being able to go higher or lower, or a specific dollar amount.

5. I would like the ability to (optionally) designate what the tips for that month will be used for (New furniture fund, Staff luncheon fund, Outdoor playground toys)

6. Tips can be run through Tuition Express via the same account information that tuition was just run through.

7. Tips go to my bank account, from which I distribute to staff (I don't run payroll through Procare, maybe some of your clients want the $$ rolled into payroll. I don't need this.)

I have run this idea by my staff, and they LOVE this idea. They love the idea of being recognized by parents and they love the idea of having an occasional "slush fund" that they could use at their discretion to buy new things for the center. I'm sure parents would really like the ability to recognize the staff that works so hard caring for their kids, knowing the extra $$ go to staff.

It is not that we don't already ask parents for $$ for the staff luncheon fund, we do. But being able to do this automatically and regularly is key. Just like when you buy your cup of coffee in the morning, you don't think twice about adding $1 or 20% for the barista. Tipping your childcare worker should be just as automatic and normal.