Every cleaning business owner wants the same thing: a team that cares about every job as if it were their own home. You can train for it, check for it and talk about it in team meetings. But nothing works quite like a simple, quiet reason to care.
That’s what customer tips for cleaners do. And now they’re built into ProCleaner UK.
Why tips change how your team works
Here’s the clever bit. Once your cleaners know a customer can tip them, every job changes slightly, even if they never think about it directly.
- The extra two minutes on the skirting boards suddenly feel worth it.
- The cushions get straightened and the bathroom gets a final wipe.
- They arrive on time and leave a friendly note.
- They remember the customer’s dog’s name.
None of this is because you asked. It’s because every customer now has a way to say thank you, and your team knows it. That reward is always in the back of their mind, and it quietly lifts the standard of every clean.
The result is a win win:
- Your customers get a better clean and an easy way to show their appreciation.
- Your cleaners earn more and feel valued for the work they put in.
- You get a team that takes more pride in their work, better reviews, and customers who stay longer.
And you don’t pay a penny more in wages to get it.
It rewards the right people
Bonus schemes are tricky. They’re hard to make fair, they cost you money, and someone always feels left out.
Tips are different. The customer decides, based on the job they actually received. Your best cleaners naturally earn the most, because they’re the ones customers want to thank. It’s the fairest reward system there is, and you don’t have to run it.
Seeing it straight away makes all the difference
A thank-you that arrives weeks later on a payslip doesn’t mean much. A thank-you that arrives the same day does.
The moment a customer leaves a tip, the cleaners on that job get a notification on their phone: “You got a tip! 🎉”. They can see all their tips on their dashboard in the staff app: this month, all time, and which customers they came from.
That instant feedback is what makes it work. Your cleaners see exactly which customers appreciate them, and they want to keep it that way.
How it works for your customers
When a customer pays an invoice online, they’re asked if they’d like to add a tip for their cleaner. They can tap £2, £5 or £10, type their own amount, or carry on with no tip. No pressure and no awkwardness.
It works wherever they pay online:
- the Pay Now link in your invoice texts
- the Pay Now button in your invoice emails
- their customer portal
Most people don’t carry cash any more. Without a card option, the customers who want to say thank you simply can’t. Now they can.
Fair splits, done for you
- One cleaner on the job: they get the whole tip.
- A team of two or three: it’s split equally, to the penny.
- A monthly invoice covering lots of jobs: it’s shared equally between everyone who worked them.
Paid out automatically
- Employed staff: tips go on their next payslip as a “Customer tips” line.
- Xero Payroll users: tips sync to Xero with the hours, on their own pay item.
- Self-employed staff who invoice you: tips are added to their next invoice.
- Accountant reports: tips get their own column.
Every tip is paid once and only once, and you can see on the Tips page exactly how each one was paid.
Spot your stars
Your Tips page shows who has earned what, your average tip and your top earner. If one cleaner keeps getting tipped, you know exactly who your customers rate. That’s useful when you’re choosing a team leader, training new starters or deciding who looks after your most important customers.
Frequently asked questions
Do customers have to leave a tip?
No. Tipping is completely optional. Customers can carry on and pay the invoice with no tip, and it’s just as easy.
Will my customers feel pressured?
No. It’s one simple question when they pay, with a clear option to pay with no tip. There are no reminders and no follow-ups.
Is the tip added to my invoice?
No. The tip is kept separate, so your invoice total, VAT and reports stay exactly as they were.
Who gets the tip if two cleaners did the job?
It’s split equally between everyone assigned to that job, to the penny.
Do my cleaners know when they’ve been tipped?
Yes. They get a notification on their phone straight away and can see their tips on their staff dashboard.
How do I pay the tips to my staff?
You don’t need to do anything. Tips are added to employed staff’s payslips automatically when you run payroll, and to self-employed staff’s invoices. If you pay a tip another way, mark it as paid on the Tips page.
Do tips work with Xero?
Yes. Choose a Customer Tips pay item in your Xero settings and tips sync to Xero with the hours.
Can customers tip with cash?
Tips in ProCleaner UK are for card payments only. Cash tips handed straight to your cleaner are between them and the customer.
Do I need Stripe?
Yes. Tips work when customers pay online, so you need Stripe connected.
What does the law say about tips?
Since October 2024, UK employers must pass on all tips to workers in full, share them fairly and keep a record. ProCleaner UK records who every tip was split between and how it was paid. Check with your accountant how tips should be taxed for your business.
How do I turn it on?
Go to Settings, then the Payments tab, and switch on Let Customers Add a Tip. That’s it.
A small change with a big effect
You don’t need a new bonus scheme, a pay rise or another team meeting to lift your standards. You just need to give your customers a way to say thank you, and your team a reason to earn it.
Not using ProCleaner UK yet? Start your free trial and give your team something to smile about.for great work. And you don’t have to do anything extra to make it happen.