• Cash is king when it comes to tipping petrol attendants in South Africa.
• But more and more South Africans are moving away from cash and towards contactless forms of payment.
• The Engen 1app now allows customers to tip petrol attendants and cashiers at Engen garages by scanning a QR code.
• The tip will be deposited into the worker’s Telkom Pay Wallet.
• For more articles go to www.BusinessInsider.co.za.

Motorists filling up at Engen garages across South Africa can now tip their petrol attendants through a mobile app which scans a unique QR code.

Tipping petrol attendants when paying for fuel with a bank card is a largely unsolved issue in South Africa. A tip for the service provided at petrol stations, which in addition to pumping fuel could include a windscreen wash, tire pressure, oil, and water check is usually reserved for cash payments only.

But South Africans are slowly moving away from cash – and even cards – to contactless payment methods, spurred by the Covid-19 pandemic. This makes it harder for petrol attendants, who are already only paid a fraction above the minimum wage, to earn a living.

A partnership between Engen and Telkom looks to change this with the introduction of a digital tipping system.

The Engen 1app, launched in mid-2020, allows customers to pay for their fuel and earn loyalty points without needing cash or a card. The mobile app is linked to the customer’s debit or credit card and scans a QR code – similar to SnapScan or Zapper – to process payments.

It now includes the “Tip an Attendant” function which can be used to tip petrol attendants and Quickshop cashiers at Engen garages.

The new function is made possible through a partnership with Telkom Pay, a mobile payment platform which can be accessed via WhatsApp. Money can be sent and received via a digital wallet.

Engen petrol pump attendants and Quickshop cashiers will be required to register for a Telkom Pay Wallet. Once registered, they will receive a unique QR code and number which will be attached to a lanyard worn by the employees.

Customers tip the attendants by scanning this QR code with the Engen 1app. The money is then deposited into the employees’ Telkom Pay Wallet.

“I believe it’s a sentiment we all share as South Africans that we have some of the best petrol attendants in the country,” says Sibusiso Ngwenya, the managing executive of Telkom Financial Services.

“We’ve seen many a story on social media or heard from a friend or family member about not only receiving excellent, world-class service at a local petrol station; but also, testimonies of attendants going above and beyond to lend a helping hand to customers and the public. We are thrilled to enable this feature alongside Engen.”

(Compiled by Luke Daniel

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You can now tip petrol attendants at Engen garages with this mobile app (businessinsider.co.za)