question about tipping (money)

[Callie]

I know we're all from different countries, but maybe you have some suggestions for me...I'm at a loss.

I work in a salon for someone else. Our prices are $12 (USA) for a mani, $20 for a fill, and $35 for a pedi. Today I did a pedi on a woman who had let her feet go, and it took about two hours to even get them looking presentable.

She tipped me $3, which is less than 10%, and into the "insulting" range.


My question is, is there anything I can say to her or anyone else who tips badly? Could I say questioningly, when they hand me the money, "Were you displeased with the service?" (These people are notoriously bad tippers, btw. One lady I hear tips $2 for a pedi)

Or do I downgrade my service for them (which I really don't want to do, but...)

Or do I have to suck it up and say nothing and break my back for the lousy tip?

 

[FatalAttraction]

HI

In england i think we are very different with tips compared with america.

It is more of a bonus to us rather than us relying on them.

Whatever amount of tip i get i am happy..

maybe in your situation you should put the price up in regards to how long it takes.. ie pedi from 35 dollars

Caz

 

[Callie]

I would, but I can't control the price, I'm working for someone else!

 

[geeg]

I think that anything you said would produce the opposite reaction to the one you want. I would not react well if anyone said things along the lines you suggest to me.

If I were you I would not show by my attitude or service any sign that I was displeased with a tip ... in fact I would be extra smiley and friendly and sweet (that doesn't cost you anything).

You win some and you loose some. Not every client is your greatest fan and you in turn do not love all your clients. I would 'suck it up' as you say and still do the best job I could do for everyone.

 

[mgloverfam]

Hi Callie! *hug* (As you can see, I'm in the USA too.)

Standard tipping in the US is 15% of the service. The best thing you can do is post a modest sign near your reception area stating this (like they do in restaurants, or on receipts). Other than that, there really isn't much you can do.
I've worked in three different salons in the 7 years I've been doing nails, and each salon was an "upgrade" for me.
The first one was kind of run down, and it was in a really bad neighborhood. I was lucky if I got $2 tips from ANY service!
The second I worked at was in the downtown area of Chicago, and it was a better salon. The tips I received there ranged from $3-$10 per client.
Now, I'm working in a Spa (still downtown) and the prices are really expensive, and the clients are pretty wealthy. Theses clients seem to know the 15% standard, but they usually tip even better than that. My tips from here range from $10-$30 per client. So I think it depends on where you are and what kind of clients come there.
I Hope this helps you! If you have any ?'s Pm me.

 

[Fab Freak]

just to add my opinion on tipping, but I never worry If I don't get tipped as I dont think it means I have not done a good job and I personally won't tip just for the sake of it....

PS I worked as a waitress for many years and again i never expected tips then it was nice if I got them and if not well I was okay about that to...sorry if my halo seems to be strangling me right now..lol

But I look at it this way - people tip what they can afford...If I go to a salon myself I have to save up for such a luxury and I certainly would not feel embarrassed not to or oblidge to tip...Some times I can sometimes I can't if i can I will leave 15-20%

But if I am skint then its more likely 10% and if I feel they didn't deserve the tip then I won't.... :sad:

 

[bimbogeri]

I find the whole aspect of tipping a little funny.
Please no-one take this the wrong way, but I find it slightly odd when some people automatically expect a tip, because really provided you are charging a fair price for what you are doing (or if you are a waitress etc or otherwise not self-employed, paid a fair wage), then a tip should be seen as a positive bonus.
It always rankles me slightly when I see signs that say 'service not included', as a 'polite' way of saying 'please leave a tip' because unless you are being paid a pittance, and can only make decent money by adding on your tips, you should not automatically expect extra money. It is your job to provide a good service regardless, not based on whether a customer might handsomly tip you for it.
I'm not saying that people who think they should get tipped, or find low tips insulting, are greedy, just in case people have read what I have written that way, but I disagree with the notion that tipping is somehow obligatory in the service industry.
I had a friend who worked at a 'posh' pub, and was amazed when she told me she earned the same basic wage for working New Year's Eve as she did any other night of the year. She explained that is was because they got bigger tips for New Year's, so it didn't matter, but as far as I was concerned you should be paid a fair wage for what you are working and tips are a nice bonus! They confirm to you that you have done a good job, but then you should be doing a good job anyway

I think in America it is a little different, tips seem to be more a standard thing. I'm not sure if in the US people's wages reflect that you should expect to earn tips on top, but here in the UK it's my personal opinion that tips are a pleasant add-on from friendly, loyal or pleased clients (or those with money to burn!) and not a given.

Apologies if I've offended anyone, I certainly haven't meant to. I just know as a customer I often find myself feeling uncomfortable or awkward when people are blatantly angling for a tip. I do tip occassionally, when I have been particularly pleased with something (like the hairwasher at my salon who gave me a lovely head massage whilst washing my hair), but don't like to feel that it's something I HAVE to do.

Lol x

 

[NeetNailz]

I think I must be some sort of "skinflint". There are many people in the working world - office workers, shop assistants, nurses, and many others who don't get any tips for going to work every day. Why then should those people working in restaurants, salons etc expect a tip for their service. (My pet hate - when on holiday and eating out every day it costs a fortune in tips just because it is expected or the done thing - as an office worker no one ever tipped me for doing my job). Just my opinion and opologies if anyone is offended.

 

[cassiec01]

Right now the minimum wage in my state is $5.15/hour, HOWEVER if you work in an industry where you earn more than $20 some in tips/month that employer does not have to pay you more than $2.83/hour.

I get paid an hourly rate of $7.50/hour which, on it's own would suck but with all tips accounted it ends up being over $15/hour which at my age and my experience level is accepted.

If those in the service industry were not tipped, employers would have to pay more.

 

[Fab Freak]

Do you pay tax on your tips to like in the UK?

 

[NeetNailz]

Right now the minimum wage in my state is $5.15/hour, HOWEVER if you work in an industry where you earn more than $20 some in tips/month that employer does not have to pay you more than $2.83/hour.

I get paid an hourly rate of $7.50/hour which, on it's own would suck but with all tips accounted it ends up being over $15/hour which at my age and my experience level is accepted.

If those in the service industry were not tipped, employers would have to pay more.

I know it is very different in the USA but in my opinion (only mine) then employers should pay their staff a fair wage and the general public at large should not be expected to subsidise this shortfall. It smacks of a little bit of greed on the part of the employer to me. If the employer can afford to employ staff then business is profitable. I personally would much rather see the price quoted be the price I pay without the necessesity to tip.

 

[Callie]

Tipping is regarded very, very different here in the USA. If I weren't tipped, I would be working a 40+ hour week for a little over $2/hour. Less than $6000 a year, which is well below poverty level. Everyone in the US knows this, and I'm too good at my pedis and too nice a person for the problem to be me So we're just dealing with cheap people here...

If it were up to me, we'd raise our prices and I'd get a salary, but like I said, I work for someone else, and that's the standard here anyway.

 

[mgloverfam]

Tipping is regarded very, very different here in the USA. If I weren't tipped, I would be working a 40+ hour week for a little over $2/hour. Less than $6000 a year, which is well below poverty level. Everyone in the US knows this, and I'm too good at my pedis and too nice a person for the problem to be me So we're just dealing with cheap people here...

If it were up to me, we'd raise our prices and I'd get a salary, but like I said, I work for someone else, and that's the standard here anyway.

I have to agree with Callie here. This seems to be a sensitive issue, and I recall a post in another thread were someone said that people in the US were "rude" to expect tips. Every culture is different, and if people don't tip in some countries, then that's fine. But if in other cultures, tipping is STANDARD, then that should be fine too. It's not a "right" or "wrong" issue. It's an issue of different cultures. In the US, tipping IS standard, and people tip very well. Whether it be at a salon, restaurant, cab, valet, bar, hotel, etc,.

 

[pinkpinky]

As unfortunate as it seems, it could be worse. This client probably thinks that she is doing you a favor by tipping at all. Some people just don't know any better. Just remember that not everyone "gets it". Yea, I think you'll just have to suck it up. Good luck!

 

[Posh Gels]

I think in the UK it is different....If we were given a $3 tip which is about £1.80ish it would be considered good I reckon!!

 

[Debs]

I`m wondering if thats what is beginning to happen over here.
My Daughter has just taken a job earning just £3.25 an hour which I think is just disgraceful, all because they rely on tipping. Apparently if they dont get credit card tips then their money is put up to minimum wage but if they do get credit card tips then they`ll only get the £3.25.
What happens then if they only get the one tip, thats not gonna make her weekly wage up to the minimum is it?
I`m all for not expecting a tip and finding it a bonus if I do but everywhere else I feel obliged to tip but thats just me, I just can`t see how they can get away with paying below the minimum wage

 

[Tickled Pink!]

hi debs - i think that 'wage' (if you can call it that!) is disgraceful! I don't know what your daughter does but surely a minimum wage from an employer is just that - the minimum...not a below minimum wage from the employer topped up with a tip from a pleased customer
they are obviously cheap skates trying to get away with paying their staff peanuts but i am sure the law must exclude tips as part of a wage.

 

[Debs]

I`m glad I`m not the only, thanks Dianne.
I`m quite proud of her for taking it though to be honest, she came back from working abroad only to find out she can`t have her old job of 3 yrs back and with me losing my job so sudden too we need something between us. I`ve also never known her be out of work for more than 3 days when she suddenly walked out a job once so this has really shaken her up being unemployed for nearly 3 weeks. And some say the youth of today are lazy!!!!!!!!!
I`m sure she`ll be looking for something else to change too. All I can say is I hope the tips are LARGE

 

[Little Angel]

a post in another thread were someone said that people in the US were "rude" to expect tips.

Hi all

That was me :up: maybe i chose the wrong word there i didn't mean any offense. I think what i find or take as rude is the expectant attitude you get! like Mgloverfam has mentioned there is a huge difference in culture and speaking from an English point of view i do find this attitude offensive.
Don't get me wrong i love America and do travel there quite a lot and i think its really nice when i have an American client and they give me a nice tip and i am really gratefull and feel when i receive a tip especially a big one that i must have done a really good job, not that they have to leave me one. However, i never expect a tip, and not in a month of sundays would i ever treat a client who tips well any differently to a client who doesn't tip at all.
I do understand about the wage thing that they have in America, in the UK you are supposed to declare you tips to the taxman also. I do sympathies but personally i always tip when i have GOOD service but if its not good then i DON'T! I like to have the choice and i really hate it when it is added on automatically as i like to tip the individual person who has given me good service and not have the restaurant or whatever tell me that i have to!

I really hope i havnt offended anyone here :Love: its certainly not my intention.

 

[stanleyann]

i've been reading this thread with interest......please dont anyone think i am being mean when i say this as i'm not but i personally feel sometimes that i am paying out enough for whatever service is being provided for me and i cant always afford to leave a tip but if i have a little extra and i am happy with that service i will leave a tip wether it be a big or a smalll tip i'm sure at the end of the day it is appreciated

it does seem to be the american way though to tip, i do know that the wages in the US can be rubbish and that a lot of people depend on tips to have a decent wage at the end of the week.......i dont mean to offend anyone when i say this but i have found when on holiday in america that people can be sooooooo in your face and too nice to be true which can sometimes be so false but thats because they know they have to keep clients happy so that they can get a decent tip for their service

the indian takeaway that i regularly order from....if its their delivery driver that brings my order then i always tip him as the only money he makes depends on how many deliveries he does but when its busy sometimes the owner of the shop helps out and i certainly dont tip him as he certainly doesnt depend on tips to make his wages up

stanleyann