Why is it not standard to tip your Carpet Cleaner?

[Vivers]

I was just thinking this today as I billed a client out with my iPhone square up thingy. It has right in plain sight were they sign, choices for tip to add. Like 10% 15% 20 % etc...

Just wondering your guys thoughts on this?

 

[Becker]

I had to turn off tips when I used square.
Puts a hold on the amount enter and 40%.
Had 2 clients complain as they saw the hold online.

But to answer the question. It is not standard. But one would think the tech is not paid based on tips. But good service brings tips for any service.
No. An employee will get tips more often than an owner.

 

[ACE]

I wonder how much extra an owner op could make a year if he could find a tactful way to tell customers that gratuity is appreciated.

 

[ayetti]

I think O/O kills the tip thing. Might be a good business to just go around as a tech ( who really seems to care what happens with the business) tips are like twice as likely when someone knows you just work there.

 

[Contemporary Carpet Clean]

When I worked with my dad when I was younger people would tip me and not him. He was the owner.

I also love it when presenting the bill or an estimate people say...."oh is that all" or "that's cheap"....I feel like saying you could include an extra $10 for a nice job and reasonable price.

 

[Bob Foster]

Personally I think its very tacky.

To almost everyone who would see it, the tip being listed as a line item implies that a tip is expected. And if you think a tip is expected for your service you're in the wrong business.

So do you tip your tire changer, Walmart clerk? Why stop there? How about tipping your dentist or roofer?

95% of the people wouldn't think to tip a carpet cleaner and I suggest most would resent that tip prompt on a square payment screen or a charge card or debit screen. I sure the hell would. It has almost the same stink as a truck charge on the end of the invoice.

Now receiving a tip is nice and just reaffirms that the customer was expressing how much they appreciated your service. That is a totally different thing.

 

[Billy]

We get a very good price for our work so we really don't expect a tip but every now & then we will get one from a client that is very appreciative of something.

I personally think expected Tipping is so out of control in most industries now.

Everyone that we pay for a service now days seems to expect a tip.

 

[Charlie Lyman]

Turn that tip feature off. It's tacky. There is a coffee shop here that has a tip line on their receipt. They always hand it to you to sign and it feels like they are looking at you with please look on their face. I feel like a jerk for not leaving one. It is rude. I'm not tipping you for getting me a cup of coffee that I walked up to the counter for. In fact, I will drive to another coffee shop because of it.
You own the company, you don't need a tip. Don't ask for one. If you need more money, charge more.
With that said, my kids get a lot of tips when they go with me. If it is cash tip, I hand it to my kid in front of the customer and tell them they did a good job.

 

[Dolly Llama]

Why is it not standard to tip your Carpet Cleaner?

probably cause it's not considered a substantial part of our income like the food server biz .

for a "service contractor" to ask or expect one is bad Ju-Ju, IMO.
Likewise, to foolishly refuse one is equally bad .

I know the reasoning many have for such refusal , but dig this, you're unwittingly offending many custys by doing so


.L.T.A.

 

[FLYERMAN]

It is tip etiquette to NOT tip the owner.

Remember that show where the drug store owner gives the lady at the counter her order, tells her the price and says "you don't have to tip me, I'm the owner"? That's why few, if any, owners get tipped.

With that said I did get a $100 tip for getting out some green airplane paint that this guys son had spilled on grandmas carpet.

 

[Jimmy L]

I get tips all the time.

My "Clients" appreciate that I show up on time, do a good job and I'm trustworthy.

 

[Vivers]

I am turning off the tip thing today. I did not know it was there and it spawned the question. Just to clarify, our customer service is awesome just as our work is. We do have a big ticket avg but, some tip and some don't. I just wondered what everybody was thinking on this one. I just remember getting tips a lot more years ago. That's all

 

[Dolly Llama]

I just remember getting tips a lot more years ago. That's all

I did too in the first 5-7 years ...almost every job.
but I was substantially lower priced then as well

still get plenty tips (I'd guess about 25% tip us) ..just not like when I charged $49 bukz for 2 rms and hall .
I was very undervalued for the level of service , I think most good folks recognized that ..thus tips were common on most jobs


..L.T.A.

 

[Brian R]

Generally if the customer knows it's the owner.....Very rarely tipped.

Helpers and such get tips more often...But really how does the customer know unless you tell them (helpers you can tell of course)

When I do Living Social and Groupon they suggest tipping on the the regular price...Which of course encourages them to tip.

So I get more tips from those deals than regular jobs. Which DOES bring that total up even more AND adds more value to doing those deals.....Not much but it adds up.

I never ask or suggest a tip myself.

I've seen guys say "I'm working for tips" in the middle of the job when I worked with my parents and another company. Wow!


I think any maintenance service coming to your home deserves a tip....Owners excluded.

Emergency or fixing something that is broke doesn't. Long story.


If you walk up to to counter.....No tip. If they take your order and bring you the food......Of course tip them.




Convenience get's tipped.....Bell hops, taxi, food servers and a few others.


Irony, the taxi driver may own the vehicle and possibly the "company"....Still gets tipped.

 

[B&BGaryC]

How to get a tip almost every time:
(Does not work if you are an owner)

Hire a polite well groomed 16-20 year old as a helper. Preferably one that smiles all the time.
Make sure you tech is at least 4 years older, polite, well groomed, knowledgeable and perhaps a bit "Just business" or "strict", but not in an impolite or bad way, and never demeaning or belittling the helper.
Have a clientele that would view the helper as their own son or even better their grandson.
Make sure the tech politely instructs the helper on the proper way to do something and why within earshot of the customer.
Do a good job and make the customer happy. Big tip every time.

I think when the customer assumes the helper is a little bit new, has a very particular boss and did a good job they want to help him by giving thanks and tips. In short if they believe a lot is expected of the helper and he measures up and is obedient and cheerful they look at him as "the good son" or "favorite grandchild" always helping out and staying out of trouble.

Not sure what exact psychology goes into it but when I was younger and working for a different company this formula helped us make close to $50 each some days.

The only carpet cleaning business owner I know that got a lot of tips consistently was in the habit of charging people $50 to clean an entire level of their house and stairs and people would tell him he was going to go out of business like that and give him more. (He did a good job too)

 

[Billy]

Turn that tip feature off. It's tacky. There is a coffee shop here that has a tip line on their receipt. They always hand it to you to sign and it feels like they are looking at you with please look on their face. I feel like a jerk for not leaving one. It is rude. I'm not tipping you for getting me a cup of coffee that I walked up to the counter for. In fact, I will drive to another coffee shop because of it.
You own the company, you don't need a tip. Don't ask for one. If you need more money, charge more.
With that said, my kids get a lot of tips when they go with me. If it is cash tip, I hand it to my kid in front of the customer and tell them they did a good job.

Well said!!

In my area it is now common place to see a tip jar at a counter where you go up to. It also has become common place for the servers to also pay the Bar Tender, Buss-er etc out of their tip since now employers don't believe in paying anyone in a restaurant a fair wage. I really don't mind tipping for GREAT service & do often but tipping just because it is expected but not actually earned is no longer done by me.

 

[Royal Man]

I worked at a cleaning company where the techs got tips at almost every job.

Some were making $400-500 a week on tips alone!!!!!

Your techs can also do this to supplement their income.

Bring it up at your next company meeting.



Here is the simple way it was done:

Just have them say this," To protect your carpet it would be $75.00. But, if you give me $25.00 cash I can discount the price."


See, didn't I telll you it was easy!!

They can insert almost any service where it says carpet protector.


Have your techs give this a try.


Soon. (With very little practice) they will be making more in tips than they do in their regular pay!!


It works almost every time. So, start today.







BTW: The company went out of business and I never did it.

 

[B&BGaryC]

Turn that tip feature off. It's tacky. There is a coffee shop here that has a tip line on their receipt. They always hand it to you to sign and it feels like they are looking at you with please look on their face. I feel like a jerk for not leaving one. It is rude. I'm not tipping you for getting me a cup of coffee that I walked up to the counter for. In fact, I will drive to another coffee shop because of it.
You own the company, you don't need a tip. Don't ask for one. If you need more money, charge more.
With that said, my kids get a lot of tips when they go with me. If it is cash tip, I hand it to my kid in front of the customer and tell them they did a good job.

Well said!!

In my area it is now common place to see a tip jar at a counter where you go up to. It also has become common place for the servers to also pay the Bar Tender, Buss-er etc out of their tip since now employers don't believe in paying anyone in a restaurant a fair wage. I really don't mind tipping for GREAT service & do often but tipping just because it is expected but not actually earned is no longer done by me.

I understand poor service does not necessitate a tip, but even if you hate your server you owe them a 2% tip. If a server does a horrible job I leave 8-10%.

The federal government will audit any server who regularly claims less than 8% of sales as tip income. Servers must claim 8% regardless of what they make. Of that 8%, it's taxed as income by state and federal income taxes at a rate of about 25%. That means if you order a hundred dollars worth of food, the government directly pulls $2.00 from the waiter's paycheck because they expected you to pay the waiter $8.00 and that's their "fair share".'

However, if a tip is not required, it's a gift. Any private citizen can give another private citizen up to $3,000 in one year period before it is taxable. Unless you have a really regular customer that tosses C-Notes around nobody is going to tip you more than $3,000 per year, therefore tips are not taxable according to the IRS tax code.

I never really had a problem with it though, I always averaged above 20% when I waited tables. That percentage fell right after the government checks went out to the Indian Reservations nearby. Only time this white boy ever got a decent tip from a native american family was when he screwed up. Somebody told me that a tip is an insult in some native american cultures, depending on the reservation and lineage. One time this lady ordered $9.90 cents worth of food. She pulled out a hundred dollar bill and said, "You did a great job, keep the change." I thanked her profusely and then pointed out, "This is a hundred dollar bill, I just want to make sure you meant to be this generous." She then said, "Oh, you don't want it?" And before I could say anything she snatched it back from me, replaced it with a ten dollar bill smiled and left. I was left standing there with my jaw hanging open as she walked away.

Oh wait, what were we talking about?

Don't ask your customers for tips, but tip waiters that at least try to do a good job. Tipping is optional for the Barista, but I think they earn a buck at least every other visit as long as the drinks come out perfect every time. There are so many people that haphazardly whip together a $4.00 drink and then don't stir it, or burn your shots etc. you should reward the ones that care how your drink tastes.

 

[Derek]

what other's have said: the biz owner is not "supposed" to get a tip...true in the hair-care biz i know.

tacky i agree.

if any of us need tips to make enough $, :idea: :idea: you ain't charging enough :idea: :idea:

 

[ruff]

Here is a novel idea:
You raise your prices.

Hurray
Finally! You are getting paid what you deserve.

Now, don't forget the people who've supported you all these years.
No, I am not talking about your long suffering wife/ girlfriend/ partner/ ex/ domestics of all sorts.
I am talking about your clients.

Yes.
At the end of the job, go ahead. Splurge- Give them a nice tip.

They've earned it.
Haven't they?

 

[KevinL]

I can't believe nobody has mentioned this yet. Do you guys eat at buffets that expect the drink server to get tipped. Like the Home towns and Golden Corral. Those girls get waitress wages, which is not fair and they rely on tips.

 

[Dolly Llama]

I can't believe nobody has mentioned this yet. Do you guys eat at buffets that expect the drink server to get tipped. .

hell yea .
i generally don't tip them 20%, but if they're jonny on the spot getting rid of plates and keeping my Coh o Pe'see full, I'll toss a fiver down (which is close to 20% for two person ticket at the buffets


I'm the kind of guy that likes to give tips .
hell, i buy the girls at the gas station a lottery ticket every now and then too.
Give the bank tellers candy at Christmas

when i was drinking, as soon as i walked thru the door at my regular watering holes , there was a beer and bourbon at the bar when i got to my bar stool

I buy the crew pops at the Valvoline lube stop, and the tire buster at the tire shop


..L.T.A.

 

[boazcan]

If I wanted a tip, I would raise my prices.

If I get tipped more than once a month, I raise my prices.

I had for about a year another company that we did "coupon" pricing. Totally different than my main one. I had a tech or two on that van always. They would get numerous tips.

I charge enough for me to do great work, do it right with great service, and try to do "a little" something extra for them. I would not want their tip, because they are paying me a very fair wage already.

One guy that I tipped from day one, my solution hose "crimper" 8) . Never had one bust on me prematurely, yet. Money well spent. :!:

 

[daniel@procarpet]

I received a 50 dollar tip today on a 200 dollar invoice.

Now that I think about it I have been getting lots of tips when my helper is with me. A lot of people say here is some extra to buy lunch. I think I have received tips from at least 10 people in the past month or two. When I was solo I rarely got a tip.

 

[Vivers]

So I never said I needed tips. It's just nice to receive them from time as you feel extra appreciated. I know we don't get them do to much bigger tickets then in the beginning. The work we perform is outstanding and the customer service is second to none. But that being said we are one of the higher priced cleaning companies around.

I totally get what you guys are saying though for sure!

After posting this I have to tell you what happened today. We get referrals from a house cleaning service here and they themselves moved out of a 3br rental and had us come clean today for them.
At the end she said to please go through and take whatever we wanted from the garage that was still there. They were going to dump it.

My tech got a basically brand new ryobi drill, with the whole case, batteries, and a cool light, tool box full of goodies.
I got a great socket set with with open end wrenches, alan keys, tool box filled with all kinds of goodies, brand new weed eater, huge new box of miracle grow, new jug of window washer fluid, tons of extension cords, etc..

I guess I should post on the subject more often!

 

[Becker]

It also has become common place for the servers to also pay the Bar Tender, Buss-er etc out of their tip since now employers don't believe in paying anyone in a restaurant a fair wage. I really don't mind tipping for GREAT service & do often but tipping just because it is expected but not actually earned is no longer done by me.

Servers tipping out the bar tender and some other workers, like busboys greeter or host/hostess within a restaurant , is nothing new at all. Has been common for as long as I have ever been old enough to know.

 

[Billy]

It also has become common place for the servers to also pay the Bar Tender, Buss-er etc out of their tip since now employers don't believe in paying anyone in a restaurant a fair wage. I really don't mind tipping for GREAT service & do often but tipping just because it is expected but not actually earned is no longer done by me.

Servers tipping out the bar tender and some other workers, like busboys greeter or host/hostess within a restaurant , is nothing new at all. Has been common for as long as I have ever been old enough to know.

Wasn't so common here or at least not until last year. Either way I only tip based on service received not because it is expected or the boss isn't paying a fair wage to all the staff.

My policy is to start a server at 20% when we sit down then it goes up or down from there during the meal.

I practice what I preach I don't go looking for cheapest service or product as my main criteria either. Sometimes budget has to be a little factor though unfortunately. We do have a few clients that always feed us lunch though.

When I tip a service company it is because they earned it with extraordinary service. Now we always offer a cold drink to anyone doing work for us.

 

[Mikey P]

when i was drinking, as soon as i walked thru the door at my regular watering holes , there was a beer and bourbon at the bar when i got to my bar stool

why is that so easy to visualize?

 

[idreadnought]

I teach my techs techniques for getting tips. My belief is that if they are getting a tip then everyone wins. One of my techs yesterday got a $54 tip on a $280 job.

First thing is to do an amazing job.

Second is to treat a customer like you would treat a first date. Be on time, look and smell good, Be polite and charming.

Third is to do something extra on every job. (An area rug in the kitchen, pathways in a bedroom not cleaned, I encourage them to do anything extra that could promote a generous company and a caring tech.)

My goal is for my techs to get 25% of their pay off of tips. They are happy and it means that they are doing all the right things to win over lifetime clients.

 

[J Scott W]

I seldom got tips, no more than 1% of the time. My techs got tips more often.

I did know one owner of a company who always did "extras" for one elderly lady. Things like changing the light bulb or pulling out the window air conditioner, etc. When he told the customer who always asked for him that one of his techs would be coming next time, she insisted she only wanted him to clean her carpets. She then wrote a check for $10,000 when the invoice was under $200. Largest tip I ever heard of.