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I tip just about everybody and I tip very well, particularly to people I deal with on a frequent basis. Reason? I'm really nice and love to spread money around? No. I'm selfish. I want what I want, when I want it, with no foot dragging and messing around and I like special favors when I need them. As a known good tipper, I always get it. At Jiffy Lube, if there's a choice of 4 cars to do and mine is there, guess who gets serviced first? ME! At restaurants or diners I frequent, guess who gets seated quickly and gets their food fast? ME! When I am in Vegas, guess whose cheapie compact rental car comes out first when there's 30 people waiting? MINE. (The valets put my car in the VIP section, not that I am officially a VIP of course, but I am to THEM.) At bars I go to, guess who gets more buybacks and whose drinks are poured quicker and stronger? MINE. Once my family was waiting at the bar of a popular restaurant for a table (we did not have a reservation). So we sat at the bar and tipped the bartender lavishly. Guess who at the bar got two appetizer platters of calamari free from the bartender? US.
Then I do tip just out of being amazed with good service. Once I tipped the cashier at Pathmark because I noticed the kid was really trying to do a good job with bagging the groceries. I appreciated that he was so careful, so I gave him $5. He was shocked.
Another thing I almost forgot: when I go to company-sponsored events or parties, I always tip the servers and/or bartenders even though I don't have to pay for anything. Result? I am never hungry or thirsty and always have someone at my elbow ready to bring me whatever I want! At the last party I noticed other guests hovering near me and thought I might be getting more popular ... or is it that that's where all the servers and appetizer trays are? LOL!
Last edited by I_Love_LI_but; 12-20-2008 at 07:01 PM..
If somebody performs a service to you throughout the year, they should get some kind of recognition for the holidays.. do you take your pet to a groomer regularly? Your groomer should get something for taking care of your pet for you.. same as with your dog walker if you use one..
Most waiters/waitresses are paid 2.50 per hour and are expected to make the rest of it up with tips..
Looking at it from another perspective... In this economy, especially, there is a lot of competition for customers. If someone has a small or medium-sized company or service, they want (or should want!) you to keep choosing them instead of their competitors. I, the customer, very often have a range of choices so in these cases you'd think the person/company providing the service would make a special effort to recognize their customers during the holiday season.
I'm not talking about a tip, of course, but I remember (back in the dark ages of the 1950s and 60s!) my parents getting a slew of holiday cards from all the companies with which they did business during the year. And when we went to the bank they often gave out small customer appreciation gifts (pens, leatherette pocket calendars, whatever). I haven't seen that done in ages. Out of all the companies/services that we have constantly used over the past years (the dealership to which we have taken both our cars for service for 5 years, the lawn maintenance company, the sprinkler service company, the pool maintenance company, the plumber, the electrician, the hair stylist, the dentist (mucho bucks spent there), several specialty shops where we consistently buy things, yes even our realtor, the list goes on and on) guess how many we receive a holiday card from? ONE. One company. The lawn service. (And all of these are people who we have referred other customers too, btw).
And unlike the mail carrier and the garbage collector, we have 100% free choice as to whether to give any or all of these people our business or not. Makes you wonder how many of them really care about customer retention.
I know one thing: If I had a small business or a store, I would darn sure make room in my budget for at minimum sending a nice holiday card to every single one of my customers. Preferably with a pen or other small useful item enclosed as well. Or better yet, if I were doing well thanks to a good customer base, a discount coupon that they could use against a future purchase or service during the coming year.
Expressing appreciation during the holiday season should go both ways, IMHO.
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