BROADST25

Personally I feel very awkward accepting tips. I have girls who spray for me that love them. They have come to the point where they sort of expect them, which I don't like. I don't want anyone getting better treatment because they tip or vice/versa. Where we were trained there was a small sign that stated tips were welcome. I don't like that idea! The workers who traditionally work in a tipping type of job, don't wear signs around their necks asking for a tip, you just sort of know. How does everyone else handle this? Any tips?

Stellita3

My spray tanners already get paid well for doing spray tans . If they get a tip fine but I will never put a sign or a jar out because legally they should be reporting their tips just like servers do.

eileen

I've been in many high end spas that have a separate area with envelopes for tips to be dropped into a private box. It is not proper etiquette for the owner to expect tips. Your employees are providing a personal service and a tip is proper etiquette.

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"under exposure to UV rays is as dangerous as overexposure....this is D life" eileen

JOHN @ URI

Personal service sometimes demands a tip.
I just guess ****** with the tip buckets everywhere.
They have them at the coffee shop, ice cream shop, burrito shop.....

Do your job that you get paid for, don't expect tips for scooping me an ice cream cone.

BROADST25

I don't accept tips, but I do like the idea of my girls
making a few extra bucks, as long as it's offered to them without
any type of solicitation.
I hate the jars. I hate the signs. I tip when it "feels right".
As an owner I just tell them no thank you and that I really appreciate their business.
By the way, I pay my girls by the hour and they receive a commission on each full body spray.

besthands

Tips are kinda sleazy to me, i charge a fair price for my services and actually use the verbage..." Im thankful for your business, and would you please tell a friend who could use my services". The referral is worth so much more than a tip. Think of it like this, a weeks worth of tips fills my gas tank on my truck... cool right ? But a single referal can literally make my house payment, over and over each month!!! And in economic times like we are in, the referal is just plain good business!!!

eileen

http://www.findalink.net/tippingetiquette.php

Tipping the Owner

This is the question I get asked most via email - do you tip the owner of a company when he or she provides your service. The answer used to be no. Now it is yes.

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"under exposure to UV rays is as dangerous as overexposure....this is D life" eileen

Stellita3

A tip is a reward for services well done. Most of the time if you wowed someone with great service they will tip you. If you just did your job then you really don't deserve anything more than payment for services rendered.

sunsally

Agree completely with Stellita3! (hi by the way! )


Some people tip because they "always" tip their hairdresser, nail tech, etc and think it is in the same category and think they are "supposed to".

Some people tip as sort of a "hazard pay" extra for having to see them naked!

Some people tip because they feel the person really gave them great service - made them comfortable being nearly-naked, maybe made nice conversation with them, etc etc

And some don't tip - don't know it might be expected, feel the price is high enough they don't need to pay extra, didn't feel it was a 'wow' service, etc.


I'd explain these things to your staff. Explain that tipping should never be "expected" - and in NO way should a LACK of a tip be a reason to give anything LESS than great service the next time!

However -- also explain to your staff that the REASON some people WILL tip - and tip MORE - is they REALLY feel they had an experience that BEAT their expectations! So use this as an opportunity to talk about and even role play how they can give your customers the BEST possible experience while getting a custom spray --- so they will come back AND tell their friends!!

Who is your BEST sprayer? Who gets the MOST tips? Have them share what they do. Have them talk about how they handle different situations --- clients who are uncomfortable with their bodies, clients who are large and may have to "help" (e.g. lift their breasts or a heavy stomach out of the way to get a better spray), clients who want to tell their life stories, clients who don't want to follow your directions for the best results (including pre and post product use), etc etc

Outstanding customer service is a way to make YOUR salon STANDOUT in a competitive marketplace. USE this "incentive" of tips as a way to get your staff to WORK for them - but in a way that is GOOD for your customers and GOOD for your business!!

Also - re owner tips --- careful about refusing a "gift" - some feel hurt by that. As an owner you can say - "oh you don't need to tip me - I'm the owner, I'm happy your chose to come to us!". However, if they seem like they really WANT to tip -- perhaps you can have a "general fund" and tell them if they REALLY insist, you will put it in the 'Staff Party" fund or "Employee of the Month" fund. And then - establish something like that and use it as another way to motivate your staff!

eileen

I have over 40 years experience in the restaurant business where there is tipping. I have 14 years in a personal computer business where tipping was common. Most of my clients in spray tanning tip $5 on the low end and $20 being the norm. As an owner you can graciously turn down a tip. Of course I don't need someone telling me how to handle a tip, I have more experience then almost anybody I know.

I do think a jar with TIPS scribbled on it is VERY TACKY.

__________________
"under exposure to UV rays is as dangerous as overexposure....this is D life" eileen