Tipping

[pow pow]

Not sure if this is the right place for this question but I'm not sure where else it would go!What perceneforum.xxxe of your clients tip? I work in a day spa and I would think that the majority of my clients would tip in that atmosphere. I find that those that tip tip very well--but the majority don't tip at all. What am I doing wrong?

 

[cookingkay1955]

lanie, if you work in a day spa, and you're an employee making only a perceneforum.xxxe, you should receive tips and it all boils down to the receptionist.  does and is the receiptionist asking clients.  I've been a spa MT and manager and I always instructed reception to say something like, "I hope you enjoyed your treatment(s) today, your total for services is $100 unless you'd like to add something for Lanie".  It's that simple.  The request will allow clients to know that is okay to tip and yet still their decision.  When you go off on your own someday, tipping is different.  I don't accept tips in my private practice.  I tell clients, if they got their haircut at a salon, they would tip their stylist but if the stylist decided to start cutting hair in her basement (and in essence keeping the whole charge for the service), I probably wouldn't continue to tip knowing that it's all hers now.    The tip reflects thanks and the fact that the consumer knows you don't receive the whole purchase price (which is customary in any profession).  A waiter, taxi driver, hair stylist, whoever.    Good luck, Joe E.

 

[chacoa]

Tipping

I agree that in a medical setting I wouldn't (and didn't when I was with a naturopath) even think of getting tipped. It's just that I am in a day spa setting and thought maybe that mentality would transfer to what I do as well...Hm...I am probably over thinking it but I wondered what your experiences are.

 

[robert c]

Tipping

Dayspas pay proportionately low...counting on the fact that as with the other services offered, you will get a tip.

 

[Pompal 09.]

Tipping

I would (as suggested) ask about the reception desk policies. I would think in your work situation you should be seeing more than you are.Funny story (not so funny actually) about tips though.... I just booked an appt at a local day spa. They sent me a birthday card with a special offer. I called to take them up on it & upgraded my offer. They said since it was a discounted massage that they'd have to take a credit card to secure the appointment. Fine. Kinda. They said they needed one the first time I was there because I was a new client. They actually charged my card on the 18th for my Oct 29th appointment. When she finished gathering my information, she asked if I would like to add a gratuity for the MT. I actually laughed. I finally said, no, I'll take care of that after my massage. The whole thing has left me questioning whether or not I'm really going to enjoy my experience there! They either a) have alot of no-shows or b) don't subscribe to any thought about building a future relationship with first time clients. In my practice (I don't take secured payment appts by the way), I would be saying thank you for returning to XXX. We're so glad you decided to celebrate your birthday with one of our services, etc, etc. Not "gimme, gimme".Just a long vent on the subject of tipping.If you don't get any satisfaction by asking at the reception desk, try taking a brief pow-wow with your manager. Ask if any others are in the same situation & offer a couple of solutions.Jill/Sagetherapist

 

[Raqhim]

When I worked in a salon I received tips probably about 50 percent of the time. Reception never asked if they wanted to add something for the MT... they would never even ask if the client wanted to rebook.Eventually I started taking over that part when I escorted the client downstairs to "check out."I didn't act like I expected tips, but if the client handed one to me directly rather than to reception I always said smiled and said thank you.On a 30 minute massage my tip might be $3... but many times on a 60 minute massage my tip was often $5 (10 percent) ... and sometimes it would be as much as $10.  I believe twice in my 4.5 years of working there I received a $20 tip for an hour massage.  But the big tips usually came from tourists. The wealthiest local (donated a swimming pool to the town) was my MT client... his tip was $3-$5 for an hour massage. A 1.5 hr massage might mean a $10 tip... but in the end I didn't feel comfortable with working with this client... and had I not quit the salon where I worked, I'd have "fired the client" anyway.

 

[FLOW]

I am not sure why it matters if someone gets the whole service price or not. "From those according to their abilities to those according to their needs?"A private practitioner pays rent, advertising, accounting fees, taxes and all of the expenses a day spa has.  So you don't end up getting the full price of a service either.Junior attorney's get about 10% of the rate they are billed out, but no one tips them.When you get in a cab, do you ask the cabbie if he owns his car or just his license? Even if he rents his car, is it a fixed rent or a %? If it is fixed, then any fare after he makes his daily nut should not tip him because is he keeping 100% of the fares beyond that point.If you get good service, tip. I am not sure why all the time and thought goes into social engineering the economics of services businesses based on misguided notions of who is making how much money.

 

[Captain Jack]

Tipping

Working out of a chiro clinic, I'd still say about 30-50% of my clients tip. I don't expect it, yet always appreciate it. Some tip $5, some tip $10, and a few have tipped $20. I've had one tip $65, which was more than his session costs (now THAT was a surprize, and it was a check, so it was no mistake, though I asked anyway). I don't expect a tip mainly because it would only lead to disappointment. If you're having to count on tips to make a living, or are expecting more than what you're asking for your services, maybe it's time to raise your rates?

 

[blue heart]

Tipping

Good point. I think we should raise our rates (it's currently $40/hr) but the owner is not willing to do that right now. It's not so much that I expect tips I was just wondering what others get/expect in their practices. It is nice to make up some of what I give back to the salon, though--

 

[DARRYL D]

Tipping

I must be dense. I still don't get the connection between who sets the price, who gets what and how much to tip.Most salons are owned by a stylist. Do you not tip the stylist/owner when he/she performs the service? From what I read, this person has two strikes against them in earning a tip - they set the price and the get 100% of the service revenue.

 

[Kanchha]

Tipping

Dayspas pay proportionately low...counting on the fact that as with the other services offered, you will get a tip.

Disproportionately low to what?

Day spas pay what spa professionals are willing to work for, and there is no shoreforum.xxxe of people willing to work for what they offer.

What do you think day spas should pay?

 

[Some Slack]

Tipping

In defense of day spas.....I have an amazing deal with my spa. In leiu of paying monthly rent I simply pay $5 per massage to the owner. My rent would only be $170/mo (we live in a realatively rural area) so some months I pay more and some (like right now) I pay less. The owner of my spa is extremely fair, I think. I know in a lot of areas therapists are forced to take less than what we are worth but that's not always the case. As far as the tipping goes, I think the tipping has more to do with the climate of the business. When I get my hair cut/nails done/eyebrows waxed I always tip--regardless of who gets how much from the service. I see it as an industry expectation. The girls in our spa do quite well with tips -- they probably get tipped 85% of the time. I, in comparison, get tipped maybe 40%. I wonder if they tip less because my service costs more, they are just less inclined to tip, or if they aren't satisfied. I have a lot of return clients and many referrals so I must be doing something right. Now, if I were in a doctors office where tipping ISN'T industry standard it wouldn't be so unsettling.

 

[DesertDog]

Tipping

In defense of day spas.....I have an amazing deal with my spa. In leiu of paying monthly rent I simply pay $5 per massage to the owner.

;D YES! You Do have an amazing deal! How much do you charge per massage? I have usually had to pay $20.00 per hour when I have needed to rent a room...

Now, if I were in a doctors office where tipping ISN'T industry standard it wouldn't be so unsettling.

Exactly. If you tip the girl or guy who does your pedicure, why wouldn't you tip your MT? If you tip the guy who brings you your dinner (who usually didn't even prepare the food himself and won't be splitting it with the guy who actually *did*) why not tip your MT?

I know my sessions are special and my service stands out from the regualr "fluff n' buff" others are often accustomed to receiving and inform me of...I receive every tip with gratitude, taking it as one of the expressions of  appreciation my clients show for the experience we created and the healing we are facilitating together...

 

[caseyyyy :D]

Tipping

We charge $40 per hour...I would like to see it a little higher but our area won't really go much over $45...

 

[[email protected]]

One thing I have learned from an IRS is that Massage Therapy is considered a 'tipped' profession.  In other words, they assume (I know, but it is the government) that we get a set perceneforum.xxxe of tips from our clients.  I don't know the formula but he said it was like 15% of your clients will tip approx 20% of the service price (or whatever their formula is)  and they assume that for tax purposes.  Now I do not accept tips (medical sitting) and had to write a policy that I don't, just encase I get audited.  So then they can't apply that formula.  Do we still accept tips......I can't say, Big Brother might be watching.  (just kidding).  Just FYI.Big Dog  

 

[Halema]

When I was working at a day spa, tipping was expected, not required, but about 90% of the clients would tip and they were nice, like $20 tips sometimes on a $90-$100 massage.  Now, in my private practice, I'm trying to learn to not expect tips and when a client does tip me, well, it's just an added bonus for me.  I don't provide a "spa" atmosphere there, it's a no-frills, therapeutic massage and I'm learning that it's okay if I don't get tipped...all of the money goes to me anyway!