I love this thread !
As for the folks that say ' why not just add $5 here and there to the dive price?' they generally have no concept of how competative the industry is - we have people coming down and asking for a break on gear rental or trip price when this may be their first dive with us ever - then we drop them back to their $700 a day condos - now who deserves a break. Dive prices are pretty much fixed for a reason - a few bucks more expensive and you loose business easily.
I don't think competition is the sole reason for tipping. There are several industries that are very competitive (new auto sales, as example) where there is no tipping. Even among the same manufacturer, there is great competition for my business.
I didn't mean to suggest that the cost for all dives from all vendors should be leveled. Heavens no! Just like restaurants, there are many different levels, in content, atmosphere, comfort, and quality, to name some characteristics, but in that industry there is a "standard" tip expected. Most of us know what that "standard" is, whether we like it or not. That does not seem to be generally true in the dive industry. I'm hearing anywhere for $10/day (I typically dive 3 to 5 tanks a day) to $20-$30 per tank to $50/week. Ok, we all know that some people tip as low as 8%-10% and others 20%-25% and higher, but we have been told that 15% is the "standard" for "nominal" expected service. Poorer service gets less, better usually more. But that is a "starting point". Does such exist? And, again, I suspect this would have to be somewhat geographically determined. If for no other reason that certain places in the world prefer you not tip, and some take offense to it.
So when people quote 'who decides not to pay DM's a fair wage?' the answer is simple - YOU - the general diving public!!
Just a thought
Paul
I kind of hear what you are saying. But, it assumes that all of us "general diving public" know all the costs involved in the business, and also know how each owner distributes his income. Personally, I don't know the cost of his boat or insurance (even though I have been a boat owner for over 35 years), no do I know what, much less how much, his other expenses are. Somehow, I don't think the owners would really want us to know that much about their business - at least not the successful owners.
Although I have not performed a detailed analysis, I think that, just like in the food service industry, it IS you, and your dive industry, that are holding down the prices. Granted you as an individual can't do much about it. But, if all tipping disappeared overnight, and the prices and salaries remained the same, I don't see a mass exodus from diving. It is the false (I hope) impression that some owners have that we, the diving public, are too dumb to calculate the real cost of our dives. Or, that we don't consider tips in our calculations. The third possibility is that they fully expect that we fully intend to cheat the dive crew out of money. I wouldn't want to work for an owner/operator who targeted that type of clientèle. Further, don't think this is the case with the readers of this thread, since so many are passionate about wanting to educate others on the "why" of tipping. I think most of us really want to pay our fair share, and that is what the subject of this thread is...not if, but how much.
So I do suggest that what ever the price for that service, be it direct cost, fee, tax, or tip, be clearly identified upfront so I have the opportunity to consider all in making my decision how I will spend my money.
I am not trying to be cheap. I just want an idea of what the costs for the trip will be, and I don't want to short change anyone because I didn't know about a "hidden cost".
