Tipping when you've paid a single supplement

[cbm32]

"With an inclusive tip policy (built into the rate) these people would be rewarded for being lazy or doing their job poorly, so you see, I prefer to have voice and tip accordingly."

These people shouldn't even be on the boat, and an operation that tolerates employees like this should not be in business very long.

Tipping $5 a day is not insulting, at least in my opinion, and it also does not mean that the guide/crew is only worth $5 a day. They should be getting paid what they are worth by their employer. Tipping should be extra, gravy, found money, and as such any amount should be appreciated but NOT counted on or extorted by constant reminders of the tip jar or that the employees depend on those tips.

The minute someone starts hinting at tipping being expected or whatever, I get really turned off on the idea of tipping that day.

When I was young I worked as a waiter and I never ever thought about tips until the end of the day, and I never ever felt someone was cheap or ungrateful or any of that garbage if I cleared a table and there was no tip. I knew what the pay was when I took the job and if I wasn't willing to work for what the pay was I didn't take the job.

Now I dont have to work at all, but I get really bored with being retired full time and so I am working. I bust my hump to provide top notch service and meet peoples needs in any way I can. I make a pittance compared to what I did in my first life (meaning the job I did for 25 years before retiring) and I get zero tips because what I am doing isnt something that people are guilted into tipping for. But I take pride in everything I do and the minute I dont....I will no longer do this job.

The idea that doing ones job requires a tip is somehow lost on me I guess.

With all of the above said, I usually do tip at restaurants and dive boats....usually, not always, and certainly not according to some arbitrary standard that other people try to shove down my throat. So, every time I see a thread started by someone asking others what they should tip I just shake my head. How can someone else know what kind of service you are going to get before you even get on the boat? How is someone else going to know what your financial circumstances are, or how much assistance you are going to need/want? Only people that have dove with whatever company you are going to dive with will have a good idea of how much the trip is costing (my assumption being the on the far more expensive boats the employees are getting paid more to start with...if not, why is the trip more expensive?).

Ok....excuse me now while I step down off from this soap box

 

[Kharon]

Had a guide at a well known resort take off with the group and without me under conditions where the previous dive had been changed on the fly and the boat moved without the divers being told. If the same had happened on this dive I would have been up the creek because there was a shore wall that would have prevented me from leaving the water. I had to abort and sit on the boat waiting for the divers to return.

At the same resort, after being politely asked, then firmly told that I didn't want "help" with my equipment, the boat captain continued messing with my kit and screwed up my equipment so I couldn't do the final dive of the trip.

Should I have tipped these guys? I did, very generously the first week. The second week - not so much.

... the guides were the ones who made our experience below so amazing and that's what I was there for - DIVING!

Of course, there is also the guide that losses you, doesn't show you anything, doesn't take your skills into consideration, takes photos in front of you....etc. With an inclusive tip policy (built into the rate) these people would be rewarded for being lazy or doing their job poorly, so you see, I prefer to have voice and tip accordingly.

Two good points.

 

[cbm32]

"Should I have tipped these guys? I did, very generously the first week. The second week - not so much."

In my opinion, not always so humbly expressed, NO you shouldnt have tipped them. I not only would have not tipped but I would have sent an email expressing my displeasure to the owners/managers. If I were an owner/Manager, I would hope that this kind of thing would be brought to my attention ASAP.
But then that may just be me and my view of what customer service is all about.

 

[Lorenzoid]

@Alice Goot, great observations. I concur with all except this logic:

. . .
I was doing 4 dives most days and that guide showed us amazing sights and creatures, took my groups skills and preferences into consideration, and showed me the best spots to shoot from, plus plus plus, how could he only be worth $5 per day?!? Seriously, I'd drink that much in 1 glass of wine that night! And I already agreed to pay $10 per day for nitrox per day, so why wasn't this man's skills worth at least that?!? . . . .

Speaking generally (not commenting on the specific amounts mentioned), I do not believe a customer's tip should be related to how well-heeled the customer is. I do not believe someone's employee should be tipped an amount that's considered way beyond what is customary in the region just because a customer from the rich world can afford it and felt he received great service. It is not up to me to judge what someone's skills are worth relative to items such as wine and Nitrox that are expensive luxuries in the region, out of the reach of the budgets of local people. What his services are worth in local terms is between him and his employer.

 

[urbaneve71]

i work in a tip based industry. i work in a casino - table games dealer where i split my tips with 473 other dealers. IMO when i do an outstanding job and a customer feels the need to tip ME extra - i still have to split and it kills me -- I have been on a single table where one customer has tipped me out 67,000 and yes, I had to split that with all the others that stood around and gave crappy service or were even off that night... now bear with me a bit. i will make the connection.

even though you paid a single supplement, there are going to be people that go above and beyond service -- they should be tipped for that. those that do a regular job... NO. if you feel the need to tip out, then go ahead. there are still some people that feel that part of doing their job is to provide excellent service to a guest and believe me --- they are a rare breed these days.. IMO -- go ahead and tip them out, they more than deserve it.