What do you do when a client offers you a bonus.

[treeoperations]

Todays job was just some small removals around a house and some pruning to get some more light into the house.

I looked at it couple weeks ago and put $400 on it thinking it would take me around 3 hours. I aim for 140 a hour for me and my ground guy.

I did most of the work with hand saw, used chain saw for about 10mins and then chipped the crap for about 30mins, i was rapt, made good money and when client paid she gave me a extra hundy.

i felt really bad cause it had cost me so little it the way of fuel and ground guy labour but she insisted i take it, i thanked her for the extra but still feel i should give it back to her cause it was such a crusy job.

what would you do?

 

[rbtree]

keep it

 

[cassandrasdaddy]

feel guilty?

split it with the ground guy

 

[treeman82]

split it with the ground guy

Agreed.

 

[ForTheArborist]

You must not have been in business long enough to feel good about a tip. Tips are tips. Tips are accepted around the world as tips. I've never heard of anyone waiting a table at a restaurant, getting a big tip, and then feeling guilty enough to give money back. "No, no, here. I can't take this."

I used to drive a bike cab when I was in college. There were a bunch of these down town. It's just a three wheel bike with a box on the back for customers. We would get all kinds of tips sometimes ranging into the hundreds, but I never heard of anyone shed a tear of sympathy for someone that tipped them. That's out of touch with reality. Customers know how much they just spent, and they know how much they just tipped you. They are obviously OK with it, and they are obviously not feeling broken about anything, so why should you be?

As a business owner it's your job to get money in tips or whatever. It's not your job to give it back. You have to keep your business open which means paying yourself, your employees, paying for supplies, equipment, repairs so on and so on. If you are allergic to money, then nobody can use your service because you don't take enough money from the community to keep it open and functioning smoothly with safe and efficient gear. Money is just money. Get it.

You're funny. Is it OK to take a big tip? Ha, ha! wowie

 

[Matt Michael]

tips

This happens to me all the time, almost every week. I usually quote a job a little higher than necessary then tell them it's less when finished which really makes them feel good about forking over the cash. Even when I don't do that or I end up wanting the full quote amount I STILL get tips.

I usually say, "oh heck you don't have to do that, I'm already making more per hour than a person should be allowed to" while pushing it back into their hands. But of course they persist because they are really grateful for the good service and dazzled by the climbing antics. So then I'll say, "Well, I know when to quit arguing, thanks very much I really appreciate it".

Tips like that mean that people are really happy with what you are doing. It makes THEM feel good to give you extra so you have to accept it. Take good care of those clients and anyone they refer to you down the road.

 

[Nailsbeats]

Why don't you insult the lady and give it back.

 

[tree MDS]

Packie run!

 

[v8r]

politely question it if you feel the need (which i dont, but each to their own), then split it with your other guy if you still dont feel right.. think of it as extra for a job well done. the customer doesnt know how much it cost you to do the job, so dont feel guily about making an extra buck, feel proud they decided you deserve it

 

[cassandrasdaddy]

bet

if you ask him the ground guy says keep it guarantee he won't wanna give a split back

 

[treeclimber101]

The owner not supposed to accept a tip , its poor manners , so you give it to the other guy when shes looking and thank her , and in the truck on the way home you hit him up , if ya wanna ....

 

[Onelick]

Take the money and buy something out of the ordinary for the business that would make life easier for the two of you. Or buy something for you and your ground guy. Maybe like a new Carhartt Coat or hoodies with your logo on them. Get a silk screen made for your business. Something that will benefit the business since there are guilty feelings about using it for yourself.
Onelick

 

[Bigus Termitius]

I'm with nails, do not insult her and her gift given for a job well done.

I simply thank them, put it in the bank, and move on.

A large part of successful tree care, is people care. And sometimes caring for them is letting them care for you.

 

[tree MDS]

Hell, if I really took a beating on the job, I'll just pocket the tip - screw those guys. They're getting payed for their time anyway!

 

[benjo75]

Sometimes my regular customers pay in cash (the good ones) and I never count it in front of them. If it is a new customer I will. Regularly there is a little extra in it. When I get home I call and ask if it was a mistake and when they say no I thank them and move on. Never in 15 years have I had anyone short me. They will tomorrow for saying that!

I usually put it back and will have enough for a new rope now and then.

 

[LawnMoore]

1 It goes to show that sometimes you get appreciated.

2 It goes to show that some peaople are wealthy and know they cant take it with them when they leave.

3 It goes to show that she might have gotten a bid from a real A class advantage taker who could have quoted her 1k dollars because he didnt care if he got the job or not, if he did he would be high as airplane pie and if he didnt he would still be broke like he was when he got there.

4 Stop bragging about your 100 dollar tip, i know you are bragging, i have done it too. Gz

 

[wilburdog1]

tip

give the extra to special care baby unit in yours and the Lady's name let the local newspaper know trade will come back to you from the readers everyone is happy

 

[TimberMcPherson]

Tipping is generally not done in NZ at all (occationally there might be a tip cup at a cafe but thats about it), This is why tree operations finds it unusual. Nzers in hospitality LOVE tourist americans, as they often still tip when travelling in NZ.

Most of the time any "tip" we get is beer. Crew likes it, but I dont drink beer. I have a box at my front door right this minute, member of my crew who arrives earliest will get it I suppose!

We did quite a bit of work for a local brothel (legal here), I gratiously turned down that bonus, my guy at the time when I got back to the truck asked if he could take it up, "not as long as you have a missus you wont" says I.

 

[Matt Michael]

We did quite a bit of work for a local brothel (legal here), \.

What?! I was there for 2 months in 96 teaching for the Wellington Gliding Club at Paraparaumu and nobody mentioned that THAT was LEGAL!

It was pretty lonely living in a caravan on the airport.

I did get a few tips though as I remember...

 

[treeoperations]

like timber said, we dont do tips here in nz, and i feel bad cause it was such a easy job, i made extremely good money on it with out the extra hundy.
im getting a couple shrubs couried to her for her new garden as a thank you.