Tipping Your LBS ?
09-23-16, 07:38 PM
#26
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I don't get tipping. First of all, if your shop includes some routine checks and adjustment as part of the service, I'm of the belief that they are not going to go out of business because you don't give them free money. It was figured into that original charge and in many cases is trivial for them to accomplish costwise.
Secondly, don't tip and make up for it at the dollar store and dollar menu. That is not logical at all. Pay everyone fairly...or to be blunt, don't be a cheapskate.
Tipping has to be figured in as income and taxed, so you are not doing anybody a favor.
However, I can see you are generous in your mind and mean well, still, the notion that you are being good to somebody by paying them extra in some way is not working. If they wanted it, they would tell you up front. That doesn't mean that stuff is free, it just means they don't mind.
I always let the owner air my tires for me as I am liable for damage to the tube etc and not under any warranty if I mess it up. He does let me wrench a little, simple things, if I am out of the way as he's busy. What I don't know or don't want to do is his job or I wait and figure it out later/
I get looks and comments about what a slug I must be not to tip, but like a previous poster I give my money again to those that earned my praise and thanks, and come back. The business owner hopes you will come back and needs you to return more than $2. Some customs are well-meaning but not practical.
Secondly, don't tip and make up for it at the dollar store and dollar menu. That is not logical at all. Pay everyone fairly...or to be blunt, don't be a cheapskate.
Tipping has to be figured in as income and taxed, so you are not doing anybody a favor.
However, I can see you are generous in your mind and mean well, still, the notion that you are being good to somebody by paying them extra in some way is not working. If they wanted it, they would tell you up front. That doesn't mean that stuff is free, it just means they don't mind.
I always let the owner air my tires for me as I am liable for damage to the tube etc and not under any warranty if I mess it up. He does let me wrench a little, simple things, if I am out of the way as he's busy. What I don't know or don't want to do is his job or I wait and figure it out later/
I get looks and comments about what a slug I must be not to tip, but like a previous poster I give my money again to those that earned my praise and thanks, and come back. The business owner hopes you will come back and needs you to return more than $2. Some customs are well-meaning but not practical.
Though for me, when I tip someone for doing a little extra work, like helping me break a freehub loose, or loaning me a tool, I do it as a way to give them a "extra" thanks. To me time is money, if someone goes out of their way to help me I like to pay for their time and knowledge. A couple bucks isn't going to help them keep their lights on, but it might help them buy lunch or a beer after work.
As far as being taxable, yes technically it is, but I guarantee no one is going to claim it.
09-23-16, 07:44 PM
#27
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Thursday night I had some car tire work done at a shop that is not local to me. The manager and two techs stayed after hours on the clock to make sure that my car was safe and ready to drive home. They were there almost an hour and a half past closing to make it happen for me. I tipped the two younger techs working there even though I didn't have to. They went above and beyond and did it in a good mood and had some fun with it. They usually see soccer moms in minivans getting 80,000 mile tires put on. They were glad to have the change. Personally, I have no issues in tipping someone for service that is excellent or more than what is required.
09-23-16, 08:25 PM
#28
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My tire dealer does not take tips (Les Schwab). Wherever you are, if there is a dealer near you they just come and service you. It's part of their ads as well.
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09-24-16, 07:14 AM
#30
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Beer, unhh, times have changed. Some rolled gold was the way in my day.
09-24-16, 07:39 AM
#31
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There's a new bike shop in the closest town to where I live. I've gone in several times with various issues on my bikes and the owner always does this stuff for me for free. Finally, last time I went in I had to insist that he start charging me at least something in order for him to stay in business! By way of "tipping" I guess I am now just buying lubricant and other stuff at his shop. I don't quite know yet how he feels about beer!
09-25-16, 07:24 AM
#32
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I don't expect to get goods or services free...but I don't feel I need to tip someone for a job they are getting paid to do.
09-25-16, 08:40 PM
#34
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I work in a store with a shop, and there aren't many tips that I see (I sell, the techs wrench). When they do some work on my bikes (sometimes free for minor stuff, sometimes paid), I always bring in a 12 of good stuff. Most techs like the craft brews. One customer gets her bike tuned yearly, and when she picks it up, she brings pizzas for everyone. And the other evening, a lady came in panicked because she broke a valve stem on her bike the day before a triathlon event. We fixed it while she waited (that's normal procedure), and I showed her the proper inflating procedure, and after she paid, she turned around and handed a Starbucks gift card to me for me and the tech. She said she didn't know what was left on it, but she wanted us to have it. Turns out there was $25 on it!
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09-26-16, 08:19 AM
#35
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As a mechanic, I like getting tips. Cookies are the best.
As a customer, sometimes I tip, sometimes not. I brought a motorcycle in for a new tire and front sprocket change. The old tire was plugged and I'd tossed in some Stan's tubeless juice for good measure; I could not for the life of me get the nut on the front sprocket off, it was rusted/stuck on and I didn't have a decent impact wrench handy. So the tire change was going to be messy and I knew the front sprocket would be problematic. When I picked the bike up, they didn't charge any extra for either hassle, so I tipped the mechanic for the extra trouble -- if both were more straightforward, I might not have tipped.
As a customer, sometimes I tip, sometimes not. I brought a motorcycle in for a new tire and front sprocket change. The old tire was plugged and I'd tossed in some Stan's tubeless juice for good measure; I could not for the life of me get the nut on the front sprocket off, it was rusted/stuck on and I didn't have a decent impact wrench handy. So the tire change was going to be messy and I knew the front sprocket would be problematic. When I picked the bike up, they didn't charge any extra for either hassle, so I tipped the mechanic for the extra trouble -- if both were more straightforward, I might not have tipped.
09-26-16, 09:18 AM
#36
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I hang out at my local LBS a lot. I went for a ride and as usual I stopped in afterwards to see what was going on. They ask how my ride was and I informed them it was good but the new shoes I got started to hurt my feet (Bought shoes somewhere else because they didn't have the kind I wanted). They explained that I might just need to do a re-fit on the bike. Without making this long, we did a re-fit and adjusted a lot (took about 45min). I get off, and go to the counter to pay and he walks by me and tells me to get out, I'm not gonna charge you for that. I threw him $30 and told him to get lunch or something.
