Have you tipped your service writer lately?

[Ozzie]

I do not understand the whole concept of tipping.I woldn't know how much to tip, or to whom to pay the tip.I get a bill, I pay what it says on that bill.So much simpler.

[96Qowner]

All you want is their focused personal attention. All day long, all week long, all year long, these people do what they do. Most of the work they do is for people who have no meaning at all to them. Just another job. Your tech won't even see your face, if you don't make a point of it. It just becomes a routine blur to him, or to any service person.

But mixed in with the rest, will be a few people that he will remember for one reason or another. You want to be one of the ones that he remembers, and you want him to remember you fondly. Everyone makes their routine jobs a little more tolerable by focusing on a particular one, here and there. You want to be one of the ones he focuses on.

I talk to, and do business with, thousands of people a year. I remember maybe a hundred of them, for one reason or another. I'm fond of maybe half of those. In my business, it's not appropriate to tip, so that's not the reason I remember them, but I DO remember those that obviously liked my service and bought a lot of what I'm selling. I also remember those that especially needed my help, were pleased to listen to my advice, and didn't quibble about price. In a sense, that amounts to a tip.

I understand the rationale for not tipping, but if you want the best service from the people who do that work, you need to think about ways to "pay it forward". You'd be amazed the difference it makes in your life. Almost everyone will respond warmly to being appreciated.

[gniknave]

For you guys that visit the Infiniti service department, the best thing you can EVER do is fill out the survey that they send to your house and send it back in. Make sure to give a written comment. These survey cards are read by the service manager and the writer is then bonused according to how many FULLY excellent surveys they get. Don't mark good on some things and excellent on others. They need a FULLY excellent survey from you.

[BlackBirdVQ]

I work as a tech for a living, and to me it really doesn't matter if the service advisor gets a tip or doesnt, I do the same job regardless of which. Now if lets say the car I am working on is out of warranty by 20-30K miles and they warranty a transmission, I sure as hell won't like that- as I am getting ripped off on the labor and get nothing in return other than the crappy warranty labor time. 7 hours of labor vs 12 hours is something to be very unhappy bout.

Last year the warranty was runing out on my Max and I figured I will have Nissan repleace my 5spd transmission with a new one, and repleace the intake manifold with a new one (00-01 maxima/I30s have problems with the intake). Trans was bout 3K dollars and the intake manifold was 400 bux. I took the tech who I know and the advisor (used to work with both of them at the same Nissan dealer) out to Outback for some drinks and steaks. We ended up having a party of 4 and I ended up shelling out bout 350 dollars that nite to get my stuff warrantied My car was over warranty by 50K miles, but they didn't care... it was still under warranty if you only looked at it from TIME stand point- where its 5yrs/60K miles. Thats how I like to do my bussiness, and I don't care if bribe is taking a place, I've done enough myself, and also got enought $$$ for lil extra something.

I've gotten 4 dollar raise this winter by hooking my boss up with some good booze for Xmas and a small gift card. Everywhere you look, you see people bribing people over something- just accept the fact and move on.

[zinkie13]

Question....What makes it appropriate or not to tip? Is it just what is generally accepted by society or is there some kind of rule. Seems like different people are taking this in different ways. It's inappropirate to tip in the corporate business world, but apparently it is appropriate to tip in the service fields. I can think of one good reason this occurs. Tipping is appropriate in service related fields ONLY because less people are watching than in the corporate world. Otherwise it would not exist. Giving gifts once you have befriended the person is a whole different story, but I still don't think you should give the gift while the provider is 'on the clock'.

[Jesda]

For you guys that visit the Infiniti service department, the best thing you can EVER do is fill out the survey that they send to your house and send it back in. Make sure to give a written comment. These survey cards are read by the service manager and the writer is then bonused according to how many FULLY excellent surveys they get. Don't mark good on some things and excellent on others. They need a FULLY excellent survey from you.

Now THAT is good to know!

[Jesda]

This thread inspired me to write an op-ed piece for the school paper.

[AZhitman]

I bought mine gift certs to Outback.

[96Qowner]

Heheh, interesting coincidence to see this thread again. I'm having some suspension work done on my Accord (wife hit a nasty new pothole and blew the front tire and rim) and I've been mulling over whether and how to tip my guy. He's a former Honda tech and now works at Nissan and does the work on my Q. I figure this is a good time to make an impression. I've been taking the Q to him for a couple years now, and he's started to talk to me as if I know something - you know - not just an ignorant suit.

Looks to be about 6 hours labor, total of $900 or so with parts. I think I'll get him a $40 restaurant certificate - enough for him to treat the wife.

Whadya think?

[AZhitman]

Perfect.

Bet he hasn't seen appreciation like that in years.

[elwesso]

agreed, but make sure it gets to the tech..

One of the nice things about going to a small shop is you can buy them all doughnuts or something and they can all enjoy it, whereas unless you buy a massive box, not everyone at the dealer is going to appreciate it.

[96Qowner]

I'm heading off for another 3000 mile trip this weekend, so I brought the Q into Nissan for a pre-flight checkup. The tech I tipped remembered me by name and asked how I was. He spent about a half-hour with the car, tightened a couple fuel hose clamps, checked everything over, etc.

When I went to the desk to pay, they said there was no charge.

Since I gave him that $40 restaurant gift certificate last spring, I've also gotten two power balance tests for $92, and a free oil change.

I'd say it was worth the gesture.