Have you tipped your service writer lately?

[Jeff Williams]

I gave Derrick a $25 gift certificate to Outback, and he had Infiniti replace all 6 coil packs on the I30 under warranty (63K and 5 years, 364 days old). It was a $409.72 invoice!

I was talking about Layla, and a leaking fuel injector code. He said "Bring it by, I can hook it up to the Consult and won;t charge you a thing".

Merry Christmas to me!

[Q45tech]

One time I knew someone who got a brand new Q transmission replacement at 66,000 miles for a bigger tip $300 and 4 brand new 94 wheels in the trunk.

If I only knew what I know now about how dealerships/techs/other employees work to stiff Nissan.

[Jeff Williams]

The great thing is, he didn't even know about the gift certificate, until after he said he could get it fixed under warranty.

I have been using him exclusively, for the I30t service: oil changes, service, warranty, transmission flush, everything except brakes, a battery, and tires.

He knows about NICO, and that I know more than the average Infiniti owner, so we talk a lot when I go there. Friendship goes a long way.

Now, I need to develop a good relationship with the local Chevy dealership writer. There is only one that does a good job on Corvettes, and I want to make sure he takes care of my car. I have heard a lot of horror stories about plastic cars being broken by GM service techs and lifts.

[Jesda]

We've had this discussion before. You already pay out the nose for service. You're already supposed to be treated well. Have standards in automotive service declined so much that we need to bribe people do to their paid jobs?

A couple centuries ago, tipping was a custom created to give slaves and indentured servants some spending money. There was a huge national movement against the practice, as it was considered by many to be an insult to tip a paid server.

I'll drop a few bucks for a low-paid waitress. At $100 an hour, FORGET ABOUT IT. I'm already putting your kids through college. You can buy your own damn doughnuts and steaks. I sure as hell can't afford to eat like that after paying for parts and labor.

[What Jeff did was a bit different from what I'm talking about.]

[nuQ]

jesda, i think you missed their point. i'll give you an example, i usually give the owner of my local firestone a small little thank you tip around this time and he always makes sure i can get the Q or BMW in at the last minute for an oil change-and i supply my own oil and filter which they don't particulary like. i also throw a small tip to my local independent garage owner. what i'm really tipping for is not to have him do the repairs i'm paying for, but for instance, last year when i brought the Q in for the state inspection. emmissions passed no problem, but my windshield did have a crack, and my tires were getting very low tread. if he was just doing the job i was paying for (no tip!!!!), by rights he should have just slapped a fail sticker on and make me pay for a new windshield and four new tires when i was broke from christmas!!!! of course, he passed it and just pointed out the items that needed repair. this is what i'm tipping for,,,,,a little above and beyond, a little--i'll take care of you. i expect him to fix everything right,,,, tip or no tip! i think all the posts here were talking about how the tech took care of their valued customers (the ones who tipped) when they really didn't have to. if they were just doing the job they were paid for they would have said, "sorry, out of warrenty". very hard to be cutthroat when you just had dinner on that person the night before!!!!! LOL

[nuQ]

BTW jesda,,,i realize that u weren't really talking about jeff's specific situation

[AZhitman]

I'm VERY looking forward to having another Infiniti under factory warranty (ONLY 4 MORE DAYS)!!!!

Kenny at Midway is gonna be taking his wife to dinner on me.

[elwesso]

The thing is... People dont remember the average consumer..... People remember those who go the extra mile...... ... unfortunately I am the summer and winter service writer of Wes Stinson industries, LLC so he gets tipped all the time.....

If I feel they did only average work, I will give them only what they require... If I feel like they did a good job, ill give them extra.....

I remember one time I had dinner with a person and he had a very interesting method for doing tips.... He had some dollar bills sitting out on the table in clear sight of the waiter, would start out with like $2 or so, and everytime they did something he really liked he'd add in a dollar, everytime they did something he didnt like, he'd take out $2..... Thats how he woudl determine his tip at the end...

[maxnix]

Many can learn from Jeff's example. Sure you pay the big bucks, but if you think even half goes to the staff, you have a couple more thinks coming.

[Q451990]

I'm convinced that a steak gift certificate one year, and a certificate to a golf shop the next - got me a couple of warranty transmissions... It may not be "right" but it works. Also sold a house to his daughter although it was a concidence. Maybe he put a few good words in for me to encourage them to stay with me long enough to find what they wanted in a tough market.

For the record I'm as "frugal" as any person I've know. I clip coupons for Mexican food and price match 12 packs of Coke at Wal-Mart.

Heath

[Jesda]

if you think even half goes to the staff

I'm not responsible for the configuration of someone else's business plan. If someone chooses to work in a facility that does not pay them adequately, they ought to seek more rewarding employment.

Its fine to reward a person with whom you have a bond and an understanding. Its completely unacceptable for this to become a commonplace practice where gratuity becomes an expectation.

[chinaonnitrous]

As a person in the service industry. treatment goes a long way. If i get mis-treated, I do average work. If the customer is super cool, they get more than what Is required of me to do. If they tip me as a (mobile audio tech.) they'll get the best treatment I'll give.

I'll do what is required for anyone. Going the extra mile, is always optional, and can be expedited by a very small gesture.

[Q45tech]

The problem is if your chosen field is auto technican, depending on local cost of living, you might get $14 to $24 per billed hour and maybe rarely a bonus above so many billed hours per week. A really experienced tech might average 50 hours per week for a year if the business is there, most are lucky to get 40 hours because they must rotate Saturdays.

Teams are designed to punish individuals for the good of dealers, they just don't want the best to make double the worst.

Net after tax is $15 per hour so a $100 cash or trade is really meaningful.Most techs have to give paycheck to wife and their allowance is small [bring lunch to work- happy wife = good food]..........Non pay check money is significant.

Never equate the fact that because you are paying $100 per hour [really 45 minutes] that you are anything special to the tech, because every car pays the tech the same! One hour on yours vs one hour on another.

[elwesso]

I know from an economists point of view (Jesda) this doesnt work...... Jesda of ALL people should know that the nature of people is to take the easy way... (BTW i am not slamming Jesda's character, thats what general chat is for ).. We had this discussion earlier, youd like to think that people are going to do the best job they can with the money they are given... Which, in theory, that is what they are supposed to do! However, this is obviously not the case..

The main goal of a technician is to beat the clock! If they can do a 2 hour job in 1.5 hours.. do that 3 times a day, thats 1.5 hours they got paid for but did no work and were actually making double, because during that 1.5 hours they were working on a new car and still being paid for the other one!!!

This is the bottom line: The tech gets paid regardless, they have no motivation to do but what is required... If they get a little extra somethinsomethin, they will go the extra mile.....

I did the same thing on a lesser scale at the golf course when i worked there..... If people gave me a dollar for taking putting their clubs away, id spend some time cleaning them.. I was required to clean them all, but i could be doing other things in the time it took me to clean that members clubs...

[Jesda]

I'm not responsible for the configuration of someone else's business plan. If someone chooses to work in a facility that does not pay them adequately, they ought to seek more rewarding employment.

Its fine to reward a person with whom you have a bond and an understanding. Its completely unacceptable for this to become a commonplace practice where gratuity becomes an expectation.

[elwesso]

I guess it just depends which you want more..... Good service on your stuff, or paying what you have to, and no more, bceause you dont have to...

[AZhitman]

Jesda won't have to worry about tipping the service writer at ANY dealership until he finishes school.

Get back studying, sir.

[96Qowner]

I've always worked in a service industry, too, and the key to getting the best service is to make a favorable and memorable impression on the person who does the work. You want them to remember you fondly the next time they see you. A graciously presented tip is one way to do that, but it isn't the only way, if you object to tipping. And a tip won't work if you're an a-hole about things.

It sure is one good way to show that you appreciate their attention, though.
Modified by 96Qowner at 8:50 AM 12/22/2005

[DrewQ45]

Like your car, palms worked much better once lubrication is applied. Take it from Drew, he knows!

[nuQ]

Like your car, palms worked much better once lubrication is applied. Take it from Drew, he knows!

that was my point as well. we all feel very highly about our vehicles and go that extra mile to keep them running better than the average person. if a small tip to the guy i know will have his head under my hood makes him go that little extra,,its worth it to me. like i said--my tech lets me slide on inspection stuff (and sometimes even the bill for a week or two if times are hard!! LOL). if he was "only doing his job", he would have failed my car and made me pull out my credit card. that 20 bucks wont sink my ship and make things so much easier down the line!

i work as a field supervisor in the fire protection industry and have to deal with whatever 10dollar an hour guys my boss decides to hire and send me. i always have to explain to him when not as much got done as should have---you got ten dollar an hour work from those guys,,no more, no less. he expects everyone to be doing what i do and even what he does. yes,,i've already discussed the word "incentive" to him. you don't know how many times i've gone to him, after the guys busted their asses on a job, and begged him to give everyone a bonus. yes, they make an hourly wage, no it's not enough, but that's another story. at the end of the day, a guy making 10-12 dollars an hour (and we hire alot of them) goes home to almost nothing, takes his paycheck at the end of the week, and like Q45tech said-hand it to a wife/girlfriend or scrape enough together for rent and bills and maybe a piece of crap car (you should see what some of these guys own). my point is that handing out a 50 dollar bonus per guy of my crew is peanuts to my boss (owner of company), i know what alot of these contracts pay, but the dividends go MUCH farther in the coming weeks when i have a more motivated crew because they think their work is appreciated and noted. should this be standard procedure in a PERFECT world ,,no. ... but in my world--asking a guy to wake up at 430am--meet me around 530am, drive to the bowels of NJ everyday--work your *** off in the heat of summer, freeze your *ss in the winter,,get home at 530pm--ONLY GETTING PAID FOR 8 HOURS!!!! ---we dont get paid for drive time---is tough. throwing him 50 bucks now and then will only IMPROVE business!!!! like jesda----i have a bachelor degree in business and no, this was not discussed in ANY of my classes or books. can only be discovered in the real world. and BTW---i finished that degree while putting in the above hours--three years of it!!!! maybe i'm just a glutton for punishment!!!

[Jesda]

Tip your computer guy too, so he doesnt fill your hard drive with gay p0rn.Tip your mail carrier. It would stink if your college acceptance letter disappeared!Tip the pilot of your next flight. Crashing sure would suck!

We've accepted lower standards in service and have resorted to bribery to improve them. Sad.

[zinkie13]

I totally agree. Jesda makes a good point here. Should we tip anyone that provides a service to us in order to get good service? Hell no. Half of the time you can make a good impression on someone and still get sh*tty service!

[Falkdesigns]

I'm good friends with my mechanic and do much of the work myself. But I almost always bring a little gift along when I go over to his shop. He's got a nice Rahal Letterman Racing Indy crew shirt on his wall, thanks to me, and several t-shirts, mechanics gloves, aprons, etc.

Being friends with your service tech is priceless.

[nuQ]

jesda- i think you still miss the point! i don't tolerate lower service and would complian like a son of a B*tch if my plane crashed! ,,,,,what i'm tipping is over the top service instead of 10 dollar an hour service!! i'm tipping for some guy that is getting paid peanuts to treat my car like his mothers or his wifes car! my tipping is for above treatment---not standard. that's also what jeff and q45tech were saying as well! i only tip for things that i want top notch treatment for,,above the standard,,,above someones 12 dollar an hour wage---i still feel that my Q is worth more than 12 dollars an hour. if one feels it's beneath them to tip--thats their business,,,but like i tell my boss,,,,pay a guy 12 dollar's an hour--you'll get 12 dollars worth of business that hour,,,,,you want a little more--throw him a bone in the next paycheck. all i know is,,giving a small bone has never failed me,,,, remember,,we are about as far from a perfect world as can be.

[Rex]

Tip your computer guy too, so he doesnt fill your hard drive with gay p0rn.Tip your mail carrier. It would stink if your college acceptance letter disappeared!Tip the pilot of your next flight. Crashing sure would suck!

We've accepted lower standards in service and have resorted to bribery to improve them. Sad.

Glass half full or half empty, just depends on how you want to look at it. Tips, gratuities or just kind gestures - they're all ways of befriending someone, and in the end they'll benefit the giver as much as the receiver.

There's a difference between a bribe and a gratuity .

[zinkie13]

I think all of this kind of depends on the relationship with the service provider. I agree, it is important to have a good relationship with your mechanic or whoever, but that is not always possible. You may get him to like you because you give tips. However, for some people it is just a JOB and it was not their lifelong goal to be a mechanic. Tipping or giving gratuities without any substantial relationship may create a sense of expectancy!! That would be horrible. You have been getting decent service from a guy, you start giving him tips every time you see him, and then one time you don't or can't for some reason. He might get a little upset.

[Jesda]

See, I agree with what Jeff did. He rewarded someone he's already done business with for doing him right. What some are suggesting is a customary practice of tipping to PREVENT BAD service. That's just flat out wrong.

[nuQ]

i agree jesda,,,,bad service should not be tolerated. NEVER. i'm just tipping the guys i deal with regularly, to keep treating me a little better than "normal service",,,,and i'm happy to tip for that.

[Rex]

I don't *think* anyone is suggesting you have to tip to prevent being screwed over, but what is being suggested is that at any business that you frequent, befriending the staff/employees whether by cash tips, cookies, lunch trays, etc is a way for you to get above average service/preferential treatment.

[nuQ]

I don't *think* anyone is suggesting you have to tip to prevent being screwed over, but what is being suggested is that at any business that you frequent, befriending the staff/employees whether by cash tips, cookies, lunch trays, etc is a way for you to get above average service/preferential treatment.

AMEN