sherrie215 wrote:
I think that 15% average range is standard tipping etiquette for STANDARD services. Once you get above and beyond what the price of standard services are, then I dont think its expected to tip 15%. I do think a tip is always appropriate, but when you are paying over a couple hundred dollars for a service I dont think you need to follow the 15% guideline. |
Hi Sherrie,
I have found that tipping for hair services is like anything else. If I know that I am going to want special service for an extended period of time I will tip extra so that the person is more willing to work with me. I do this with my hair colorist. I always tips her 20% (or more if she does special things) even though she rents a booth because I have a very hard time scheduling with her.
She is usually booked for weeks on end and trying to get in used to be horrible. However, after I saw her a few times, she started telling me she would work with me to "fit me in" whenever possible.
Which usually means she comes to the salon before her regular scheduled times to do my hair. I believe the tipping has paid off because she knows I am always on time, ready to go and show my appreciation for her consideration of my crazy schedule.
She also always trims my bangs for "free" as a special service when she highlights my hair but I always give her an tip on the free service and she has been known to fit me in with one hour's notice if my hair is acting crazy and needs an emergency trim. I try to be considerate and make my appointments as far in advance as possible but with my schedule and the fact that I have to travel at times, it is hard to do.
If I don't think I will be need special consideration from someone, and they do a good job, I will tend to tip 15% unless they do something extra special.
Of course if they do a horrible job, like my former haircolorist that turned my hair orange and burnt my scalp, I didn't tip her anything. I was pretty upset but she still gave me an odd look when I didn't tip. Sheesh. My scalp was on fire and my hair looked strange (little did I know it was about to become neon orange) so I would have really been mad at myself if I had tipped her. Not to mention she was 40 minutes late for our appointment and didn't have the right hair color (which she lied to me about).
Of course when I called and left her a phone message that my scalp was beet red and peeling and my hair orange, she didn't return my calls to help me deal with the trauma. Was it because I didn't tip her or because she didn't want to deal with my orange hair and peeling scalp?
Hard to know. But since I had already decided I was never going back to her anyway, I guess it is all a moot point. 
------------- That which doesn't kill you makes you stronger or drives you totally insane. :-)
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