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How much should I "tip"?

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ringdude

Rough_Rock
Joined
Aug 4, 2009
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So first.. a bit of background...

My girlfriend interned for a high-end (showcase at Bergdorf Goodman) jewlery design firm for about a year. Over the course of the year, she met pretty much everyone in the company and decided that they should make her engagement ring. There was one contact guy at the company who has been doing everything for me... he''s the guy I meet with, the guy who got us a deal on the stone, the guy who designed a lot of the setting... he''s pretty much put a lot of work into the whole thing. I''m wondering what a suitable "tip" would be. I think the whole thing will probably end up costing me around $12k, but be appraised at around $18k. Does anyone have any suggestions as to how much I should tip him on top of that? I feel as though I should give him a nice bonus, since he''s been so kind to me. I was thinking that $500-$750 would be appropriate.
 
I''m going to put this out there, and it''s entirely up for debate.
I work in the retail field and it''s MY JOB to make sure my customers get everything they want and more, if I can get them a deal I do.
I want to make them happy and get their business. Now, if a customer tried to tip me I would be flabbergasted and very happy, BUT it is not expected.

so how much should you tip? that''s up to you, should he expect a tip, no.
I could be wrong tho, please correct me if I am.
 
Do you think it would be awkward if I did? I mean, I want to let the guy know that he did me a big favor, but at the same time I don''t want to overdo it. It''s definitely a weird situation.
 
I''m sure he would be flattered (and glad to have the extra $$)
 
I''ve never heard of people giving tips in this situation but I guess it makes sense if he went above and beyond what he was hired to do. That being said, Im sure he enjoyed helping you out because it was for someone he knew. Maybe you just get him a thank you card and a really great bottle of wine or something like that you may know he appreciates. Im sure he will appreciate the money, but I think getting him something physical like that may be more sincere?

Nice of you to think of giving the tip!
 
Another way to say thank you is to give him a gift certificate for a nice dinner like Ruth Chris or something like that. I think that may be slightly awkward, but in the long run it''s up to you. You could also do a visa/mc gift card with the amount you want to give instead so he could choose to spend it anyway he needs.
 
Perhaps a gift card (generic Visa that is accepted anywhere) or nice thank you package from Dean & Deluca....if you feel as though you want to give something more personal present to express your garatitude a nice pen (I suggest Cartier) is usually a winner for gentlemen...

If someone goes above an beyond what I expect, I usually show my gratitude via gift and hand written thank you card.

A simple gesture from you which shows that you appreciate his hard work and time / effort is something he will not forget.
 
alternate suggestion to actually "Tipping" is maybe give him a nice gift certificate to stay in a nice lodging or some sort of restaurant. When I worked in retail - I do not expect a tip and would probably be uncomfortable accepting cash, but a gift card or gift certificate would be a nice gift. just a thought though
 
All very wonderful suggestions!

However... what do you think is an appropriate price range? I mean... for a $120 dinner I would pay $24 as 20%, but obviously the rules are different for engagement rings (I''m not expecting that I would pay $2.4k on $12k, although he DID do all of the design and organization himself).
 
Wine, or a gift certificate, or some sort of gift basket with a hand-written thank you note.

If you really want to give him a boost, send a letter of gratitude to his boss. Recognition in the workplace is always nice to get.
 
I think that the amt you spend depends on what you select to give.
Gift cert for restaurant...cover price for 3-4 courses plus 1-2 cocktails, plus gratuity, for 2. The manager should be able to assist with the "how much" aspect for that particular gift...
Food gift basket...$150ish (don''t go overboard or it can get awkward)
Small classic token (pen, cufflinks, tie clip, wallet, desk clock etc) $200-500ish...let the particular item speak to you...

I like to give gifts that can be used over an over again...and which can become meaningful to the recipient...sometimes they cost a little more, but people seem to appreciate the personal thought behind them. I like the idea of writing a note to his boss...perhaps sending the token of appreciation to the boss as well to be presented in a group setting?


Also, If I do not know a person well, I refrain from sending wine (does this person drink / appreciate wine? prefer white? red?) simply bc it it can be too complicated...
 
I think it''s great that you want to tip him and agree that not everyone drinks. The easiest way to show your appreciation is probably to get him a Visa debit card with a certain amount of money so that way he can pick out something he likes. I think 250-300 is a good amount and I concur that he won''t be expecting it.

You can also write a really nice note about his above and beyond customer service to his boss, but I wouldn''t necessarily present the boss with the present to give to him. Think about it this way - in this tight economy, a customer seal of approval is as good job insurance as you can get. And that might be more valuable than a monetary present. But you can obviously do both.

Kudos to you, may the karma gods smile upon you.
 
I think a giftcard to a nice restraunt would be appropriate and thoughtful.
 
Date: 8/4/2009 11:36:00 PM
Author: ckrickett
I think a giftcard to a nice restraunt would be appropriate and thoughtful.
Click to expand...

Ditto.
 
Date: 8/4/2009 11:27:39 PM
Author: litebrite
I think it's great that you want to tip him and agree that not everyone drinks. The easiest way to show your appreciation is probably to get him a Visa debit card with a certain amount of money so that way he can pick out something he likes. I think 250-300 is a good amount and I concur that he won't be expecting it.

You can also write a really nice note about his above and beyond customer service to his boss, but I wouldn't necessarily present the boss with the present to give to him. Think about it this way - in this tight economy, a customer seal of approval is as good job insurance as you can get. And that might be more valuable than a monetary present. But you can obviously do both.

Kudos to you, may the karma gods smile upon you.
Click to expand...
I think that is a GREAT idea. Especially if you mention to the boss that it is because of this person that you will continue to do business with their company.. (...after ering comes wedding bands, wedding jewelery?, birthday/Christmas gifts?, etc and i'm sure his boss knows that...).. If it is your plan to purchase the rest of your jewelery from them. Nothing better than a satisfied, repeat customer.

Along with a note/card to your contact guy and maybe a restaurant gift cert, I think that'd be great.

Handing him a check or a wad of cash? Especially that much.. I think it could be a little awkward for the recipient. "Do I look at how much he wrote on the check?" "Do i wait for him to walk away so he doesn't think I'm rude?"... If you give him a note and giftcard, it'll be in an envelope and it'll help alleviate a little of that I think.
 
Date: 8/4/2009 11:53:14 PM
Author: jaylex

Date: 8/4/2009 11:27:39 PM
Author: litebrite
I think it''s great that you want to tip him and agree that not everyone drinks. The easiest way to show your appreciation is probably to get him a Visa debit card with a certain amount of money so that way he can pick out something he likes. I think 250-300 is a good amount and I concur that he won''t be expecting it.

You can also write a really nice note about his above and beyond customer service to his boss, but I wouldn''t necessarily present the boss with the present to give to him. Think about it this way - in this tight economy, a customer seal of approval is as good job insurance as you can get. And that might be more valuable than a monetary present. But you can obviously do both.

Kudos to you, may the karma gods smile upon you.
Click to expand...
I think that is a GREAT idea. Especially if you mention to the boss that it is because of this person that you will continue to do business with their company.. (...after ering comes wedding bands, wedding jewelery?, birthday/Christmas gifts?, etc and i''m sure his boss knows that...).. If it is your plan to purchase the rest of your jewelery from them. Nothing better than a satisfied, repeat customer.

Along with a note/card to your contact guy and maybe a restaurant gift cert, I think that''d be great.

Handing him a check or a wad of cash? Especially that much.. I think it could be a little awkward for the recipient. ''Do I look at how much he wrote on the check?'' ''Do i wait for him to walk away so he doesn''t think I''m rude?''... If you give him a note and giftcard, it''ll be in an envelope and it''ll help alleviate a little of that I think.
Click to expand...
TOTALLY agree with jaylex and litebrite. A big wad of cash, although nice to have, is abit awquard to give/recive. I second the gift certificate to a nice reastrant near by or a really nice bottle of wine, both with a thank you letter. Everyone likes to feel appriciated.

I think writing to his boss is also a really lovely thing to do for some one to make sure that his exellent coustomer service is recognised by not only yourself but those he works with. I know that when ever my BF''s boss gets a letter or email about his above and beyond approch to coustomer service his boss always shares it with other in the work place as an example and it makes BF over the moon with pride.
 
If he''s truly a professional and he wants to maintain his image as a professional, he wouldn''t take money from you anyway. A nice way to go would be a Visa gift card for $250.- That''s the amount my husband gifts as a finders fee in his business.
 
Cash is a very, very awkward gift.

I''d do a gift card for $200-250 to a really nice restaurant or spa and send a note to his supervisor. I promise, the praise will be "tip" enough.
 
i would worry that a tip (cash) could be problematic for him. the boss or owner may not allow it and it might be taxable. i think that sending a gift basket would be the best way to say thank you.
 
This is why I thought maybe not presenting it to the boss would be preferable. On thinking about it more, you could also do an amazon.com gift certificate if you don''t do the restaurant GC because you can pretty much find anything you want at amazon - books, tech, music, cookware.
 
I agree with all the posters saying that is a wonderful idea to recognize excellent customer service and an employee who goes out of their way. In the days I worked in retail (like, 100 years a go) it was policy that we were never allowed to accept personal tips/gifts. I think the idea of a note to his boss and a gift basket is a great idea and goes a long way.
 
I''ve worked with jewelers whom I also socialize with, and they''ve always turned down any attempt at financial remuneration .... but they''ve always been happy to accept expensive bottles of brandy, wine, or their poison of choice. I think many jewelers think of themselves as being artists or artisans rather than employees whom one tips ....
 
Date: 8/4/2009 9:28:28 PM
Author: roverchic
Perhaps a gift card (generic Visa that is accepted anywhere)
Click to expand...
Generic VISA gift cards are NOT accepted everywhere. I started a thread about them a few days back because I cannot find any place that will take mine except Safeway gas station. They're a huge PITA!

PLEASE do not cause the person a huge hassle by giving them a VISA Gift card!!!

What would be lovely would be a thank you card and a GC to a resturant!
 
MC: That is unfortunate about your gift card. Where are you located? Do you have any idea where your card was purchased?
I give and receive them frequently (at least twice a month) and have never had an instance where I was unable to use any of them...in fact I used one last week to make a purchase online and used the remainder of the balance to pay for drinks at a local restaurant. Is there a customer service number you could call to see if there is a problem with your card or the merchants at which you attempted to redeem?
 
Date: 8/4/2009 8:39:56 PM
Author:ringdude
So first.. a bit of background...

My girlfriend interned for a high-end (showcase at Bergdorf Goodman) jewlery design firm for about a year. Over the course of the year, she met pretty much everyone in the company and decided that they should make her engagement ring. There was one contact guy at the company who has been doing everything for me... he''s the guy I meet with, the guy who got us a deal on the stone, the guy who designed a lot of the setting... he''s pretty much put a lot of work into the whole thing. I''m wondering what a suitable ''tip'' would be. I think the whole thing will probably end up costing me around $12k, but be appraised at around $18k. Does anyone have any suggestions as to how much I should tip him on top of that? I feel as though I should give him a nice bonus, since he''s been so kind to me. I was thinking that $500-$750 would be appropriate.
Click to expand...
I disagree with tipping it is his job and a tip is not necessary. I would however write a letter and take it to his boss and make sure he receives a copy as well. A nice bottle of champagne like (Veuve Cliquot) would be a nice gift but I wouldn''t go the GC route or give money.

Regards,
CCL
 
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