When Does Tip Talk On a Tour Get On Your Nerves?

[SamFritz]

I am a tour guide in Niagara Falls. After eight years of experimenting I have found routine that produces the highest income for me, but I was wanted to hear from travellers at what point does a guide's mentioning of tips really start to take away from your enjoyment of the trip? By the way, I drive a mini-bus that seats 32, but my average group size is 18. So I am both a driver and a guide. Here's my routine:

 

1. The bus has two small signs (one in front and one in back) that say "If you enjoyed the trip, please don't forget the tip. (15% is customary) Thank You"

2. At the beginning of the trip while I talk about what we will be seeing and doing, I also say, "And just so everyone knows, the tour bus drivers and guides here in Niagara Falls, as with drivers and guides all around the world, really do depend on the tips that they recieve for the lion's share of their income. So I'll trust you to read the signs on the bus and at the end of the trip you can be the judge at how I did at giving you all a great time today."

3. At the end of the trip as I'm saying a bunch of thank yous I say, " So when we get to each of our drop offs please let me step off of the bus first, I'll help you down off of the bus, I'll give you a good handshake, and I'll thank you for your tip at that time."

 

Those three items are the only mention of tips during a 5 hour tour. I have found that if I leave any one of them out, my average tip per person drops from $6.61 to $3.82. If I say nothing many people give nothing and most only give a dollar or two.

 

So would you be bugged on my tour? When would you start to be irritated? I've only had one complaint in 8 years.

[Perfect Stranger]

Those are the "ONLY" tipping reminders? You're pretty blatant, IMO. That would turn me off and I'd probably give you nothing.

[dobiemom]

If you're only saying it at the beginning (#2) of the tour and at the end (#3) I don't think it would bother me at all.

[lambs2]

I agree. Sounds almost like coercion to me and it would turn me off.

[serene56]

Once in the begining--like you said- and maybe at the end- Dont call attention to the signs== Im not stupid and I can read.

 

And just so everyone knows, the tour bus drivers and guides here in Niagara Falls, as with drivers and guides all around the world, really do depend on the tips that they recieve for the lion's share of their income.

 

 

Any more then that--will start turning me off and each time you remind me I gotta tip--the percentage goes down.

[SamFritz]

Tips really are the main component of a tour guide's income. While over-the-road bus drivers earn anywhere from $14 to $24 per hour, tour guides are paid minimum wage or less by their employers.

 

While people go to restaurants and often have friends who have worked in restaurants or have worked in them themselves, people know that they are supposed to tip their waiter. The same is not true for tour guides. Some level of information needs to be given to most people about how we earn our living.

[PattyG12]

Why at the beginning? At the beginning of a tour, I'm excited to see what I'm there for! I expect it at the end and that's when I'm digging in my purse. The way you state it at the beginning, I've tuned you out already. I would wait until people have enjoyed the tour and then say your peace.

[Perfect Stranger]

The sign is enough. Verbal reminders are tacky and annoying.

[gertz]

For us it comes down to one thing. You meaning the tour guide of what ever tour we are on give us a good informative and enjoyable tour we always give a generous tip.

Jack

for the lovely

[SamFritz]

Why at the beginning? At the beginning of a tour, I'm excited to see what I'm there for! I expect it at the end and that's when I'm digging in my purse. The way you state it at the beginning, I've tuned you out already. I would wait until people have enjoyed the tour and then say your peace.

 

It is mentioned at the beginning so that people will know that they should have some cash in hand at the end of the tour. Many people use credit/debit cards or spend their cash on food and souvenirs during the tour.

[Perfect Stranger]

So what you really mean is "Make sure you don't spend all your money. Save $5.00 cash for ME." I still say tacky.

[Goldryder]

hmmm...I used to operate tour coaches and before that I would courier on them (tour guide).

 

I never ever mentioned tipping either as an operator or as a guide...and tbh, it was frowned upon if any drivers or guides did so where I used to live/work, so it was generally avoided out of courtesy.

 

As for actually getting tipped, yes, I most definitely did and I was always very surprised at the amounts given too. As an example, I was a tour guide for a group of 40 people over the space of 3 days, at the end of their holiday on one of my vehicles they present myself and the driver with sealed envelopes and thanked us both for a wonderful weekend. Once we had offloaded everyone and their cases we went to a local rest stop for a coffee before heading back home and we opened the envelopes. My driver had a total of £275/$450 and I had £385/$630 in tips from the group, which by anyone's standard was quite exceptional. On average with a 40 person load, I could easily gain around £300/$500 a day in tips alone and without asking or hinting for them.

 

My own personal feelings about asking or hinting or reminding about tipping, if you do your job right and you entertain and inform your guests well, then in all honesty, there should be absolutely no need to ask, hint or remind anyone to tip.

 

Edited to add that a tip should be seen as a bonus, never as something taken for granted or expected, least not in my opinion. I was always extremely grateful to my guests and the best tip I ever had was to know that they enjoyed their day in my company, so anything above that was indeed a bonus.

Edited July 15, 2009 by Goldryder

[SamFritz]

Now, just to stir things up a little: Many of my colleagues have tip signs that say: "Your Driver/Guide is performing TWO important jobs for you today. He insures your safety as a driver and your enjoyment as a guide. It is customarry to tip him a total of 25% for the TWO jobs he is doing for you today." Those guys don't usually mention tipping verbally, but IMHO, the sign is much more guilt driven and greedy than my aproach.

[Perfect Stranger]

If I was their employer I'd make them take down that awful sign. :mad:

[Goldryder]

Now, just to stir things up a little: Many of my colleagues have tip signs that say: "Your Driver/Guide is performing TWO important jobs for you today. He insures your safety as a driver and your enjoyment as a guide. It is customarry to tip him a total of 25% for the TWO jobs he is doing for you today." Those guys don't usually mention tipping verbally, but IMHO, the sign is much more guilt driven and greedy than my aproach.

 

I am sorry but there is no way any driver or tour guide would ever work for me with that attitude towards their guests. That is just so rude and disrespectful, they are your guests and it is your job to make their day as enjoyable and as informative as you can, and if they choose to show their appreciation then fine but they should never be made to feel that they must do so.

 

No..sorry but that crosses the line in my book.

[SamFritz]

If I was their employer I'd make them take down that awful sign. :mad:

 

There was a long struggle between the drivers and management about tip signs about six years ago. The company wanted no signs, that's when I experimented with no signs. For a while the company put signs on the bus that were much like mine. But many of the drivers put their "awful" signs right over the company sign. In the end, management let it drop and drivers are allowed to put their own signs up in the bus now. I wish we had stayed with a nice, permanent professionally made sign that was installed on the bus.

[SamFritz]

I am sorry but there is no way any driver or tour guide would ever work for me with that attitude towards their guests. That is just so rude and disrespectful, they are your guests and it is your job to make their day as enjoyable and as informative as you can, and if they choose to show their appreciation then fine but they should never be made to feel that they must do so.

 

No..sorry but that crosses the line in my book.

 

I agree with you. That's why I use a "softer" more friendly sign, but also verbally mention tips.

[PattyG12]

But don't you find that asking for a tip before performing a service is a little rude? I can't imagine travelling without a little cash.

[Goldryder]

I agree with you. That's why I use a "softer" more friendly sign, but also verbally mention tips.

 

There is absolutely no need to mention tipping. A good driver/guide should be able to place his/her guests into the palm of their hand and entertain them and inform them for a whole day without the need to mention the tips.

 

It is an artform....hence the saying here in the UK amongst the coach operating fraternity...'You can get steering wheel attendants anywhere, but coachmen/women are a rare breed'.

 

Any form of tip reminder, hint or straight out asking is bang out of order, no matter how subtle it might be. Do your job right and you'll be rewarded cos your guests will WANT to do so, not cos they are told to do so.

[VistaRio]

You have asked a very open and honest question, so I will give my honest opinion.

1. The bus has two small signs (one in front and one in back) that say "If you enjoyed the trip, please don't forget the tip. (15% is customary) Thank You"

I don't really mind this at all. I'd rather the "15% is customary" were removed, but in this day, as I said, I would expect a sign like this.

 

2. At the beginning of the trip while I talk about what we will be seeing and doing, I also say, "And just so everyone knows, the tour bus drivers and guides here in Niagara Falls, as with drivers and guides all around the world, really do depend on the tips that they recieve for the lion's share of their income. So I'll trust you to read the signs on the bus and at the end of the trip you can be the judge at how I did at giving you all a great time today."

This is the beginning of the trip, and the first mention of a tip by the guide. I don't really mind this. Note also, the way you have worded this, it is still at the discretion of the guest. I would however already be hoping tips are not mentioned again.

 

3. At the end of the trip as I'm saying a bunch of thank yous I say, " So when we get to each of our drop offs please let me step off of the bus first, I'll help you down off of the bus, I'll give you a good handshake, and I'll thank you for your tip at that time."

OK. This is too much. You have now indicated the guest WILL be tipping. Why couldn't you just stop at the "I'll help you off the bus" part? If the service has been deserving, you will receive gratuity. This last one feels like nagging.

 

Again, these are my opinions. You asked how people would feel. I'd feel annoyed at the third comment.

[Langley Cruisers]

3. At the end of the trip as I'm saying a bunch of thank yous I say, " So when we get to each of our drop offs please let me step off of the bus first, I'll help you down off of the bus, I'll give you a good handshake, and I'll thank you for your tip at that time."

 

 

Are you serious?

 

If you are, then I'll be serious with you - every time you mention a tip, it will be reduced.

 

- We were on a fabulous bus tour in Antigua a few months back. This sweetest little girl with a big booming personality didn't ask for a tip once, not once, not even a hint. We tipped her 10 bucks. She was so sweet.

 

- HoHo bus (Hop On Hop Off) in NYC last week; driver kept mentioning the tips and did so often enough that we got of his bus at a stop to take pictures, didn't return, and waited for the next one. He was very annoying. His greed showed through and he got NOTHING.

 

We know to tip. I guess not everyone knows this, but I suppose that's the chance you take.

[CowPrincess]

I'd say your approach is overkill. I'd definitely be "yeah, RIIIIIGGGHT" at the 15% reminder on the sign, and you'd have to work HARDER to get a tip from me after the sign and 2 reminders. You'd have to be Superman to overcome my resistance to (what I'd perceive as) your coercion. And in the beginning blurb, I'd want to hear something like "I get asked this a lot, so before you feel the need to ask, yes we can accept tips. As a matter of fact, most of us rely on tips for the bulk of our income" or something -- make it sound like you're telling them to save them from asking a potentially embarassing question.

 

We were on one bus tour where honestly the tour guide (every third or fourth time she opened her mouth) was mentioning what a poor country it is, how she doesn't get to work every day, her kids are hungry, etc, etc. Seriously, if she'd done her job instead of whining about how tough her life was, she'd have certainly gotten a better tip from us.

[UtterCaro]

So would you be bugged on my tour? When would you start to be irritated? I've only had one complaint in 8 years.

 

Yes, I'd be annoyed on your tour -- and would reduce the tip every time after the first mention. As a former waitress (who of course never once mentioned tipping to customers), I'm a generous tipper, but two signs and two verbal requests constitutes wheedling in my book. I'm glad your method seems to work for you; it wouldn't work for me as your customer.

 

Caro

[cruiseryyc]

Your tip goes down each and every time it's mentioned.

[PCWalton1]

I always tip for good service in fact I tend to overtip (20% for standard, more if exceptional). I think the signs are ok except there does not need to be a percentage (15%) listed, I will determine on my own what is appropriate. But I do not appreciate being told to remember the tip and I find that annoying. Good service gets the good tip from me, not nagging.:(