After a very interesting discussion on tipping on my Yahoo Group for www.massagepracticebuilder.com I have gathered some of the information to share it here on the blog.
Is it appropriate to tip a massage therapist?

Is it appropriate for a massage therapist to encourage tipping?
Is it appropriate for massage therapists to accept tips? Should you even mention tipping on your website, policies or anywhere in your office? What is the best way to do so if you choose to do this?

Massage Therapists for the most part are licensed health care professionals. We can work in hospitals, clinics and treat injuries in some states. We start our own business and charge what we need to make. Some states still do not recognize that we are health care professionals. There also is considerable question as to whether or not we should be categorized as health care professionals as that encourages more licensing and legislation - more rules and regulations. Massage therapists also work in spas and salons and places like Massage Envy that do not pay the massage therapist a decent wage. They are sometimes only paid when they have a client and paid minimum wage just waiting around for a client.

From a contributor:

The origin of tipping is attributed to sixteenth century England where
containers with the inscription “To Insure Promptitude” were placed in
coffee houses and pubs. Tipping has become a phenomenon that is purely
voluntary and often associated with service that will be received in
the future, empathy for the worker, and compliance with social norms.

According to a research paper co-authored by William J. Boyes,
economics professor at the W. P. Carey School of Business, the number
one reason for tipping is to ensure good service in the future.
Subsequent reasons were, “to be fair to servers”, “to not be
embarrassed” and “because everyone tips”. Leonard Green, an authority
on tipping says that many tips are given as a representation of
judgment as to what constitutes a fair or equitable wage, and part of
what constitutes a fair wage is independent of the amount of the
charge, reflecting compensation for simply being there when necessary.

So with that being said, is it any reason why we don’t tip our
medical providers? We expect good service from them because 1. Their
educated to the degree that they are expected to provide a near
perfect service 2. They are well compensated for their service and 3.
And it is not a social norm to tip your doctor.

Tips in the food service business reflects the low pay of waitresses and waiters and influences the service they provide. They work to get their tips. They have to be nice and do whatever the customer wants to get a good tip. If they don’t - well there goes their income.

Is tipping a reflection of our beliefs about money? Do we charge less than we need to make to try to get clients in the door and then hope for a tip? Do you feel resentful being paid less or not getting tips?

Some spa and salon owners that include tips in the so called ’salary’ may be doing so to avoid paying you more. They may not really understand the value of the massage therapist in building their business. A well paid massage therapist will get more clients in the door than an underpaid one.

What does it mean when you work at one of those spas and the client doesn’t tip? Does it mean you didn’t give a good massage? Does it mean the client couldn’t afford it? ( Who really can’t afford an extra $5-10 really?)
I stopped worrying about tips when I started charging more for my services. I also think that tipping has a way of putting the receiver into the category of waitress/waiter, spas and people who cut hair/nails which is more of a pampering service. These people are usually underpaid for what they do. They need the tips usually to survive and especially waitresses who work their tail off to ‘please’ people sitting at their table so they can get a big tip.

Massage done in the health professional category should be charging an appropriate fee and and making enough money that they wouldn’t ‘need’ tips to survive. Would you work less harder if you thought you weren’t getting a tip? Would you work harder if you knew you were getting a tip?

Does the concept of tipping lead to more sexual advances when people think that if they give a good tip they will get a happy ending?

What is an appropriate way to convey your policy on tipping? Here are some good examples from the discussion:

“Are tips required?” and then answer
with: “No. Although greatly appreciated, tips are not
required.”

‘Clinical clients may not
tip, wellness clients may tip is so inclined, Thank you.’

“Gratuities graciously accepted”

So again there really isn’t any right or wrong about accepting or not accepting tips. It depends on your situation, where you work, how much you charge, how you view yourself - as a health care provider or a service provider and your beliefs about money.

This entry was posted on Saturday, July 21st, 2007 at 11:24 am and is filed under Changing Your Beliefs, Money issues, Starting Your Practice, The Wealthy Massage Therapist. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.