How much do you tip the table mechanic?
- Thread starter whitewolf
- Start date
I think that was very big of you. I was a Billiard Mechanic for a good 8 years and I got tipped probably less than ten times. Funny thing was all the times I did get tipped it was from someone who was from up north. I guess there is a greater appreciation for a job well done by the northerners. Sounds like he did a great job.
If he did a great job and you have the dough then good for you. I guess it would depend on your bankroll and how much you appreciated it. What was his reaction?
Harvywallbanger said:
I am not rolling in the dough but in general I am a big tipper in the resturant, if they do a good job.
I think he was talking about driving all the way back to Indiana (or ILL?) that night because his daughter had a birthday party the next day. When I gave him the hundred he said thanks very much and stuck it very quickly in his pocket. At that point I realized that his helper was out in the truck and I had hoped that he would have shared some of the bread.
He had set up a Gabriel table for my friend just before he came to my house and my buddy said he tipped him $40, and like me he had no idea about what the amount should have been.
I have been the victim of two lousy installs and when this guy spent the extra time to get it perfectly level I felt that I had to reward him somehow.
I think 20 to 50 dollars is ok. I get 15 or so tips a yr out of 150 or more installs. I am self employed so all the income goes to me anyway. Often people just point to where they want the table and they go upstairs or in another room so they have no idea how much work I've done in the past four hours, people who watch or play alot or have had bad installs in the past know what goes into an install and those are the ones that tip the most.
It's not that easy to turn boxes into 3,4,5,6+ thousand dollar pool tables and then have it annilyzed by the customer when it's done, re-cloths are much easier to do. The mechanics make everyone involved look really good or really bad.
I think most people feel when they pay alot for a table why should they pay anymore and I kind of agree.
It's not that easy to turn boxes into 3,4,5,6+ thousand dollar pool tables and then have it annilyzed by the customer when it's done, re-cloths are much easier to do. The mechanics make everyone involved look really good or really bad.
I think most people feel when they pay alot for a table why should they pay anymore and I kind of agree.
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whitewolf said:
When you buy a new pool table, how much is the shipping and installation?
I guess what I'm asking is if you pay $$$ for delivery and installation, why should you feel obligated to pay extra for the tip when you've already paid extra for the delivery and installation?
When I have furniture or appliances delivered, I pay extra for the delivery and installation. Does anyone here pay a tip for delivering and installing furnature and appliances?
Having been in service and sales my whole life I try to tip anyone that sets foot in my house. I know that may not be normal but all to often I've seen people not take their job seriously. If an electrician comes in my home and makes a honest effort to service me and treat me right I'm tipping him not so much for the service but for the positive attitude and stand-up effort.
So for me my rule of thumb is that if you are in my home and don't have a attitude and are helpful I'll reward you.
And if someone is there to deliver furniture or appliances I do tip them as well, plus they have no control over wether or not I was charged for delivery.
So for me my rule of thumb is that if you are in my home and don't have a attitude and are helpful I'll reward you.
And if someone is there to deliver furniture or appliances I do tip them as well, plus they have no control over wether or not I was charged for delivery.
Bishop said:
This is probably off the topic, but out here in Denver, plumbers, electricians and other handymen bill at over $50/hour. So I would naturally expect that they perform a professional job, with a good attitude too.
Since this is the first time I've heard of tipping pool table mechanics, please pardon my ignorance about it.
Do you tip the butcher who cuts those nice steaks for you? Do you tip the heating oil driver for doing his job?
Some occupations are tip driven like bartenders and waiters, they are paid something like 40% of minimum wage and tips are expected.
Tipping is a personal thing but I don't tip occupations that earn full wages from their employer. I do take very good care of the bartender and waiters!
TIP (To Insure Promptness) not quality.
BK
Some occupations are tip driven like bartenders and waiters, they are paid something like 40% of minimum wage and tips are expected.
Tipping is a personal thing but I don't tip occupations that earn full wages from their employer. I do take very good care of the bartender and waiters!
TIP (To Insure Promptness) not quality.
BK
Not that I don't agree with what you say but unfortunately we live in a world where lots of people wether paid well or not don't do their jobs with pride.PoolSharkAllen said:This is probably off the topic, but out here in Denver, plumbers, electricians and other handymen bill at over $50/hour. So I would naturally expect that they perform a professional job, with a good attitude too.
Since this is the first time I've heard of tipping pool table mechanics, please pardon my ignorance about it.
I know tipping isn't necessary but I thinks its a nice way to recognize and compliment someone for a job well done.
PoolSleuth
Banned
I do not own my own table than goodness, but if I did. I would Tip an Employee fast than a Business Owner for a Job Well Done. Reason being the Employee is working for Wages, or commission on the Job. the Owner get 100% of the Bill. For the Service...
Tipping, in the USA, is getting out of hand. Everywhere I go somebody wants a tip.
Hotels that only have valet parking are becoming very common, resturants, hair cuts, bars, pool halls, pool hall counter men want a cut of the action, the grocery store on the base has bag boys who are unpaid and there are signs up saying to tip them!!! WTF is that? Pretty soon we will have to tip on everything...
I like making my deals up front. i hate being expected to pay extra by an employee of a business when I already made a deal with the owner. I expect the owner to take care of his employees instead of hoping I chip in some extra...
BTW - I alway take care of my pool halls. Tipping is essential in pool halls if you are a serious player. Its just everywhere else I go that pisses me off when I am expected to be generous to be an accepted member of society...
As far as the poll/question - I would never even think of tipping a table installer. I'd make a deal up front and honor it as agreed. I was shocked to even see this thread since tipping a table mechanic hasnever crossed my mind.
Hotels that only have valet parking are becoming very common, resturants, hair cuts, bars, pool halls, pool hall counter men want a cut of the action, the grocery store on the base has bag boys who are unpaid and there are signs up saying to tip them!!! WTF is that? Pretty soon we will have to tip on everything...
I like making my deals up front. i hate being expected to pay extra by an employee of a business when I already made a deal with the owner. I expect the owner to take care of his employees instead of hoping I chip in some extra...
BTW - I alway take care of my pool halls. Tipping is essential in pool halls if you are a serious player. Its just everywhere else I go that pisses me off when I am expected to be generous to be an accepted member of society...
As far as the poll/question - I would never even think of tipping a table installer. I'd make a deal up front and honor it as agreed. I was shocked to even see this thread since tipping a table mechanic hasnever crossed my mind.
Harvywallbanger said:
I'm a table mechanic and the people who are more likely to tip are the people who spent their last dime on a pool table. The people with the most money will generally hold on to it.
Then on top of that the people who have you move all their crap that is non-table related will tip you $10. $10 each if your lucky. We just do it because they'll *****, moan, and whine if you don't.
We have gotten tips such as one of the Skybox machines you see at homedepot. Which is about $300-400 for it. For me if I get a $20 tip. ($40 total for both my help and I) I am very happy. Today I got 2 of those. $20 from 2 customers (My cut). Made a long day great.
The largest tip I got was from my first day of work. I did 3 multi-million dollar mantions that day. The last job I got a $100 tip. ($200 total before the split). The guy orderd a Gulfstream10 over the phone. He had bank accounts overseas and I swear he was a drug dealer. I'm not talking street level. Big Dog style. It was funny. We were tracking mud all over his old house and didn't care. He told us to do it. He was in a rush to get out for some odd reason.
Now because of this I have become a big tipper. I won't tip less than $5 even if it is a lousy job. I've gone to The Pool Room 2 and just gotten a sweet tea. As long as the waitress kept it full I'd leave a $10 tip. If she did a bad job I'd still leave a $5 tip becuase it drives me nuts when I get screwed over. At the Pool Room 1 in Marietta I left a bar maid that wasn't even serving me a $5 tip because she was doing a great job on the other side while mine was lost except to bring me my bill.
But $100 is a great tip. It's rare for me to get that.
Tipping
Of the last few tables I have had delivered and set up, the delivery and set up were seperate from the price of the table. But, I have a tradition, and as weird as it may seem, it is my way of showing my appreciation. I always have dinner ready for the guys when they are done. It is usually lasagna or something you can keep ready. They tell me their price and that is what they get, no dickering. Like I said, it may sound weird, but after a hard day, a good meal and something to wash it down with is usually appreciated. It's Tradition!
Of the last few tables I have had delivered and set up, the delivery and set up were seperate from the price of the table. But, I have a tradition, and as weird as it may seem, it is my way of showing my appreciation. I always have dinner ready for the guys when they are done. It is usually lasagna or something you can keep ready. They tell me their price and that is what they get, no dickering. Like I said, it may sound weird, but after a hard day, a good meal and something to wash it down with is usually appreciated. It's Tradition!
PoolSleuth
Banned
CaptiveBred said:
Employers use to Value & Take Care of Employees, now many Corporations are SENDING American Job's Off Shore for a Quarter an Hour Labor Force to work in.
Hell when I call my Credit Card American Express, and get Customer Service in WhattheF India, it makes me mad...
I ask to be transfered who can speek good english, and is in the USA....
IMO the "tip" is to show appreciation for doing a good job.
As for paying for the installation and delivery I would guess that the setup guys did not make anything for that portion. If they came and did a fine job then a tip is not unreasonable. It also could help in the future.
Everything has a delivery charge worked in. Its not like anyone will ever give someone free delivery and it actually be free.
Getting good service is becoming a rare event. When I get good service and especially when someone goes that little extra I tend to tip.
As for paying for the installation and delivery I would guess that the setup guys did not make anything for that portion. If they came and did a fine job then a tip is not unreasonable. It also could help in the future.
Everything has a delivery charge worked in. Its not like anyone will ever give someone free delivery and it actually be free.
Getting good service is becoming a rare event. When I get good service and especially when someone goes that little extra I tend to tip.
That's an excellent point. One could buy the most expensive table in the world, but if it's not set up properly and with experience, the table will play badly. My guess is that you have a lot of integrity in your work whether or not you're getting fully compensated for it.mechanic/player said:
I agree with FranknCali: mediocre and even incompetent work is too often rewarded today. Standards have really decayed in the past 20 years. If someone goes the extra mile for me, I reward them. Otherwise there's no reason to tip.
For example I usually tip 15% in a restaurant for decent service. For lousy service I don't tip at all. For exceptional service, there's more left on the table. My wife always wants to sneak an extra buck or two under her plate for the waitress. But unless it's for unusually good service, that's the same as rewarding bad service; and the waitress will never have incentive to change. I'd use the same gauge for pool table mechanics.
Doc
gulfportdoc said:
You sir are a very wise man. I do enjoy working on pool tables and since I started working for myself I enjoy it even more now that I'm rewarded as I feel I should be. I know it takes more than good mechanic's to operate a billiard dealership but we are the ones that are in the customers homes and have the most interaction with them.
gulfportdoc said:
I'm guilty of tipping when I shouldn't. But it comes from my work because I'll go above what I should have to do and I'll still get stiffed. Or get a $5 bill to split with my partner after he and I have moved his Big Screen down 2 flights of stairs.
Another thing I have learned from being a table mechanic is that often times people don't really care about us at all. To many customers act like they are the only job for that day. When we have 2 more move and recovers to do with long drives.
One time we had to wait 1hour for a guys wife to come so they could pick the right color grey. We couldn't do a thing until they figured that out. Table was leveled and we needed a decission on what to do. This guy is also a multi-millionare. I worked for him when I was 16 but he (Thankfully) didn't remember me. 1hour later the wife shows up and goes with what we said would likely be best.
Not once did he apologize for holding us up. Because we were held up an hour a wreck happend a mile in front of us closing all lanes on the interstate. Making us 3 hours late. We lost money because of him. But as far as most people are concerned it's not like we had anything else to do. And yes people have told me that to my face.
I really just hope it's because my partner and I are young and they think we are some dumb punks. And not that most humans are like them.
So in a sense I tip even on lousy service because I know that might be a product of being stiffed multiple times for good work.
But either way to the original poster you left an excellent tip I'm sure they mentioned. If something is wrong they'll be more than happy to come help you out I'm sure.