Ah yes, the age-old tipping question. There isn’t another topic in the service industry that is as ambiguous, guilt-invoking, and confusing as tipping. How much? How do I do it? Is it appreciated, or is it expected? Is too little of a tip an insult? Isn’t it better than nothing? How much is just right, how much is too much? Who do you tip? If it was up to my wife, she would tip everyone, from the toll booth guy to the 7-11 clerks.
Before we get into the nitty-gritty of the T word, let’s talk a bit about reliable moving companies, movers, and the service industry in general. Though our opinion may seem biased, consider this: in what industry does a consumer put as much faith and trust as they do into a mover? A waiter is entrusted with bringing you your food from the kitchen in a timely manner, or a person cutting your hair is entrusted with your appearance, but what other service professional is given the responsibility of handling your furniture, valuables, antiques, and other prized possessions without ever meeting them? This is why a reputable moving company with a proven track record is incredibly valuable – not many other servicemen work as hard as movers do.
With that said, is tipping your mover required? The short answer is, absolutely not – not as it for a waiter, or a bell hop. Your movers are not expecting a tip, but it will most definitely be appreciated. A simple “tip” – put yourself in their shoes. Some things to consider:
BULK OF THE MOVE
Moving is back-breaking work in general, that is no secret. However, consider putting yourself in their shoes; was there a lot of stuff? Was it heavy? Would you want to be appreciated for that? Did they come prepared with the packing materials such as hand-trucks, boxes, tape, etc?
WERE THEY CAREFUL, COURTEOUS?
In this day and age, finding horror stories about moving experiences is not difficult, a simple search engine search and voila, hundreds of stories at your fingertips. Were your movers courteous, did they handle your belongings with the care, the way you would?
HOW MUCH?
Percentage tips only work in the restaurant industry, but not with moving where the bill can be in the hundreds or more. If the movers were good, but not great, $10 per person is a fair amount. Did they move fast, and get it all done in a day, working 8-10 hours or more? Then $20 per mover is not unheard of. Again, do what feels comfortable to you.
Lunch/Beverages. Since moving is such hard work, consider providing the men with water or soda. Some people substitute tips with buying the movers lunch instead, and some people supplement the tip with lunch. Both are perfectly acceptable. Providing beer takes away from the professional relationship and creates liability issues – it is generally frowned upon.
WHO DO I GIVE IT TO, AND HOW?
Tipping in cash is best, because this way the movers feel appreciated and can spend it any which way they’d like, right away. If you include the tip into the moving bill, then the workers might not see it for weeks, if not longer, and that money will be subject to taxes etc. Also, tip each man individually, so there is no ambiguity, and each mover will feel appreciated.
Well there you have it. We hope we provided some insight and clarity into this confusing and touchy topic. Be sure to do your homework and check online for moving company reviews before selecting a mover. Good luck with your move!
