Here's a Tip for Ya!

Service.

I have already blogged about this once.  And actually that "piece" created some interesting conversations.  But anyway, on the radio yesterday Dwyer and Michaels were talking about how the advent of "debit cards" has driven us, literally, into a paperless society.  How no one carries cash or change anymore.  A man called in to say he stopped at some gas station near Chillicothe a couple weeks ago to put some air in his tires and you could charge it.  You can put AIR on your debit card.  AIR.  Can you imagine what that line item says?

The conversation lead to how people in the service industry were complaining about how this paperless society has affected tipping.  And how because of this, tech companies are creating systems to improve that, as well as how basically anywhere you go now, you see a tip jar.  Oil change stations, doughnut shop, sandwich shops...(there has always been a tip jar at the coffee shops.)  You get the concept.

They were discussing how these tech companies have created a stand alone machine where you can leave a tip if you so desire.  One didn't give a receipt, the other one well I don't even remember.  So basically the argument was that here was this machine with all of your vital information stored in it.  Well, let's be honest every single time you swipe your card anywhere, someone other than you has your info.  If you hand your card to a server, you trust they are going to take it directly to a machine, swipe it and return it.  Some people aren't so lucky.  Anyway, its the chance a person takes.  The conversation was regarding service.  And who you should tip and who you shouldn't, etc.

And the conversation was interesting until this biotch called in and made me want to reach through the phone and throttle her.

She was a nurse.  Who wanted Dwyer and Michaels to know that even though she provides a service, she does not have a tip jar on her nurses station.  She is just doing her job.  And that when she goes in and pays $6 for her Starbucks coffee, she does NOT TIP this person, BECAUSE they are making minimum wage and doing their job.  Why should she tip someone to do their job especially after her extremely expensive coffee..and that anyone who is making minimum wage is making ENOUGH that tips are not necessary.  She makes exceptions for people who are not making minimum wage, but that depends on where.  No one at McDonalds needs tipped because they are just standing there doing their jobs.

Here is what is incredibly wrong with this human being.

1-Stop drinking expensive coffee and make the shit yourself if you think the price you are paying is so high because it's only  "covering" your service.  It's expensive because you are drinking the most expensive coffee.  Get it at the gas station you idiot if you don't give a shit about your quality.

2-I am happy you are a nurse, saving lives and whatnot and that you were smart enough and dedicated enough to become one.  Your hourly wage is no where comparable to the "minimum wage" you speak of, so shut your face before you say anything more stupid.  Is it your fault that these people are doing minimum wage jobs and should you have to suffer because of it or pay more because of it.  No you idiot, you are paying for a service.

3-Do you even know what minimum wage is right now?  Would you do your job for less than what you are doing it now because well, the country is hurting ma'am can you take a pay cut?

4-Those minimum wage jobs and the people that work at them, make the freaking world go round.  Unless you are looking for a serviceless society where you can do everything yourself.  If everyone had the desire, drive and intelligence you did, who would serve you your coffee ma'am?  Those jobs aren't just filled by people who have no brains.  They are single mothers working 3 jobs, or kids putting themselves through school, or God knows what, but regardless of what life path got them to the damn counter at that gas station or wherever, who the hell are you to judge?  Congratulations to you for making "something" of yourself.

Service is service is service is service.  All tipping is left to your discretion.  Tip or don't tip, I cannot control whether you do or not.  There are some places where tipping is standard protocol.  Some where it is not.  If someone does a good job or helps me or whatever and it is not a place that ordinarily you would tip someone, I will hand them a tip directly.  I know that we all make our own decisions about who we tip and how much and with the fact that very few people carry cash these days, tips ARE HARDER to come by.

Just please don't stand there and say that you refuse to tip someone who is being paid minimum wage to do their job.

Everyone should be required by law to work with the general public and provide customer service.  If you did you would have a better appreciation of what it takes to put up with the bullshit like this.  And you would realize that it is a considerably underpaid position.  Any position serving the public is.  And most of the times these people are required to smile and be polite and care and take your crap.  Funny how these minimum wage people can do that, but you go to the Department of Motor Vehicles (were the pay is quite nice,) and they are assholes...and really in bad moods all the time.

So I guess my point is before you judge a minimum wage employee based on their pay and their responsibilities how bout you judge them based on how nice they were and your service.