Hi Collette,
I got some nice Christmas tips from clients I see regularly, including a whopping giftcard for LaSenza! I was bouncing about like tigger after that! But really, if I get a tip at all it would be 10.00/20.00 and it's pretty rare. I think my rates are high enough and I don't ever really expect tips.
I take the cash upfront and when the time is up, to expect the guy to get his wallet out and pay more? I don't know, it does not normally happen, not for me anyhow!
I offer cash back as well, if the guy needs to take off early or something. It's not fair really, I think, to take for 2 hours when your an hour in and he gets a work call and has to run. I think the gesture is appreciated as normally when this happens, I only end up giving about 20.00 back as they won't take any more. I always give back if too much is in the wad of cash as well. If he didn't have the correct change then, I will get 10.00 for him and sometimes, I get told to keep it. I try to be honest with the theory of, walk the line of honesty and you will reap the rewards? I don't know, I certainly had nice tips over Christmas so perhaps it does work that handing cash back thing! But there again, I am always running over time as well, I am not a huge clockwatcher, too soft perhaps? Not sure, all I know is, it worked out pretty well for me with Christmas bookings as I had some lovely tips then.
I don't work through an agency though. I am independent. Do you think that has a say in it?
Perhaps somebody with more know about it will come along and answer that.