Are we making our customers feel insulted when a retail store company will not allow us to take tips ?
Mr Christian Ct asked:
As a Stew leonard team member we are not allowed to take tips from our customers when we help them with carryouts to their cars.A fellow team member said to me if a customer insist that i take it take it any way even though in a polite manner i explained to them the company won’t allow us to take tips and so that the other team member said to me becareful not to them feel insulted by refusing not to take tips. I just wanted to respect the company and the customers an do my best for freindly customer service and how careful shall i be when i explained the store policy?
As a Stew leonard team member we are not allowed to take tips from our customers when we help them with carryouts to their cars.A fellow team member said to me if a customer insist that i take it take it any way even though in a polite manner i explained to them the company won’t allow us to take tips and so that the other team member said to me becareful not to them feel insulted by refusing not to take tips. I just wanted to respect the company and the customers an do my best for freindly customer service and how careful shall i be when i explained the store policy?
Most people will understand if you smile and say something like it is against store policy to accept tips. They’ve probably given you some spiel about good customer service is all part of the Stew Leonard experience that you can use. It the person tries again, just say, thank you but you cannot take their money because you might lose your job because of it. Reasonable people will understand, unreasonable people it won’t matter what you say.
i also worked in retail and my company also had that policy i have found the best way is not 2 give them the chance if u can get it out to the car and in then leave as soon as possible still being as polite as possible thank them for shopping with u and start walking back 2 the store and if they try and stop u to give u a tip (hope fully u are away from them) and let them no about the policy
I think that policy is appropriate. Eliminates the risk of favoritism.
Smile and say, “All part of the service sir/ma’am” If that does not work, let them know that you could be fired for accepting a tip.
Often stores with that policy put up signs to that effect so that might be an option. I have seen signs that give that message – something like “Your tip is included in the cost of the item.” Ask if something like that could be done. I think the policy is a good one.