For some, tipping after a wellness appointment is second nature; but is there a polite — or effective — way to address the others? Whether it’s their first facial, they’re too Zen from a great massage, or simply in a rush after a visit, we’ve rounded up a few strategies to remind customers about the practice of tipping after wellness appointments.
Communicate best practices
The first touchpoint your client will have with you is likely online — on your website, on a marketplace app, or via social media. As such, you have the opportunity to provide ample information about your policies. Make sure that they know then that gratuity is not included in their service and remind them of the why, communicate that tipping is an important aspect of compensation for your talented team.
Create an extra touchpoint via email
Your next point of contact with your client will likely be an email confirmation of the appointment. Be clear here that gratuity is not included in the price listed on your service menu. If you can, you may even want to communicate the full cost of their service — and your tipping policies — so that they already know the amount to tip on and there are no surprises.
Chat on-site
Your venue likely has a gratuity policy or preference in place — whether it’s cash-only, no cash, etc. Consider adding a tastefully written sign at the check-in desk, and ensure any staff welcoming or checking out guests is reiterating the practice.
Try a phone call or text
It depends on your bandwidth, but the surest way to guarantee your client gets the message is by talking to them. Call them, thank them for booking an appointment with you, review the cancellation policies and make sure that they know that tipping is not included. You may even want to take this time to communicate the value of the service they are getting. If you have an SMS notification system (and clients have opted-in), this is a low-touch way of telling your clients about your gratuity policy while confirming the appointment. You may even want to ask them to text “yes” to confirm that they understand your policy.
Check them out
You likely already have a formal check-out process for your clients, where you review the cost with them and either take a payment or communicate that you will be using their card on file.
Matters of gratuity can feel awkward, but they don’t have to. The secret is making sure your communication is clear and your clients know what to expect.
Explore how partnering with ClassPass can propel your wellness business forward — contact the team here.