10% Service Charge?

Question

I don’t know about you but when it comes to the hotel industry there are certain things taken for granted, like service charge. Is it compulsory to pay for the 10% service charge? What if their service is not up to expectation? Even though we may complain to the hotel manager, we still ended up paying that 10%. Shouldn’t this be discretionary? Another annoying thing that I experienced is that some hotel staff treat foreign tourists better than local clients. They are more attentive, exchange pleasantries with Westerners & Japanese, presumably because they are more generous when it comes to tipping. But for us Malaysians, probably because of our cultural upbringing, we were taught the value of money & as such, tend to be more cautious when giving out tips & we do so only to those whose services are exemplary. I used to tip but now I don’t even when:
I order food through room service.
The bell boy brought up my luggage to my room after check in.
I ask the concierge to call for a taxi.
I left my luggage with the concierge to take care if my flight back home is in the evening.

Do you find my action reasonable or am I being too much?

Would especially welcome comments from anyone from the hotel industry.

Answer 1

if i visit any shops, restaurant etc. that include service charge already... i won't tip. as i already pay ervice charge and they should serve me better as they got paid for it!!!

Answer 2

The standard amount of tipping is considered 15% for good service. Over here we pay 10% no matter what. I usually tip RM5-10 more depending on the amount of the bill. But if im dissatisfied with the service, I would leave no extra tip & give them a piece of my mind!

Answer 3

i am a tour leader, i bring msians to other countries. suprisingly, when it comes to bellboy service, msians rather skip that service and carry their own luggage. i would say msians are more thrifty. it's ok that u didnt tip the 3 statements, but !! the 1 statement about the bellboy bringing ur luggage to ur room. pls tip him.

come to think of it, maybe tipping was not taught by our parents. maybe tipping was strictly taught in other western culture.

i have another question: why do we have to pay 5% govt tax and 5 % service for mamak stalls? for example PELITA mamak.
as if rm7 per dish is not enough, plus with rm2 drinks...the total tax is another 0.90 cent.

Answer 4

I got no comment of 10% service charge. but I think its sort of goverment law in any entertainment or tourist places. Any restaurant or mamak place that has nett profit of more than RM 1 million per year has to give goverment tax of 5% from their customer purchase. Its a parliment law. You dont need to tip them actually

Answer 5

Service Tax is a government levy and has to be charged by all service establishments.

For details about service tax, please check the following link:

http://www.servicetax.gov.in/

Answer 6

Tipping has been around for hundreds of years. A tip, or gratuity, is defined as a gift of money given to someone for performing a service or menial task, over and above the payment due for the service. Tips are not required, but they are expected by many people in the service industry. In fact, many U.S. waiters and waitresses are paid less than minimum wage as tips are expected to make up the other part of their income. The amounts and percentages suggested below should be used as a general guideline only. If service is poor, give a smaller tip or none at all. If service is superior, feel free to be more generous with your gratuity.

In fine-dining establishments, there are a number of people to tip. Servers expect 15%-20% of the pre-tax amount of the bill. A group of six or more often receives a bill that has the gratuity already incorporated. If a number of bottles of wine are ordered during the course of the meal, the prevailing belief is that the wine costs should not be figured into the final tip. Of course, if a wine steward was involved in the selection and serving, he or she should be tipped 15% of the wine bill. A maitre d’ should be taken care of, too, as that person can help to make your dining experience a favorable one. A twenty-dollar tip is a good place to start and will help to establish a relationship between the two of you. This can work in your favor when the time comes to entertain the important people in your life and career. Bartenders should receive 15% of the bar bill, give the coat room attendant $1.00 per coat, and pass along $1.00 to the valet parker.

Tips also need to be bestowed upon certain people in the transportation industry. If you check your luggage curbside at the airport, tip your skycap a minimum of $1.00 per bag. Airport wheelchair pushers appreciate a few dollars for their efforts. Taxi drivers should be tipped 15% of the fare. Many cities around the world have established a rider’s bill of rights, which tells riders they have the right to enjoy, for example, air conditioning on command, a radio-free ride, smoke-free air, and a clean seat. Riders are encouraged not to tip if the rights are not complied with.

Hairstylists at beauty salons and barbershops should be tipped 15% of the bill; those who shampoo your hair get $1.00 to $2.00. If more than one person provides services, for example one doing color and another cutting your hair, tip each person 10%-15% of their portion of the bill. Manicurists should receive no less than $1.00 or 15% of the bill.

At hotels, give the bellhop $5.00 to $10.00 for bringing your luggage to your room. If you order room service, tips are usually included in the tab and range from 15% to18% of the bill. Chambermaids appreciate $2.00 to $5.00 each day for taking care of your room. Give the doorman at least $1.00 for helping to call a taxi, in inclement weather, give a little more. No tip is necessary for the concierge who takes care of an simple task, such as dinner reservations or a shuttle bus booking. For more complicated services, $10 to $20 is appropriate.

For a look at tipping in other countries around the world, I have invited fellow members of the Association of Image Consultants International to offer their insights.

**SINGAPORE

In many Asian countries, tipping is very much a way of life for service. Socially, one can elevate one's status by extending a tip. The bigger the tip, the better the personal attention and service which can, of course, impress others. For example, at Chinese dinners, the host tips the headwaiter often before the meal to ensure excellent service. This is still practiced to some extent. However, with the erosion of traditional customs and practices in modern day Singapore, tipping is generally not encouraged by the Singapore government. There are probably several reasons for this. To woo visitors and boost tourism revenue, the government has worked hard to implement measures that make Singapore a safe destination where visitors will find modern facilities, better service, technology-aided efficiency, cleanliness and no confusion for foreigners.

Taxicabs run by meter with receipts issued upon request and tips are not required to taxi drivers. However, tipping is still done at beauty salons where a tip of S$2.00-$4.00 (S$1 = approx. US$1.7) is appropriate for the shampoo person and manicurist. It is handed directly to one's favourite service staff and this also ensures that the same service staff attends to that particular customer in the future. At some salons, there is a general tip box at the pay counter. Hair stylists who are owners of the salon are seldom tipped. S$2.00 is the amount of tip that applies to hotel service staff, although guests are often notified of a "No tipping required” policy. At restaurants, valet parkers are tipped well, from S$2-S$5. Perhaps this is because valet parking services are most often used by well-heeled individuals who arrive in plush, and often exotic, cars - especially at hotels. Proper dining restaurants levy a 10% service charge and tipping is therefore not required. However, it is often practiced by hosts who are entertaining special guests, in which case an additional 10% of the bill amount is given as a tip to the headwaiter who is supposed to share the tip with the other service staff.

Answer 7

Myra, can you summarize? Hotel101 essay exam ah? hee..hee..hee..,jangan mara.