Guilt Tipping 후기 글

How's life treating you?

 

1. My initial impression was that all participants were punctual, with nobody arriving late for the study session. It seems that the concept of 'Korean time' doesn't apply to DECA. I am 100% sure everyone consider DECA to be a worthwhile study group.

 

 

2. Prior to the main session, we engaged in a vocabulary test prepared by Joanna. This made the learning experience worthwhile, enabling me to gain a clear understanding of the vocabulary. As for me, the other usage of "echo as verb" was fairly fresh to me. And to top it off, it turned out Clair aced the word test~!

Wow, she did a bang-up job.

 

 

3. Today, the topic was "guilt tipping".

I reckon Joanna consistently brings intriguing subjects, which leads participants to be absorbed in the session.

At the same time, it loosens up the mood whereby the new comers won't feel like a fish out of water.

I guess this is undoubtedly what it takes as the DECA staff.

 

Cut to the chase, most members did agree with each other on serious guilt tipping that is the social phenomenon kept unchecked.

 

What is guilt tipping?

This idea is being prompted to give extra money at the time of purchase. You may feel embarrassed, ashamed, or guilty if you don't tip.

 

Even to make matters worse, the guilt tipping is now being shifting towards tip-flation. Even though it is meaningful that you pay the tips voluntarily, now you are asked to pay them tacitly under pressure.

Hence, it implies the customary notion of gratuity is tarnished as the conventional one of tips. That is not an absolutely good sign. Anyway, customers are faced with unfavorable circumstances where they have to be saddled with excessive tipping.

 

Why guilt tipping is all the rage, negatively?

As prerequisite knowledge to take a close look at guilt tipping, we need to figure out the reason behind the insane phenomenon brought about by guilt tipping.

 

Before and after COVID-19, the economic climate has drastically changed.

During Pre-pandemic, the common rate of tips was approx. 15% of goods, services and etc.

During Post-pandemic, there is no limit of tips. You may be requested to pay as much as a POS terminal says/pops up the tip rate on the screen.

Of course, you still hold the last option not to pay any tips, though. Instead, the servers may talk behind your back. What a sparing Scrooge!

 

Everyone is now bombarded with asking for tips, tips, tips, and tips everywhere. 

Even if you place an order for a cup of latte at Starbucks by using digital kiosks, you may be requested to pay tips.

What exactly these tips are for? Why on earth would I have to pay?

Is that for the owner's installing the self-operated machine, digital kiosks, and everything?

I would much rather say; No-tip-place is nowhere. Tip-place is now here.

That's why the tip-flation has been backfiring on New Yorkers, rather than they are willing to pay more tips.

In short, tip-flation is now perceived as adverse effects on New Yorkers, who are becoming increasingly hesitant to offer larger tips.

 

 

4. Follow-up talks.

We deep-dived into the topic by sharing personal instances described by Joanna, Hoony, and Jeong.

She took the taxi, but she was asked to pay the tip.

He got discriminated through his experience related to tipping.

 

Also, we compared our notes regarding the proper tip rate, while HK, Haily, Saenal and Arib were doing storytelling connected to tips.

There appeared to be a general consensus among us that the appropriate rate was 10 or 15%.

 

Last but not least, the content of 'guilt tipping' was expanded to perspectives of various parties.

.  –What is the pushback from "customers"?

.  –What's the perspective of "restaurant owners and service providers"?

.  –What is the viewpoint of "servers and employees working in the field of Service"?

 

 

• Restaurant owners and service providers

It is not understandable to incite the busboys, busgirls, and servers to beg customers for tips.

Since the prices have skyrocketed, the owners are obliged to raise their employees' wages commensurate with the soaring living expenditures.

The owners now pass along their responsibilities to the customers under the ostensible reason for increased prices.

They seem to bury their heads in the sand like an ostrich.

 

Conversely, as the servers or employees don't get paid accordingly, they have to more rely on tips as their additional means of living.

 

At this point, I would say the owners are stuck in a deadlock.

Unless they mark up a proper rate on food, they cannot raise the wages for their employees.

Simultaneously the owners would worry, I mean, they even would agonize over whether they might lose their loyal customers due to the mark-up.

 

Another interesting content was whether you would prefer generously or adequately tipping.

For sure, tipping enough makes the servers feel satisfied, as they serve the customers diligently.

However, if customers want to be the way more treated, they are most likely to pay to tip a lot.

In Korea, where tipping isn't customary, this might not resonate(=echo). Thus, we may feel this doesn't sound like our story. But technically speaking, it could be our story.

It is just only a different form of giving extra money. We are already experiencing "tipping a lot".

For example, 배민 app provides two types of methods to order in food — 배민1 Delivery and just normal 배민 Delivery

(Joanna exactly hit the nail on the head, paying tips is optional but a Delivery fee of 배민 is kind of mandatory)

I am convinced that Koreans will eventually follow in the footsteps of New Yorkers.

 

 

5. Wrap it up

I have had all the time jolly study sessions in DECA.

I sincerely appreciate each and every one of you. I am grateful for your earnest attitudes during our study sessions.

Hopefully, we'll continue to have a great time in our upcoming studies as well.