Interesting Question: Should you tip the cable guy?

[aphex]

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The Wall Street Journal Online
As cable services grow in popularity and complexity, some consumers are wondering: Does the oft-maligned cable guy deserve a tip?

Andy Ferullo of Long Island City, Queens, thought so. He slipped an extra $20 to the RCN Corp. technician who wired up his prewar apartment with a cable and phone package. "The guy was there for seven hours, drilling holes and everything," says Mr. Ferullo.

Mr. Ferullo isn't alone. Despite phone and cable companies' mediocre service reputation, installers say they receive tip offers from a sizable minority of customers. New offerings like high-speed Internet access and digital cable often require fresh home visits -- meaning new confusion among consumers about when they should tip, and how much.

Dave Kelch, a field service technician for Covad Communications Group Inc. (COVD) , a high-speed phone-line Internet provider based in Santa Clara, Calif., says he's been offered tips ranging from $5 to $25, although company policy prevents him from accepting the money. But privately, many technicians say they are happy to take the extra cash. A technician with Comcast Corp. in Washington, for instance, says he receives a tip about once a day, usually around $20.

To be sure, the idea of tipping an installer hasn't become protocol. "The suggestion even strikes me as odd," says Allan Carscaddon of Philadelphia, "I don't feel like I owe them anything."

After all, the cable companies collect a hefty monthly fee, and many customers are forced to sacrifice a precious vacation day to be home during the four-hour window usually allotted for the technician to arrive. Cable firms scored below the postal office and the phone industry in the University of Michigan's 2001 American Customer Satisfaction Index survey.

Moreover, cable installers are relatively well paid compared to waitresses or food-delivery people, typically earning $14 to $17 an hour if unionized, according to the Communications Workers of America. The cable companies themselves discourage the practice. "It isn't something expected or encouraged," says a Comcast spokeswoman.

Manny Gonzalez, who manages Tipping.org, a Web site devoted to tipping etiquette, says slipping the cable guy a few extra bucks isn't necessary in most cases.

Still, Mr. Gonzalez says there's nothing wrong with rewarding a job well done. "If it was an unusually tough install that is handled well by the technician, I would certainly tip ... but it is never required," he says.

But as consumers embrace new cable services -- the Federal Communications Commission reported high-speed connections to homes and small businesses increased 41% to 11 million in the second half of 2001 compared with the previous six months -- some are deciding a tip is merited.

Which leads to the always sticky question: How much is appropriate? Manners experts say that $10 to $20 is a good rule of thumb. Try to gauge "how tough the install was or how much they went out of their way to satisfy you," says Mr. Gonzalez.

Joseph Bongiovanni, a social worker from Somerville, N.J., gave a $10 tip when he got his cable modem installed about six months ago by a Cablevision Systems Corp. (NYSE:CVC - News) technician.

"There was a cable jack in my room but no signal," and it turned out another line was needed. The technician "had to crawl around my attic and climb a telephone pole," he says.

Mr. Ferullo, the RCN customer in Queens, agrees $10 would have been appropriate, but says his brother-in-law grabbed a $20 bill off his dresser. " People are more generous with other people's money," he says.

Some customers admitted that they might be inclined to tip if the technician illicitly rigged their boxes to access premium channels like HBO and Showtime, services that usually cost extra. One technician said tips he'd received for " extra" services could go as high as $100.

The etiquette experts also say a tip need not be monetary in nature. "A cold drink of water or a cup of coffee" is completely appropriate, says Cindy Post Senning, director of the Emily Post Institute, a leading publisher of etiquette advice. "You can show your appreciation for the effort they are making in ways other than money."

 

[pac1085]

I wouldnt. I know my friend burned a bunch of MP3 CD's for his DSL guy though.

 

[Geekbabe]

My installation took quite awhile and the dude was great and made sure everything was well set up and even dropped off some baseboard clips for my CAT5, I tipped him.

 

[aphex]

Honestly, the thought had never even crossed my mind until i came across the article...

 

[Tominator]

Originally posted by: baffled2
My installation took quite awhile and the dude was great and made sure everything was well set up and even dropped off some baseboard clips for my CAT5, I tipped him.

For god's sake girl! What did you tip him with?

I NEVER tip hourly workers!

 

[NetworkDad]

I'd cough up $20 if they hook me up with free NFL package or something like that, but if not - forget it. They make good money anyways, with a lot of them being union.

 

[propellerhead]

Tipping was common in the USAF dorm I was in back in the mid-80s. Every new troop that moved into the dorm, every troop the moved rooms, they would have to call the cable guy. Whenever the cable guy showed up to set up cable for the new person, he got extra tips from one or more people to 'accidentally' turn on HBO or Showtime to their room.

 

[MrBond]

It kind of depends on what I'm paying for installation. Insight charged me like $20 to hook up my cable TV service and $30 for the modem. Considering all he had to do was come in to a central location, pull a switch, then come into my apartment and plug the modem into the wall, I don't think that was tip-worthy.

At my other place, they charged me like $20 for both services, and the guy actually ran new wire (and let me keep the old RG6), so I gave him some cookies one of the girls had baked and let him keep the change (the bill was like $81.xx, I gave him $85 and told him that was close enough). He was only there like 30 minutes, so that seemed good enough

 

[Kevin]

If the guy(s) are nice, I'll always offer something, especially cold bottled water - they always appreciate that. If he's a pr-ck though, he can lick the sweat from his arms. I'm the kind of person though that likes watch every little thing they do. You learn little tricks and techniques. Most of the time I'll hold up a shop light we have so the person can see what they're doing. If you're nice to them, they're even nicer to you.