Issue link: https://www.ahpindiestylist.com/i/1547346
Explore your benefits at ahphair.com 23 WHY I REMOVED TIPPING When I set my prices, I want the price of that appointment to cover the appointment: my time, my experience, my product, my overhead, my education, my business expenses, my profit. All of it. If a service needs to be $475 for it to make sense for my business, then I would rather charge $475 than charge $400 and hope my client leaves another $75 or $100. Right now, people are more intentional about how they spend their money. I feel like taking tips off the table gives a sense of relief and a more relaxed environment for my clients. ey know exactly what they're paying before they sit in my chair. At the end of a long appointment, there isn't that awkward moment of the client looking at the screen and deciding whether to choose 15, 20, or 30 percent, worrying if they will get a better experience the next time if they tip well or if they are tipping enough. When we're talking about higher-ticket services, those percentages can be a significant amount of money. I want my client to pay for their hair, love their hair, and go home. at's it. UNDERSTAND YOUR NUMBERS ere's a business lesson here for hair professionals, whether you decide to accept tips or not: You have to stop being scared of your numbers. You can't build your pricing around what you think people want to pay. You have to know what it costs to operate your business. at means knowing your overhead, your product costs, your I feel like taking tips off the table gives a sense of relief and a more relaxed environment for my clients. ey know exactly what they're paying before they sit in my chair. taxes, your desired income, and how many hours you realistically have available behind the chair. A tip should never be the thing that turns an unprofitable service into a profitable one. at doesn't mean gratuity has no place in our industry. Some stylists love the traditional tipping model. Some clients genuinely enjoy tipping. Some salon structures are built around it, and it works beautifully for them. I always respect that. THE EFFECTS OF GOING TIP-FREE Surprisingly, taking tipping away didn't make my services feel less valuable. I believe it did the opposite: It helped position what I do as a professional service with a clearly established value. I'm not waiting for my client to decide what my work was worth at checkout. I already did that work when I created my pricing. For me, that mindset goes beyond tipping. As hair pros, we sometimes forget that we are artists and business owners. Your talent will get people in your chair, but understanding your numbers allows you to stay behind it for 10, 15, or 20 years without feeling exhausted, underpaid, or resentful. Charge for the business you want to build. If you accept tips, accept them proudly. If you want to move away from tipping, price your services so you can afford to do so. ere isn't one right way. But your business should never have to cross its fingers at checkout.