Archive for February, 2009

What is the General Tipping Policy with Professional Movers?

Monday, February 2nd, 2009

Should you tip your movers? This is a question that many individuals ask because they’re simply not sure whether movers need to be tipped. It is something that is not frequently discussed. In all reality, it is not something that is really thought about for the simple fact that moving is a very stressful time. However, the movers work really hard and they really don’t get paid much more than any other labor job. That is why it is important to show them how much you appreciate everything they have done for you and your family. But the problem is how much they should be tipped. What is the general tipping policy with professional movers?

Tipping

Now that you know that it is proper etiquette to tip, you have to know how much. This isn’t like tipping a waiter or a waitress in a restaurant. This is something that is completely different. Now you can also keep in mind that tipping is completely optional. If you feel that your movers didn’t do a good job, you don’t have to tip them. It isn’t like in a restaurant where the waiter or waitress relies on tips to make up the rest of the money they are not making on the hour. Movers don’t have to rely on tips. Tips or more or less a bonus, but, as stated before, it is proper etiquette for a job well done. They risk their physical well-being by moving heavy objects, so it is only right to show appreciation.

With that said, there are times in which tipping movers is a must. However, make sure you keep some things in mind before you take that leap into paying a generous tip. Make sure you ask yourself these questions:

-    Do I feel like the movers did a great job moving my belongings?
-    Do I feel as if they moved my belongings in a timely fashion?
-    Were the movers polite to me?
-    Did they work with me without any fuss?
-    Did they go above and beyond to ensure the safety of my belongings, my home, and my family?

If you answered yes to all of these questions, then a tip is in order. There are two different types of tips that can be offered to the movers. Those tips are money and refreshments.

The two types of tips

Whatever you can afford to do for the movers, they are going to be appreciative either way. You can do something such as offering lunch on you. That is money they do not have to pay that day, so they are keeping cash in their pocket. You can offer them pizza or you can order out for Chinese. You can give them options and see what they want because it is very likely they eat a lot of pizza in their profession.

As for money, it is common for a mover to receive $20 for an entire day of work and $10 for half of a day. However, you can go over or under this amount. It just depends on how much you can afford to tip your movers. Not everyone can afford these amounts due to moving fees and such.

Just know that moving doesn’t have to be an absolute nightmare and it doesn’t have to break you financially either. There really isn’t an industry standard when it comes to tipping, but everyone seems to agree on what is appropriate or not. In all actuality, what is appropriate really depends on how much you can afford. No matter what you give them for their hard work, they will be very appreciative.

How Strict are Car Rental Companies about Pick Up Times?

Monday, February 2nd, 2009

Let’s say you’re scheduled to fly into your destination airport at 3:00, so you’ve made arrangements to pick up your rental car around 3:15 or 3:30. However, your flight time has been delayed or has been rescheduled. Now you’re worried that you’re not going to be able to pick up your rental car because you’re going to be late. What does this mean for you? How strict are car rental companies about their pick up times?

Fortunately, the above scenario is quite common. Actually, that is not a very fortunate situation, but the car rental companies are certainly not strangers to rescheduled flights or delayed flights. This is something that they contend with all of the time. As a matter of fact, they probably contend with this every single day. Think about how often your own flights have been delayed or you’ve heard of flight delays. We all have experienced or heard about them at some point.

The facts

The fact is that your reservation is not even a guarantee that you’re going to get the car in a first place. Your reservation is just way to tell the car rental company that you would like to rent a car that day. The only way to guarantee that a car will be held for you is if you are part of a frequent renter’s club. However, you don’t have to worry about being late if you provide the rental car company with your flight details. If you provide them with those details, then they are going to know that your flight has been delayed. Most car rental companies that are housed within airports will be notified of any delays so that they don’t hand your rental off to someone else.

As for there being any penalty for your late arrival, you don’t have to worry. You can’t be billed for a car that you haven’t even picked up. However, you can still make a phone call if that makes you more comfortable. Although the car rental companies are attached to airport scheduling systems electronically, many individuals need that peace of mind that their rental is going to be ready for them. As a result, the car rental company may make provisions to hold the rental for you for 6 to 12 hours.

Convenience

Again, remember that your reservation is not a guarantee for a car. That is why they don’t bill you in advance. They simply put your name on the rental and expect you to arrive around the pick up time to get it. Now there is that issue in which you may be dealing with a car rental company that is not associated with any of the airports. That’s when you may want to make your phone call. Perhaps your departure time has been delayed and you can’t pick up the car when you said you would. They usually don’t have a problem as long as they know you are definitely coming.

Car rental companies do all that they can to make things comfortable for their customers. You definitely don’t want to arrive at the car rental company’s location and find that they have nothing for you. This has happened to people before, but it is very rare. If you’re in an airport, you’re in luck because there are other car rental companies housed within the airport. If you’re not dealing with an airport, then you may have to find out where else you can go, but know that you do have options and you’re not going to be stuck. You’ll be able to get yourself a car no matter what.