IT pro posts

Why don't we tip IT service people?

by Grant Robertson Jul 18th 2007

You tip the pizza man, you don't tip the Fed Ex driver. You tip the bartender at the pub, and you don't tip the McDonald's clerk; but you do tip the barrista at Starbuck's. The United States has ritualistic levels of tip etiquette, which admittedly don't exist other places in the world but, the question remains; Why don't we tip our IT service people?

You know just as well as we do, you couldn't function without your computer. You'd find yourself on the floor in a fetal position, crying and sulking if your PC were to decide to go AWOL at any particular moment. And, much like a herion user out for another fix, you'd wipe your tears and head to the nearest coffee shop with pay access machines to obsessively check your email. We understand, we'd do much the same thing ourselves. If your computer is that important to the fluid function of your day-to-day life, why wouldn't you slip the IT guy a little extra to make sure you get top priority next time you pick up the phone and scream Mayday?

Perhaps it's something in the way we view our IT guys. Nerdy, socially inept, awkward in ways your high school science teacher could have never achieved. Maybe it's time we took a fresh look at the value our IT service men and women make life a little easier; And, even if we don't offer them a tip.. maybe a hug wouldn't be so bad?

Tags: IT, IT pro, IT skills, ItPro, ItSkills, tipping

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