How much should I tip the France Telecom engineers

[Stan]

They finished for today and did the US Bellboy

thing waiting for a tip. I gave them each €50 and they looked a bit

disappointed. As they have to come back next week to finish the work

should I be giving them more ? I am a bit worried that if I've been

to "tight" they might not finish things off next week.

I am struggling with the language a bit at the

moment and still finding my feet. None of the research I did

mentions much on tipping.

[trumpet]

Hell NOTHING......give them a beer. I can say that I often work for French People and my tips are 2 euro at the most. I get fed well though.

[trumpet]

I am still reeling. I mean ok a tip if you want, but you have just given them 30 quid each!!!!!! would you give that to a Tele engineer in the uk. I have a really good postie and I give her 10-20 euro for the year. At Christmas. Telephone engineers are having a laugh. It's their job.

On that note can I come and work for you[6]

[Quillan]

You could teach him French for 50 Euros an hour [;-)] .

Tipping is a world wide thing so just think how much you would tip in the UK and who you would tip. As for a French Telecom engineer doing an installation I wouldn't tip them at all. Post, bin man and firemen is about it and then something between 10 and 20 Euros.

[powerdesal]

You have Bin men ???????????????????????????????????

I must be further into the sticks than I thought  [:(]

[samdebretagne]

A 50€ tip each?  Are you insane?  They are already being PAID to do the work by France Telecom, there is no reason to give them any extra money.  They were probably just waiting for a beer, or at least a cup of coffee.  Though now next time they come, they might be expecting 50€ again...

[Quillan]

[quote user="powerdesal"]You have Bin men ???????????????????????????????????

I must be further into the sticks than I thought  [:(]
[/quote]

Yep and we just voted (as a commune) to up the collections from two to three a week at an extra 62 Euros a year. They are communal bins but they are of the large type mind, I share mine with four other houses.

Perhaps we should Tag along with the OP and give French Telecom engineers a tip.

[chris pp]

You have to be on a wind up, Stan.  Since when did anyone get a tip for doing their job?

[:D][:D][:D]

Chris

[trumpet]

We have bin men.

[Stan]

In a new country it is difficult to know what

conventions apply. You ask when somebody gets a tip for doing their

job. Well how about waiters and hairdressers and porters and taxi

rivers and many others. In a different country things are different

and until one gets to grips with how things work it can be tricky.

I've read loads of the books on moving to and living and starting a

business in France but they are not a massive help. When faced with a

new situation you have to make a judgement. I know that when I worked

in the UK our technical department always gave the BT engineers some

cash when they were called-out. Apparently word gets around and when

you really need them you will be top of their list and apparently is

is quite widespread.

Fine, I was wrong in this case and I am sure I

will make more mistakes in the coming months. I will probably be

asking about more daft things I've done and it may be obvious to

people who have lived here for years but maybe not to those of us

with less experience. Thank you for advising and thank you for the

cynical comments.

I try not to keep thinking what I would do in the

UK as this is not the UK and I think it important to accept that

things can be done differently. In fact I am surprised at how

different many aspects of life are in France. Things like large DIY

stores closing for a 2 hour lunch break. You cannot keep assuming

things are the same as the UK otherwise you are trekking off to the

shops on a Sunday morning.

[chris pp]

No, not cynical at all, it's just that I never have and never will give anyone a tip for doing their job, it all ends up like BAE, it's just a different level of corruption.  Ohh, if I bung them some money they will look after me.

Sorry, point of view.

Chris

[woolybanana (ex tag)]

The only reason why BAE are in the doodoo is becasue the countries complaining did not get the contract. BAE did business the way it is always done. Let's not be pious here. Imagine if the French of Yanks had got the contract. In fact they were the two complainers and the two losers. That contract has filled a lot of rice bowls for Brits and in Britain. The only reason it has come up now is because Saudi is not flavour of the month with the wishywashyocrats.

So some people get tips, called bonuses, others get money in envelopes, others get cash in hand., some get a wet halfpenny on a saucer.[:P]

[powerdesal]

Totally agree banana-man. If you want a major contract in the ME, you play by local rules, thats the bottom line.

[Clarkkent]

One reason I have enjoyed visits to Japan is that tipping is not practised there.

Tipping - under any circumstance -  is a very unsavoury habit.

• It frees employers from the responsibility to pay the proper amount for a job.
• It encourages employees to behave differentially with customers, paying more attention to those who look as though they may be generous.
• It becomes a form of bribery.

I don't know if they are still there, but at the exit from the Gouffre de Padirac there were large signs instructing customers not to tip the boatmen - who blocked access to the quay until an appropriate payment had been made.

 

[trumpet]

Hello Stan.

I guess you have moved in different circles than I, where a reward is offered to sweeten the pot. (no offence) I agree with Chris (Ohh, if I bung them some money they will look after me.) in the fact that this should never be a necessary practice.

When I arrived here I did not speak the lingo or have much idea about anything. I had the phone engineers too. The thought of giving them a tip never entered my head. I gave them coffee and a beer though.

The answers you have received I am sure were given in the most lighthearted way. We all need to know things and maybe because of your experiences you can aid the future progress of this most excellent Forum.