Should We Tip the Delivery Driver?

[Velo1]

I am expecting delivery to my house on this Friday January 18th. My understanding is the car is first delivered to the Denver service center, cleaned up, and loaded on a flatbed for on delivery on Friday. No Delivery Specialist coming, just the driver. I know we paid $950 for delivery service, but should the driver be expecting a tip? If so, what might be an appropriate amount? I was thinking $50, if anything. I am kind of torn here, as I feel I am not getting the full $950 worth, as up until a month ago I was always anticipating a DS with the car. Your input is much appreciated.

 

[Krugerrand]

Unlike waitressing, pizza delivery etc... traditional careers that get minimum wage and rely on tips to pay the bills and survive, I'm pretty sure the driver in this case is getting paid fully to do his job. However, it's always your right to tip if you feel your 'service provider' has gone above and beyond the call of duty.

I say, play it by ear, and see how you feel in the moment. But certainly you're under no obligation to tip.

 

[AnOutsider]

I gave my driver a shell gift card and my DS a fruit basket. I've only had cars delivered by truck twice, but both times I tried to be nice and offer a token of appreciation.

As she said above though, it's not required.

 

[araxara]

My car was delivered in pretty bad shape, so I was not in the mood to give any tips. But the driver was a nice guy and tried very hard to be accommodating. I was going to give him $20, but only had $15 with me. He was very appreciative. We joked that he could get some coffee with that amount. He was on a tight schedule, since he had to be back in CA in 2 days - I don't think he would have had time to stop for coffee.

My DS was not present, but came by a few days later bringing some Tesla T-Shirts to help sooth my delivery experience (he wasn't informed that there would be a car delivery). So I guess I got the tip instead.

 

[walla2]

I tipped a bottle of Leonetti 08 Cab to my DS. He seemed overworked, and I was happy to hear he had just received some new help in early December at the Seattle location. The guy delivering my car deserved it even after the long silent wait from corporate to get my Sig. I think perspective is important. It's a $100+K car. Even if imperfect and later than promised, I can afford to tip even something to someone working hard for less that is trying to fulfill the vision of the company.

 

[UMD86]

I tipped a bottle of Leonetti 08 Cab to my DS. He seemed overworked, and I was happy to hear he had just received some new help in early December at the Seattle location. The guy delivering my car deserved it even after the long silent wait from corporate to get my Sig. I think perspective is important. It's a $100+K car. Even if imperfect and later than promised, I can afford to tip even something to someone working hard for less that is trying to fulfill the vision of the company.

I agree. I plan to give him or her a $100 AMEX gift card.

 

[Smallfootprint]

We outright asked our Delivery Experience Specialist what was appropriate after the 3 hour tutorial and he said not to tip. Instead we wrote a very complimentary letter and sent it to his supervisors. I hope that at least earned him a few extra TSLA stock options in his bonus.

 

[Martini]

I wouldn't tip the DS as they are salaried staff. I would however tip the driver

 

[Krugerrand]

I wouldn't tip the DS as they are salaried staff. I would however tip the driver

Do you realize that salaried staff get paid the same whether they work an 8 hour day or a 12 hour day? At least hourly wage earners get paid for every hour they work and overtime. Not so of salaried workers. There are several professions where it actually pays more to be an hourly wage earner, then to be higher up the totem pole and a salaried supervisor/manager.

Don't assume because someone is salaried that they're making more than an hourly employee. In my husband's line of work, he often makes more than his immediate supervisors. I know it for fact, since he's been that supervisor/manager/foreman as well as the hourly worker.

 

[ElSupreme]

Do you realize that salaried staff get paid the same whether they work an 8 hour day or a 12 hour day? At least hourly wage earners get paid for every hour they work and overtime. Not so of salaried workers. There are several professions where it actually pays more to be an hourly wage earner, then to be higher up the totem pole and a salaried supervisor/manager.

Don't assume because someone is salaried that they're making more than an hourly employee. In my husband's line of work, he often makes more than his immediate supervisors. I know it for fact, since he's been that supervisor/manager/foreman as well as the hourly worker.

I work as an engineer, at an engineering firm. I am salaried. I prefer it that way. But the health insurance, and 401(k) benefits my company aren't really good, in fact they are pretty crappy. Because of this there are other engineers that choose to be hourly and get paid 1.5x overtime (I also get compensation when billing over 40 hours a week, but not nearly as much). I end up billing about 45-50 hours a week (and actually work that much) over the course of a year. The hourly people do as well. So it isn't all smiles and roses for salary people and frowns and thorns for hourly people.

If my wife worked somewhere that offered decent benefits I would consider working hourly at my current job. I probably wouldn't do it but I would definitely think about it.

 

[PattyChuck]

Do you realize that salaried staff get paid the same whether they work an 8 hour day or a 12 hour day? At least hourly wage earners get paid for every hour they work and overtime. Not so of salaried workers. There are several professions where it actually pays more to be an hourly wage earner, then to be higher up the totem pole and a salaried supervisor/manager.

Don't assume because someone is salaried that they're making more than an hourly employee. In my husband's line of work, he often makes more than his immediate supervisors. I know it for fact, since he's been that supervisor/manager/foreman as well as the hourly worker.

The caveat being that it really depends on how Tesla classifies their employees under the Fair Labor Standards Act. You can be a salaried employee, but still be eligible for overtime. I would fully expect, however, that the DSes are classified as salaried-exempt.

I know in our organization, HR is constantly reviewing job functions and duties to ensure the employees are classified correctly (exempt vs. non-exempt).

 

[Krugerrand]

Absolutely PattyChuck. Thank you for that clarification.

 

[brianman]

I work as an engineer, at an engineering firm. I am salaried. I prefer it that way. But the health insurance, and 401(k) benefits my company aren't really good, in fact they are pretty crappy. Because of this there are other engineers that choose to be hourly and get paid 1.5x overtime (I also get compensation when billing over 40 hours a week, but not nearly as much). I end up billing about 45-50 hours a week (and actually work that much) over the course of a year. The hourly people do as well. So it isn't all smiles and roses for salary people and frowns and thorns for hourly people.

If my wife worked somewhere that offered decent benefits I would consider working hourly at my current job. I probably wouldn't do it but I would definitely think about it.

We're going off-topic again, but I'm pretty sure this decision will tip even more in the near future (4-8 years) -- being better off financially as hourly than salaried, as health care plans are revised and/or dropped nationwide.

 

[swegman]

Note that Martini is listed as being in France. The custom of tipping is likely different there compared to in the U.S.