Watch Now
Handling tipping at med spas…😳 Yeah, we know the struggle.
Of course, you want to project an image of professionalism for your med spa. However, it can be tricky to know whether you’re doing things correctly with tipping – and if staff and clients are clear on the policies.
Another challenge is knowing the right approach and how to answer all those questions like “Should tipping be encouraged or avoided?” or “How do you communicate tipping policies without creating awkwardness?”.
Finding that sweet spot between tipping and etiquette while managing staff and client expectations isn’t easy.
That’s why, in this blog, we’ll help clear up the confusion, answer these common questions, and share valuable best practices for success.
Should clients tip at a med spa?
Med spa tipping is often considered a gray area and depends on a number of factors. Some med spas would gladly accept a tip, while others decline all tips.
This is because med spa businesses occupy a unique space in the service industry, as they offer both non-medical procedures and medical procedures.
Just think about it:
- You wouldn’t tip a doctor (often this isn’t even allowed)
- But you would tip someone after a spa treatment
In general, you can allow tips for non-invasive services such as facials or massages, whereas tips should be discouraged for medical procedures.
This is due to ethical considerations and industry norms, as these treatments are considered medical, not cosmetic.
What is the etiquette for tipping at spas? Day spa services vs. medical treatments
Tipping etiquette at med spas refers to what’s appropriate regarding tipping practices. And there are several factors to consider, such as:
How much to tip❓
- Day spa services: Around 15-20% is considered appropriate
- Medical treatments: Rarely expected as it can violate industry regulations
Who to tip❓
- Who shouldn’t be tipped: Practitioners and injectors
- Who should be tipped: Estheticians or support staff
How to tip❓
- Leaving tips at the front desk during checkout or via the spa’s app.
When to tip❓
- Unless you decide to take a different approach, tipping is typically done at the end of the appointment.
When tips can be accepted: Day spa services
At med spas, tipping is generally accepted for most services provided by estheticians, massage therapists, nail technicians and other non-medical staff.
The common day spa services where tips are appropriate and can be accepted are:
- Facials (Hydrafacial, oxygen facial, acne and anti-age facials, etc)
- Massages (Swedish, deep tissue, hot stones, etc.)
- Aromatherapy sessions
- Body treatments like body wraps, scrubs, exfoliation
- Waxing (brows, legs, bikini, etc.)
- Manicures and pedicures (classic, gel, or other spa options
- Scalp treatments (head massage, deep conditioning)
These treatments are typically provided by aestheticians or therapists who rely on tipping as part of their income.
When tips shouldn’t be accepted: Medical treatments
Although technically, there are no federal laws in the US that forbid tipping medical professionals, regulations like the Anti-Kickback Statute and the Stark Law ban referral programs and financial incentives, claiming that they could cloud ethical judgment.
However, since tips are voluntary and given after treatments, many argue that these rules don’t apply and are open to interpretation.
Anyways, if a client has a medical treatment performed by licensed healthcare professionals, tipping should be discouraged and shouldn’t be accepted.
This applies to treatments like:
- Botox injections or dermal fillers
- Laser hair removal
- Chemical peels
- Microneedling with PRP and skin resurfacing treatments
- Kybella
- Sclerotherapy
- PDO thread lifts
This is because accepting tips for such medical services can often raise ethical concerns and potentially violate regulations like The Code of Medical Ethics of the American Medical Association (AMA).
Importantly, that’s why med spas must educate their staff and clients about the boundaries and distinctions. This helps to ensure compliance and maintain a professional image when dealing with tips offered for these procedures.
Tipping etiquette best practices for med spa businesses
A stress-free tipping experience for both clients and staff members of med spa members begins with implementing clear and thoughtful policies.
Let’s take a closer look at some of the best practices for tipping etiquette for med spa businesses to consider:
1. Understanding tipping laws under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA)
The FLSA has established key regulations for tipping practices to protect employees and ensure fair compensation.
Under this act, tipping applies to medical spas, and it mainly protects employees by ensuring they’re tipped fairly.
For med spa businesses, the FLSA’s tipping regulations means:
- No tip retention: Med spa managers and supervisors cannot keep any portion of employee’s tips under any circumstances, even if those tips come through a mandatory tip pool.
- Record-keeping compliance: Businesses must keep track of payroll records, including how much each of their employees earns in tips.
2. Provide guidance based on service types
Based on the type of service provided, med spas should always differentiate tipping expectations. For example,
- Medical services: For medical treatments like Botox, fillers, or PRP therapy, make it clear to clients that tipping is not expected (or accepted) as these are clinical procedures performed by licensed medical professionals.
- Non-medical services: For non-medical treatments such as facials, massages, and waxing, make it clear that tips are accepted and suggest a standard gratuity to help clients feel confident in their tipping decisions.
Clearly outlining these distinctions on your website, social media, in any printed brochures, or during consultations can help manage client expectations.
3. Be clear about your policy
When it comes to tipping at med spas, it’s easy for confusion or awkwardness to creep in. That’s why being upfront about your tipping policy is key.
It’s important to clearly communicate how you’d like tipping to be handled, both to your staff and clients. Here are some ways to do that:
- Hang a sign in your reception area or on the front desk: “We appreciate your generosity! Tipping is not mandatory, but if you feel our services exceed expectations, gratuities are always welcome and shared among our staff.”
- Include tipping information on your website, where it’s easily visible: “Tipping etiquette: While not required, tips are appreciated for outstanding service. If you’d like to show appreciation, gratuities can be given directly to your technician or left with our front desk team after your appointment.”
- Add it to automated emails based on the booked treatment: If it’s a medical treatment, you can add an asterisk explaining that tipping isn’t accepted. If it’s non-medical, you can say tips are welcome.
- Ensure your staff are informed about tipping practices: Make sure you brief your team so if a client asks, they can say something like: “Tipping is optional, but many clients choose to tip 15-20% for exceptional service.”
4. Equip yourself with the right med spa tools
Sound tech can help you streamline tipping processes at your med spa.
Here, we’re referring to practice management software like Pabau that provide everything from online appointment scheduling and client record management, to intuitive point-of-sale system and built-in tipping functionality.
This enables med spas to:
✅Offer digital tipping options for cashless transactions
✅Display tipping options during checkout
✅Automate tipping policy reminders to clients before appointments
In addition, with tools like Pabau, you can harness creative package ideas for your med spa that complement your tipping practices and drive your med spa sales.
Alternatives to tipping
Even though tipping seems like a one-way to show appreciation for the provided service, there are plenty of other meaningful ways clients can express their gratitude and support their favorite med spa.
Let’s explore the key ones…
Leaving online reviews📝
A positive Google, Yelp, or Facebook review can be as valuable as a monetary tip.
Reviews boost your business reputation and help attract new clients. Research shows that 77% of respondents found online reviews to be “mostly” trustworthy, so always encourage clients to leave positive feedback.
Send out automated feedback requests after every appointment so that you can collect reviews and manage your online reputation.
Social media sharing📱
You’ve probably heard that saying, “If you’re not on social media, it’s like you don’t even exist”. Well, in today’s world, that’s kind of true.
This doesn’t refer only to people but also to businesses, including med spas.
That’s why, when clients feel exceptionally satisfied with your services and you’ve built up a good rapport, you can kindly ask them to:
✅Share their experiences
✅Tag your business in any posts
✅Rate your business on Facebook
✅Post before-and-after photos*
These small gestures are important because they can lead to big exposure for your med spa, building trust, attracting new clients, and boosting your credibility.
In a way, it’s the modern version of tipping, with lasting benefits for your business.
👉 *Pro tip: You can ask clients if they’d like to share their before-and-after photos, but it should always be their choice. A great way to approach this is with a casual, no-pressure request, like: ‘If you’re comfortable sharing, we’d love to see your transformation! Feel free to tag us if you do!’
Referrals👥
Happy clients are your biggest promoters.
When they have a great experience at your spa, they’ll naturally share it with their friends and family. That can bring you new customers through organic word-of-mouth sharing.
You can lean into this further by encouraging your existing clients to spread the word through a referral program. This approach is perfect because loyal clients want to be rewarded with perks like:
✅Discounts
✅Free add-on services
✅Loyalty points to clients who refer new customers
All of these encourage repeat visits and turn your clients into active advocates for your spa.
Simplified gratuity solutions for med spa, powered by Pabau
Tipping practices at med spas shouldn’t be a headache.
And with Pabau, an all-in-one practice management software solution purpose-designed for med spas, it really doesn’t have to be.
What you get is a robust system that simplifies the tipping process at med spas by offering various digital tipping options such as:
💸Clients can tip at checkout (point of sale tipping)
💸Set suggestions on tipping amounts: Show options such as 15%, 20%, and so on. Or, clients can tip a custom amount of their choosing.
💸Clients can tip when they book online: When a client reaches the payment step during booking, they can add a tip to their total appointment price
Are you ready to take your med spa gratuity process to the next level?
Book a demo with Pabau and see how it can help you manage tipping and grow your business effectively!
