The Giving Season: Customer Gifts, Tips and Gratitude [+ bonus thank you note examples]

Holiday gifts and tips are great! One of the best things about being a self-employed solo house cleaner is getting envelopes stuffed with cash or a nice big tip check from customers during the holidays.

When I worked as a cleaning employee, I got occasional $20 tips to be split between the me and the other cleaning crew member.

I worked in a wide variety of houses and rarely went to the same house twice.

I didn’t have a chance to form a relationship with customers, earn their trust or their tips.

The Tip Snowball

That changed when I started working as a self-employed solo house cleaner. I was the person who did the walkthroughs, cleaned the homes and tended the business.

My customers and I got to know, like and trust one another.

When the holidays rolled around, a year-end tip or gift from them was like a cherry on top of a great relationship.

The tips started off small. In the beginning, some customers gave me an extra $25 or a gift card. The tip amounts increased over the years.

Now most of my customers give me a holiday tip equal to the amount of one cleaning visit.

And Sometimes No Tips

Of course, some customers didn’t tip at all or substituted gifts or gift cards for cash and checks.

Other times they were distracted and gave a tip after the holidays or the first couple of weeks into the New Year.

I learned not to become disappointed if they didn’t tip. I realized if they didn’t cancel cleanings or bounce checks during the rest of the year, they were good customers.

I did my best to serve them well the next year and not stress out about tips or gifts.

Expressing Gratitude

I send each customer a handwritten note thanking them for the holiday tip or gift.

I buy a box of blank Thank You notes with envelopes from the greeting card section of a local store and write one of these simple thanks messages:

Even though it’s easier, try not to send your thanks by email or text.

Even in this digital era, there is something real and human in sending a handwritten note of thanks.

To me, it’s worth it to be old-fashioned about expressing gratitude to my customer.

Your Holiday Gift To Yourself

The best holiday gift is the one I learned to give to myself.

That gift is a week’s vacation between Christmas Day and New Year’s Day each year.

While this affects the customers normally scheduled during that one week, I’ve found those customers accept your time off if they get proper notice from you.

Proper notice is two to three weeks ahead of your vacation week.

I email a time off/vacation notice to customers the first week of December. I let them know I will not be working between Christmas and New Year’s Day.

I repeat the notice with their next cleaning reminders.

Related: Make a Habit of Customer Reminders

A great side effect to these time off reminders is it encourages customers to think of you during the giving season.

It reminds them to give you a holiday tip before Christmas.

Other Plans?

You may choose to do something different according to your business or personal needs.

For instance, if you offer after party clean-up as an additional service, the last week of the year may be too busy for you to take off.

Or perhaps you are so close to making your monthly income goal you decide push forward and not take the week off.

However, if you can, take this opportunity to rest, reflect on the past year and plan for the year ahead.

Recharge and get ready to race out of the gate the first week of the New Year and make it your best year ever.

Hardworking house cleaners, enjoy the gifts and tips you’ve earned.

Have yourself a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!