Most people don’t move often enough to develop an idea of how to behave when the boys come around to load up the truck. We talked about whether you should help last week, but since then we’ve been asked about tips and things like that, so here’s a bit of a guide.
For starters, a cup of tea or coffee never goes astray. It’s the usual way to greet people who come to your home, and that applies to movers as well. Sharing a cuppa is a good time to chat about the day’s work, figure out any logistical issues and organise a plan of attack. They’ll probably have their own water with them, but it doesn’t hurt to offer a cold drink either. (And a Milk Arrowroot, if you have any. Ta.)
Beer is another thing entirely. The legal blood-alcohol limit for truck drivers in Australia has been zero since 2010, which means they can’t even have one drink. “The customer made me have four beers with him” isn’t usually an acceptable excuse for crashing the truck when you’re in front of the boss (or a judge, for that matter). Most companies have a zero-tolerance policy on alcohol, so don’t be offended if the movers knock back your generous offer. It could cost them their job.
Cash tips happen sometimes, and can vary widely – on some lucky jobs, we might receive more than the boss is paying! They’re not expected by any means, but obviously it’s a much appreciated gesture, especially if a job has been particularly gruelling or tricky.
More common are spur-of-the-moment gifts, whether that’s a fridge that won’t fit into the alcove in the new place, or a TV the customer was thinking of replacing anyway. In these situations, we generally ask them to sign something saying they did give the item as a gift, to avoid any potential legal issues down the track.
Although we said the boys aren’t allowed to crack a beer with you while they’re on duty, it’s a different matter after hours. So don’t feel like you can’t offer them a case or something along those lines – as long as the work’s finished and the truck’s safely parked, they can cheers to a job well done!