Tipping in the service industry

[Joods]

Well, debate over facebook is never a good idea, more so if it's starting to get heated. But I really don't see the need for a debate over it! People are not forcing someone to tip them at gunpoint, nor are normal people running around tipping every single service provider they run into, so what's the problem? If someone likes a service they should be free to reward the provider. Almost every field of work including mine has the concept of incentives to boost productivity, how is this different, especially for those who desperately need the extra income?

It's different because not everyone (here in the US) knows it's customary to tip your hair dresser. When I worked at Smart Style, half the people didn't bother tipping, which was bullshit. It might take an hour to cut their hair (women especially) and since it was a low cost salon, basic cuts started out at $16.75. I got 35% of that IF I maintained an average of $18.00 an hour for sales. Being new, I didn't have a full book so I mostly sat. I did get $7.25 an hour but I never saw any commission because I didn't have a lot of clients. 

I didn't spend $18,000 to go to school to get a license only to earn minimum wage so I quit working there. It just wasn't a place where I felt I could grow and make better money.