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HOT OFF THE PRESS - Industry News
As always, we live in exciting times, where much needs to and can be done. In the continuing drive to coordinate and set standards for our profession and provide a truly global service to clients around the world, the International Institute of Modern Butlers has taken the initiative to team up with schools, trainers and consultants to form a virtual organization that is made up of independent organizations working in cooperation and coordination to develop and service the many different markets around the world.
Currently the organizations joining together include The Institute itself and its trainers around the world, The Australian Butler Services, which not only runs an excellent butler school, but has a strong presence in Australia and the Far East, and Global Search International based in England. Others have and will be invited to join this cooperative effort to our mutual advantage and the benefit of clients.
We welcome both Global Search International and The Australian Butler Services to our worldwide network. New members will be announced in future issues of the MBJ.
Steven Ferry, Chairman
Letters From Our Readers
Dear Ferry-sama:
Thank you for the invitation to be a part of this pioneering effort to strengthen the role and recognition of the Butler in our Hospitality Industry.
As Japan's only fully-butlered hotel, it is a frustration that so few of our guests and customers actually appreciate how valuable and convenient this service can be... Still, we're making progress and at times, even re-inventing our own organization and industry to improve staff productivity, service quality, and profitability.
On that note - profitability, I noticed there is a glaring "hole" in your newsletter in that no one seems to realize how "profitable" butler service can be. It would be a big benefit to organizations considering implementing Butlers to be "coached" in how this service could enhance the organization's ability to make more money and, perhaps save costs through re-organization and consolidation. After all, not all of us who are trying to improve the credibility and viability of the profession are doing it for vanity or prestige only...
In our case, (and what's also missing in your ranking tables), our entire Rooms Division is headed up by our "Head Butler." His team of butlers (led by the Assistant Head Butler) also manage our PABX/Communication Center for all incoming calls to the hotel in addition to ALL Room Service orders and delivery. We are thus able to manage CRM beyond in-house guests while also being able to identify guest preferences right down to answering "favorite" guests personally through caller I.D. (My dream is to see our butlers vying to grab the line when one of their own assigned guests call down for services). Thus, we have eliminated the need for a separate PABX and Room Service department and separate staff, enhancing their "image" in the process as well.
Finally, I couldn't find any forms with which to answer your invitation to rank ourselves. So, I'm writing to tell you that I believe we're a solid Four Butlers* and perhaps a very soft Five in certain services.
I've taken the liberty of downloading and distributing your ranking charts to our HRD/Training, Butlers, Concierge, Sales, and others to have them also see how they can enhance, complement, augment, and align their efforts to improve our overall CRM levels here at the Seiyo. Thank you very much!
Lloyd Nakano, Managing Director
HOTEL SEIYO GINZA, Tokyo, Japan
*(For details of the Institute's Butler Rating System, go to our website: www.modernbutlers.com
Dear Nakano-sama,
I appreciate your points, as well as the confirmation that you are a solid Four Butler rating.
We will be happy to include Hotel Seiyo Ginza in the ratings when they are released in a couple of months.
I am quite sure that vanity or prestige are not the only drivers and would be happy to hear how the full butler service at your hotel has helped improve the bottom line.
I like your boldness in extending the butler model across many guest contact points in the hotel and wish there were more like-minded managers in the world!
Sincerely,
Steven Ferry
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Dear Editor,
I am responding to a column in a recent newsletter written by Mr. Cadbury, who said:
"Sadly there are only a few expensive schools and programs relating to service in the home, and even these do not address the basic skills involved in expert housekeeping, property management in the home setting and other aspects of fine service in a residence."
As the only State-Certified School in the United States that trains Estate Housekeepers, Household Managers, Administrative Household Managers, Personal Assistants, and Estate Managers, we take exception to this comment.
Perhaps you are unfamiliar with our training facility, Professional Domestic Institute. Please allow me the opportunity to enlighten you and your readers. For nearly 20 years we have been in the business of placing and training household staff in private homes of wealth. We offer a constantly evolving curriculum designed to instruct our students in how to properly care for a family and home of quality while going above and beyond their employers' expectations.
A complete listing of the curricula of our training programs can be found on our website, www.housestaff.net. Hopefully once you or anyone interested has taken a look, you will see that our school does, indeed, "address the basic skills involved in expert housekeeping, property management in the home setting, and other aspects of fine service in a residence."
We encourage anyone interested in learning more about our training programs to contact us at 740-881-3358 or arrange for an appointment to visit us.
Sincerely yours,
Carol Scudere
Owner
Professional Domestic Services & Institute
Ms. Scudere can also be contacted via email at housestaff@columbus.rr.com
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Dear Editor,
In reference to the letter in March MBJ about the 40 page Agency employment form, I had a similar experience when filling out an apartment lease in southern California some years ago. The questions ranged from usual kind, to ones as specific and personal as "what is your mother's maiden name?" Information is valuable these days, and there is no doubt in my mind that it is bought and sold for big bucks. When I left the apartment I asked for the 40-page form back and I was told, "it will be shredded." I insisted they shred it in front of me.
Bill Hewak
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Dear Editor:
I have a feeling I know the company that you're speaking of that requires a 40 page long application form. In fact, there are now two such companies doing this, one in Northern California and one in Las Vegas. MD, I did what you are thinking of doing, I passed, and Cadbury, you are right in saying, "they should revise." Always a pleasure to read your column.
Kind regards, A British Butler
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Dear Editor,
I would be very grateful if you would provide readers with a "Thank You" and a brief update on the launch of EstateJobs.com. Since the launch in December of 2005, we have had an exceptional response from both agencies and candidates worldwide. We are hearing success stories of agents and employers connecting with top candidates to fill great private service positions in the US and abroad, while the numbers of international job listings and private service candidates continue to rise. At the start of 2006 we decided to continue the service completely free of charge to all job seekers, providing access to the most job opportunities in our industry. We want to thank all users of the website and wish everyone the best of luck in their private service careers!
Sincerely,
David Gonzalez
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Dear Mr. Ferry,
I am a recent university graduate who has read your book "Butlers and Household Managers." My goal is to one day be a great butler to an old money heiress of the Caroline Kennedy, Doris Duke, or Babe Paley variety. I am wondering the following:
What temperamental qualities are needed to be an excellent butler to such a person?
Have you ever known of any new entrants to the field of butlering within the last few years that have obtained jobs working for the "Great Heiress type"? I would greatly appreciate any thoughts.
Jay
Dear Jay,
Thank you for the enquiry. Well done on graduating.
I confess to not knowing who these ladies are, but I am going to assume you are referring to a wealthy dowager of some sort. For such employers, you'd need to be patient, punctilious, fastidious, and have a thick skin.
In answer to your second question, I would say "no." You'd need to have quite a resume to be taken on by such a lady, including having worked for similar old money or great wealth. The fastest track I can think of is to become an under-butler for a butler to such a lady--preferably a butler thinking of retiring soon.
All the best,
Steven Ferry
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The Condotel Goldmine
by Steven Ferry, Chairman IIMB
The symposium on condo hotels in Hollywood, Florida on 22 and 23 May was a good opportunity to take the pulse of the industry, make useful contacts, and also educate key players on the value butlers bring to high-end condo hotels. In attendance from our industry were the Executive Director of the International Institute of Modern Butlers, the Head Butler of The Cloister and the Front of the House Manager of The Lodge, both prestigious properties located on islands off the coast of Georgia, USA.
To recap, condohotels are basically condominiums in or connected to hotels that allow owners access to the resources of the hotel, including management of their condominiums.*
Condos in hotels are not all the same. Residential units in condotels are lived in by the owner; others limit the amount of time owners may live in their units, expecting them to allow their units to be rented out by the hotel. Owners like the idea, because they generally only want to use their condos occasionally, and the rental income (shared by owner and hotel) offsets or covers the cost of their unit: all of which adds up to these units being viewed as investments and second/vacation homes. The downside to these rental units is that owners may not furnish or decide on the décor of these units, although they are usually allowed to store on site and then use personal items such as portraits when they are in residence. Hoteliers like condotels because they make it easier to acquire financing for development, as well as providing a healthy income stream year round.
Almost half of the condotels on the market or under construction in the US are ocean front, the rest mainly in urban areas, casinos and theme parks. Other markets where condotels are expanding significantly are the Middle East, China, and South America. One developer alone in Brazil has fifty condotels. While condotels began to appear in Europe and London in the Seventies, the first on record appears to have been in Miami Beach during the 1940s.
So what does this all have to do with butlers? Rather a lot, actually. Owners pay anything from about $300,000 to $25 million for these properties. But no calculator can create or measure their true value because what the owners value is the lifestyle their condotel offers them. Hoteliers have to deliver experience, not just four walls. As with any effective marketing, it is the sizzle that sells, not the steak. The sizzle in condotels is not really the marble baths with gold-plated fixtures, as these kind of amenities are almost the baseline of expectation. The sizzle includes the spa, restaurants, gym on or off site, the theaters, etc. But even these are also part of the basic expectation, otherwise the owners would not have been looking in that particular area for a condotel.
No, what guests and owners want more than anything else (as mentioned by a few speakers at the symposium) is to be pampered. They want to be wowed inside and outside their suites. Speakers mentioned maid and even concierge service as examples of pampering. Only one person mentioned the "B" word. That is because perhaps the majority of condotels are not in the 5-star range that would require butler service. As another speaker pointed out, concierge service speaks of a 4-4.5-star service. And because we have yet as a profession to make inroads into the condotel market, most people, even in 5-star environments, have not made the connection between pampering and butlers. To be sure, concierges pamper and offer marvelous service, but they are limited to front-of-the-house activities. They rarely do anything in guest or owner units short of delivering items or perhaps taking care of emergencies for absentee owners.
I think we have to recognize that as butlers, we are Johnny-come-latelies in the hospitality environment. We have to keep talking up the sizzle for high-end hotel and condotel owners, developers, and managers, or they will continue to think in terms of the more limited concierge and maid services.
Well, the good news is that we spread the sizzle a bit through one-on-one chats with developers, owners, and managers, as well as during the final panel presentation. We now have interest from quite a few large and boutique projects in the US, Caribbean, and China.
We would like to help you do the same. If you see possibilities for introducing butler service into a luxury condotel (or even hotel) being built or completed in your area, please contact us so we can assist you in presenting the concept to the owners, developers, or managers.
There is no doubt in my mind that condotels represent a huge market (halfway between private residence butling and hotel butling and combining the benefits of both) that only needs a few butlers boldly going where no butler has gone before to blossom into a whole new field of employment for our ranks!
Professor Steven Ferry is author of the best-selling industry texts, Butlers and Household Managers, 21st Century Professionals, and Hotel Butlers, The Great Service Differentiators. He is Chairman of the International Institute of Modern Butlers. He can be contacted at stevenferry@modernbutlers.com
* As a note, condos in America are owned residences sharing the same building and management, with common areas and gardens cared for by the management company. In England, these are known as "flats" or "apartments," but in the US, these words are used only in connection with rental units.
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Important Industry Salary Survey
Dear Readers,
The Home Staffing Network salary survey is still in progress. We invite all private service professionals (Estate Managers, Butlers, Personal Assistant, Couples, Valets, Housemen, Housekeepers, Nannies and so forth), to take part in this important data collection. The form for submitting your input, together with the raw survey results to date, may be found at this url: http://www.homestaffingnetwork.com/tools_tips.php?id=17&category=5
Eventually the survey results will be summarized and made available to industry professionals such as yourself for review and use.
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Private Service News
by Werner Leutert, President IIMB
In our last issue, we mentioned that through the efforts of Ms. Mary Starkey and her team, "Restoring the Art" had obtained its 501(c)3 status as a non-profit and been designated by the U.S. Department of Labor as the official association to grant and monitor National Certifications for the Private Service Industry.
Now this organization intends to change their initial name and become the official International Association of Private Service Professionals, representing all who work within the Private Service Industry: Household and Estate Managers, Butlers, Personal Assistants and Private Chefs.
At the invitation of Ms. Mary Starkey, I agreed to join the Advisory Board, which will ultimately become the Board of Directors for this new and independent organization. In early May, I traveled to Palm Springs, CA for the first Advisory Board meeting, which was held in the afternoon of May 5, 2006 at the beautiful Miramonte Spa and Resort (the same resort where this year's Restoring The Art Conference was held).
Other people invited to join the Advisory Board as Members were:
Mary Starkey -- Founder of Starkey International
John Robertson -- British Butler and Educator
Christian Paier -- from Private Chefs, Inc. (unable to attend)
Denise Collins -- Owner, Aunt Ann's Staffing Agency
Ann Guerin -- Owner, Mother's Aides Staffing Agency
Kevin Carpenter -- Air Force Enlisted Aide
Michael Cope -- Household Manager
Charles McPherson -- Agency Owner, Vice Chair of Int'l Guild of Professional Butlers
David Gonzalez -- Owner, Domestic Placement Network
Ray Champion -- Educator, Starkey International
David Bertnick -- Educator, Starkey International
The meeting itself was a bit rushed. There was much to cover and those of us just coming on board had to absorb a lot of information. David Bertnick, who is the Starkey lead on the project, did a very good power point presentation outlining the concepts.
It was clear that an important purpose at this point is to work out the details for an apprenticeship program that would then be recognized by the US Department of Labor through this new non-profit entity.
We discussed funding, which at this time is contemplated to be through a dues structure. Concerns were raised by some members that the amount of dues proposed may be a bit too high for the Enlisted Aid component of the Industry. We debated the name for the entity and ultimately chose International Association of Private Service Professionals over the initial International Association of Private Service Managers.
The association also aims to take over the RTA conferences and ultimately become a real force for professionalism in the industry. While we all agreed and could see great value in having an independent association, some of us were concerned that real independence may only be possible down the road. It seems that a boardwide communication system and a time line to reach these goals is so far eluding us. We know that communication is so important in Private Service and we need it to complement and build upon the good work done so far.
My personal vision is that this non-profit organization needs serious funding, beyond the garden club type funding that is currently envisioned. I believe that the association should have a goal to post a paid Director who reports to the Board. In order to get to this point, we would need to do some serious fund raising among the some of the more deep-pocketed employers of private staff and set this thing up right -- with a paid director and a professional approach to things. Of course, this is just my opinion.
What do you think about the new International Association of Private Service Professionals? How would you want to see it organized and operate? Please join a discussion board on this topic at this URL:
http://www.quicktopic.com/37/H/Fie8dbm3G2b6H
We will run it until the next issue of the Modern Butlers Journal. No negativity please.
My Report on the Restoring The Art Conference
I participated in Thursday's program. Raymond Champion did a good job as Master of Ceremonies and in due course introduced Dr. Lloyd Lewan, who delivered his presentation of "The Heart of Leadership," which was well done and well received. In the afternoon, there were excellent breakout sessions. I chose men's clothing and the presenter, Mr. John Jaster from Andrisen Morton in Denver, was truly outstanding. If your Mr. or Mrs. needs some expert advice on wardrobe selection, closet organization and the care of fine clothing, then this is the guy to contact! www.andrisenmorton.com
I spent some time with John Oblanas and got the lowdown on Alternet estate management software. Good stuff for the large, complex household organizations. See www.alternetestate.com for more information.
I also received a hot tip on practical contact and calendaring software which can be found at www.nowsoftware.com It seems very reasonably priced.
The two evening events that I could attend were both nice. One was an agency-sponsored Happy Hour on the lawn of the beautiful Miramonte resort where the conference was being held. The next night we celebrated 25 years of Starkey with a champagne reception and a toast to the First Lady of Service, Ms. Mary Starkey.
I left on Friday morning with a lot of business cards. Overall the attendance was low - just 85 or so, growing to 110 for the Saturday night dinner. It seems that a number of folks came just for that dinner. At this event, the following awards were announced:
Household Manager of the Year: Michael Cope, Virginia
Butler of the Year: Mr. John Peters, Netherlands
Private Chef of the Year: Chris Lanier, New York
Celebrity Personal Assistant of the Year: Andrea Donnelly, California
Personal Assistant of the Year: Stephanie Speliopoulos, California
Enlisted Aide of the Year: Michael Haug, Florida
Sincerely, Werner Leutert
If you have questions email me at wernerleutert@modernbutlers.com
Visit my web site www.homestaffingnetwork.com
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The Institute's Checklist for Evaluating Butler and Household Manager Training Schools
So you're looking at attending a school that trains butlers and / or household managers. If you've done your homework, you've probably discovered a number of them via the Internet, located all over the world. Possibly you're limited in your choice by location, or costs. But with so much at stake, how do you make the optimum final decision?
The International Institute of Modern Butlers has developed this checklist and provides it here to prospective students. We hope it will be of assistance to you in determining which school is the best fit.
What do some of the graduates of this school think of their experience?
What skills and subjects are covered in the curriculum?
Does the curriculum contain mostly theory and field trips, or perhaps more importantly, is there a lot of hands-on practice and role playing, too?
What is the reputation amongst placement agencies of the school?
Were the graduates able to find positions afterwards?
Did they receive any assistance in finding positions from the school?
Does the school support an internship?
How well did the training prepare the graduates to do their job once they did find a position?
Good hunting!
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The Solution is in the Problem
Wayne Fitzharris
It's a pleasure to join forces with The Institute of Modern Butlers and it's a pleasure to be asked to contribute towards this newsletter. Twenty years ago today, I was working at the Dorchester hotel, in the Promenade, as a Station Head Waiter. My duties included serving an array of cocktails and traditional afternoon teas to some of London's high society celebrities and high profile business people.
Back then, my values were very simple. I got an enormous kick out of offering exceptional service. I oozed confidence and professionalism. I strived to be better everyday and I felt that every day I came to work, I was evolving. I was one cog of an enormous wheel. (A wheel which had come off, but was soon to be replaced at enormous cost). Being ambitious, I dedicated myself to improving my skills and my experience. I visited every other great London hotel to compare my own service skills against those of my peers and I proudly reported back every detail to my Head of Department, who secretly passed these reports up to the hotel Food and Beverage Manager. (I would gain recognition for them later.)
One day, I was asked to apply for a trainee manager's course, so after many interviews, I was awarded a role that would change my life forever. I was re-sent to college to study HCIMA, a five year management course and I trained in every department of the Dorchester, being assessed by a new department head week after week. My young brain was tested every second and my experiences were either very good or very bad.
After 4 happy years, the Dorchester was a home away from home; I loved the team spirit and was proud to work there. Back then, the Dorchester was rated as the premier hotel in London; it offered un-paralleled service and luxury and its staff were often the rave mention of media editorials.
When the Dorchester closed down in December 1988, it was the end of a chapter for many of their staff. Although every member of staff was given a generous redundancy payment, the Dorchester made no promises on re-hiring anyone who had worked there. The Dorchester's executive team could not make promises to bring anyone back--in fact, they saw this as their chance to get rid of a lot of deadwood staff, since there was an executive understanding that a great deal of complacency existed amongst the staff that was rotting away the fabric and foundation of team building.
When the hotel closed down, over 600 staff lost their jobs, but parts of the Executive Team were given contracts to prepare the hotel for its grand refurbishment. I, too, was asked to stay on to assist, and I learned the full extent of the plans to recruit a fresh team, rather than bring back old attitudes and familiarisation. I empathised and agreed to a point, but looking back, you see that the cost of redundancy was all about making a fresh start.
When the Dorchester hotel re-opened its doors in 1991, many of its loyal guests returned and were greeted by the same managers who had greeted them before the hotel closed. It struck me then that the Dorchester had got things terribly wrong. The hotel had re-employed part of the problem.
I remembered then that it was the management team that was responsible for old attitude problems, not the staff. The reason why staff were not at the required standard or did not have the correct attitude had to be down to the leadership, motivation, inspiration, and training that they had probably never received. The problem as far as I could see was a failure by the executive team to recognise this.
I wondered how long it would be before the training would be filed away to collect dust. I couldn't see how the old management team could conduct training--if they had never believed in it in the past, why would they now? In the end, the Dorchester hotel was wrong in its thinking that it could start afresh, since no one has the ability to buy service. No one can sack 500 staff in the belief that they could buy a new staff and so effectively buy only the finest service. The Dorchester hotel had probably lost its most important asset by doing away with its staff. Very few were offered their jobs back, apart from core management. They had lost the huge investment spent over the years on recruiting and training each and every one of those staffmembers that were let go. At great expense, a new team was hired and put in place and the old Hotel was opened fully modernised. Only one third of the old staff were invited back. Looking back, it's clear that it was easier to blame the staff rather than understand the problem and resolve the issues of the past. The expense to the hotel was enormous.
One of the reasons why I have dedicated my life to training since leaving the Dorchester is self-evident. Everyone has an ability to develop and train themselves, but everyone deserves an opportunity to be developed. It has to be a given as a norm that those managers with the experience, pass it on to those staff who don't. At the Dorchester, as in other places that have made similar mistakes, the solution was in the problem: it was the management who needed to be re-focused, re-trained and given the opportunity to resolve the issues of the past.
Wayne Fitzharris
Principal, Global Search International
Contact Wayne directly by e-mail: wayne@globalsearchint.com
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Links to Interesting On-line Articles
Butlers have never been so in demand, it is claimed, and the underwear ironing mavericks can now demand big salaries from their rich employers, writes Mark Oliver. Read the whole article at:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/netnotes/article/0,,626808,00.html
Are You a Thrillionaire or a Realionaire? http://www.slate.com/id/2138486/
Billionaires own stocks, bonds, real estate and art. Many also have their own collectible cars, mega-yachts and private planes. And some own hotels. Nice ones.
http://ehotelier.com/browse/news_more.php?id=D8415_0_11_0_M
Some of the most expensive hotel rooms in the world were featured in this recent article in Ehotelier.com:
http://ehotelier.com/browse/news_more.php?id=D8194_0_11_0_M
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Is Your Hotel a Mess?
What are some of the positive commonalities--the good signs--that a hotel offers? To begin with, well-groomed, uniformed, name-tagged employees who greet guests with a smile make an excellent first impression, both on guests and new management companies. Sharp curb appeal and public-space cleanliness are usually signs of good things to come. Once you get more "into" a hotel's behind-the-scenes areas, things become more clear: Orderly offices, storage spaces and housekeeping areas are examples of the good signs that usually follow good first impressions.
Read the whole article including the "messy stuff" at this URL:
http://ehotelier.com/browse/news_more.php?id=D8235_0_11_0_M
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How Has The Perception of Butlers Changed over Time?
By G.J. de Pillis, Contributing Writer
Samuel Putnam once researched a sixteenth century duke. In his 1949 book, Putnam states that "the duke had a major-domo who was of a very jovial and playful disposition...who had impersonated Merlin and made all the arrangements for adventure...and...now, with the assistance of his lord and lady, proceeded to contrive an episode of the strangest and drollest sort that could be imagined..."
Today, a major-domo, personal assistant, butler or any other professional domestic need not take on the burden of concocting Merlin-like adventures for their employers. Rather, they are looked upon as trusted keepers of order and peace able to execute any task asked of them.
Over the centuries, the art of service migrated over to the United States from England and Europe, and by the 1830's, the perceptions of American staff surprised some Europeans. Here is an account of an English woman, Frances Trollope, who traveled to Kentucky in the 1830's and wrote about her experience setting up a household there. She noted the remarkable character of a certain Nancy, a faithful industrious American woman whom Mrs. Trollope engaged. "The greatest difficulty in organizing a family establishment...is getting servants, or as it is called (in the Americas) 'getting help', for it is more than petty treason...to call a free citizen a 'servant.'"
Careful not to offend the American professional domestic staff, Mrs. Trollope muddled about to somehow find much needed assistance in her home. After several failed attempts, she finally settled upon an American woman named Nancy. Mrs. Trollope remarks in her memoirs, "She (Nancy) was by no means handsome, but there was an air of simple frankness in her manner that won us all."
Nancy's efficiency and trustworthiness were so remarkable to Mrs. Trollope that, almost two centuries later, Nancy is still immortalized in print. We should all strive, in our daily efforts, to make the lives of our employers so comfortable that they speak about it to others. Even tiny services such as personal shopping for custom-fitted items or arranging a bouquet of flowers in a special way will indicate to your employer that you take pleasure in tending to their daily necessities.
Nancy was perhaps less refined than you or I, but she was dedicated, full of integrity, efficient and honest. When she started her tenure with the Trollope household, Nancy indicated that she would require more than customary time off to attend two midweek meetings at her local church in addition to Sundays. But she assured the lady of the house that duties would still be performed with exacting perfection. Nancy kept her word.
Mrs. Trollope made a note of the conversation she had with Nancy. "'...you shall not have to want (for anything from) me, Mrs. Trollope, for our minister knows that we have all our duties to perform to man, as well as to God, and he makes the (midweek) Meetings late in the evening that they may not cross one another.' Who could refuse? Not I, Nancy had to leave to go to Meetings (Tuesday, Thursday), besides Sundays.... One night, the mosquitoes had found their way under my net, and prevented me from sleeping. I heard someone enter the house very late. I got up and went to the top of the stairs...I called to her, "You are very late," said I, "what is the meaning of it?" "Oh, Mrs. Trollope," Nancy replied, "I am late, indeed! ...You shan't find me later in the morning for it." Nor did I. She was an excellent servant, and performed more than was expected of her; moreover, she always found time to read the Bible several times in the day, and I seldom saw her occupied about anything without observing that she had placed it (the Bible) near her."
Today, the art of service is just as important, just as appreciated, just as needed to run a household smoothly as it was back then. Today, however, the job description has expanded. Ms. Elizabeth Camille is one of the most sought after butlers in Sydney, Australia. She is also a chef, security expert, Web designer, qualified boat skipper and a highly trained car driver. She manages four staff and works in Sydney's eastern suburbs - the heart of the city's butler belt. Ms Camille's job takes her into the homes of Sydney's wealthiest and most famous citizens. It is a world where a butler can be asked to do anything from brushing the teeth of an employer's dog to organising a raunchy playboy party complete with a bevy of scantily-clad beauties.
"It is the ultimate fly-on-the-wall job," she says. "You are able to see how the other half lives. I have certainly seen some amazing things," she adds. "But, as they say, my lips are sealed. The motto is based on the three monkeys - you don't see anything, you don't hear anything and you don't say anything."
The average butler's salary in Sydney is about $80,000, the minimum is $45,000, and the best earn well over $100,000. The same is true in other big cities around the world. According to eHow, today's butler salaries in the United States range from $50,000 to $120,000 with full benefits and taxes.
Today, butlers are often employed by high-flying corporate couples who need help keeping their lives under control. Typically, those who employ butlers have several homes, at least one boat and a number of cars. Says Ms. Pamela Spruce, principal of the Australian Butler School, "A butler's role is very much a management role. We say that they are the orchestrators of the house. They run everything and the buck stops with them...it is a million miles from the concept of an old-fashioned British butler."
The new role has allowed some butlers to move into different areas of the industry and even beyond. For example, the skills learned in domestic employment are invaluable in the commercial corporate world as well. Some specialize in providing unique services to other butlers to make their service to employers much easier. Others focus on taking the tried and true skill set and applying it to other industries. This innovation in service keeps the profession fresh, alive, and versatile.
Time has indeed changed the perception of the art of service. The job description of a "butler" has morphed into a modern necessity amongst the discriminating classes. Potential employers no longer need to inherit a butler, like Mr. Putnam's duke in the sixteenth century, or happen upon one as Mrs. Trollope did in the 1830's. Today, butlers are found through organized professional agencies that offer so much more than simply finding the appropriate staff for an employer. These agencies also offer insights into where to obtain certain unique, high quality items for the master or mistress of the house, how to host a proper business tea, and other explanations of etiquette quandaries to ensure butlers experience maximum success with their employers.
www.homestaffingnetwork.com, Australian Butler Services and www.modernbutlers.com are all excellent resources to keep up on the changing perceptions and applications of being a butler in the 21st Century.
G.J. de Pillis (c) 2006
Sources:
Samuel Putnam (1949): Cervantes Saavedra, Miguel de 1547-1616 Chapters 36-37
Hopscotch: A Cultural Review - Volume 2, Number 3, 2001
Domestic Manners of the Americans by Frances Milton Trollope - London (1832) ISBN: 0486431398
http://www.ehow.com/how_110745_hire-butler.html
Excerpts from Move over, Jeeves, a new breed of butler is working her way up By James Woodford October 5 2002, see: http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2002/10/04/1033538773717.html
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MOTIVATIONAL STUFF
Sometimes we just need to be reminded ...
A well-known speaker started off his seminar by holding up a $20 bill. He asked the room of 200 attendees, "Who would like this $20 bill?" Hands started going up. He said, "I am going to give this $20 to one of you but first, let me do this." He proceeded to crumple up the $20 dollar bill. He then asked, "Who still wants it?" Still the hands went up in the air. "Well," he replied, "what if I do this?" And he dropped it on the ground and started to grind it into the floor with his shoe. He picked it up, now crumpled and dirty. "Now, who still wants it?" Still the hands went into the air.
"My friends, we have all learned a very valuable lesson. No matter what I did to the money, you still wanted it because it did not decrease in value. It was still worth $20. Many times in our lives, we are dropped, crumpled, and ground into the dirt by the decisions we make and the circumstances that come our way. We feel as though we are worthless. But no matter what has happened or what will happen, you will never lose your value. Dirty or clean, crumpled or finely creased, you are still priceless to those who DO LOVE you. The worth of our lives comes not in what we do or who we know, but by WHO WE ARE. You are special - Don't EVER forget it."
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Cadbury - Advice from a Butler
Dear Cadbury,
A major international agency contacted me regarding a gardening position with an east coast family. The agency offered me a salary of $75,000 plus benefits. After five interviews, involving lots of travel and out-of-pocket expenses, I was offered the position of head gardener with a full time staff of three caretakers.
The problem was that the future client now offered me $40,000, plus $5,000 a year bonus, plus benefits. I told them very nicely that this was not within the industry's acceptable salary level. After some ado with the agency 's placement counselor, (you can imagine how mad he was, losing a large chunk of his commission), the client made me a second offer of $43,000 plus a bonus of $8,000, plus benefits.
Of course I turned them down and informed them that if their circumstances changed, I would reconsider an offering for the position at the originally advertised salary. Yes, the agency initially advertised the position in the NY Times classified ad section, offering a salary of $67,000, but once I had an interview with the agency, I was informed verbally that the salary was in fact $75,000.
So what do I do? You can, with my permission, publish this letter, but I would appreciate any comments you and others may have. I have been employed in the service industry all my life. I am not bitter, but would not like this scenario to happen again to me or anyone else. Let's hope that a negative issue like this provokes serious discussion and provides a positive response. EH
Dear EH,
Your situation seems like a case of bait and switch. The question is who baited - the employer to the agency? Or the agency to you?
Our experience is that sometimes employers are reticent to express the salary range - they may state that they "will pay what it takes to get the right person." The agency then makes an educated guess and tells you what they think the employer will pay and you agree to interview. Then everything unravels when the employers like you and their real budget becomes apparent. The agency shrugs and says you should take it and perhaps you will get a bigger bonus. Forget that.
The better agencies present their candidate with details and include a salary expectation. Also presented should be the fact that the expectations should be flexible, based on the particulars of the position and more importantly, on the other aspects of compensation - for example, a home, superior insurance, auto, 5 weeks vacation, etc.
We think you did the right thing. If you cannot accept a position with whole-hearted enthusiasm, you are doomed to unhappiness and perhaps short tenure.
What should you do now? We would counter the aggressive agent's urgings with these simple questions: "Why did you represent this position to me at 75k and now come to me with this offer? Don't you interview your clients and get their salary range? You have wasted my time. I have un-reimbursed expenses -- which I would like for you to pay from your retainer fee. Thank you and let's work together in the future on a serious professional opportunity."
Good luck.
Cadbury
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Dear Cadbury,
I would like to know how my age will affect finding a new position. I am sixty-seven years old, in excellent health, am very active and work out daily. I have been employed in my current position for five years now, working on the West Coast. Prior to coming to the West Coast I spent many years in New York City. I presently have a wonderful position running a large estate in the Palm Springs, California area, but I feel it is time for a change, since my son lives in New York City, and I recently became a grandparent for the first time.
I would like to relocate to the East Coast. I am aware of "age discrimination," however, I am also aware that some employers prefer "Older or Mature" employees in the position of butler or estate manager. I want to be realistic about this. My present employers have been very good to me in terms of treatment and compensation, and I would rather know the reality of seeking a new position at my age. I would sincerely appreciate your honest and respected input on this matter, and if indeed I am still "marketable," perhaps your organization can assist in finding me a new position on the east coast. I attach my recently updated resume and photo's. Thank You,
Derek S-B, Palm Springs, CA
Dear Derek,
Age discrimination is alive and well in the general USA workplace. In private service, there is possibly a little more acceptance of older workers, especially long-term employees who have become a bit "like family."
However, the prospect of finding new, high level employment at age 67 is a bit daunting if you intend to do this outside of your network of past employers and acquaintances. Though we know that the older employee brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the table, the reality is that private service employees typically represent, at least in part, a status symbol or image that the employer "has made it and can afford to employ staff." We all know that the USA culture is built on youthfulness. To compound your problem, you are seeking to relocate to NYC after five years on the West Coast, which in some ways is a different ball game.
Alas, it is important for private service staff to be thinking about retirement at an early age and make that part of their game plan. That way, an older professional is not wholly dependent on having to continue working, and can often fit into more short-term assignments, consulting or gentleman's gentleman roles.
Cadbury
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Dear Cadbury,
I was delighted to discover your website in my quest for knowledge regarding Estate Management training and opportunities. It was kind of you to offer advice and guidance to folks like me. I hope I am not asking too much, but I greatly need your guidance.
With 20 years of financial management experience in both corporate and governmental environments, and after years of briefing the Pentagon and Members of Congress, I am eager to embark upon a second career in Estate Management. I feel that my experience may transfer well to this field. I would greatly appreciate some guidance as I attempt to find the needed training and experience, quickly, that will make me attractive to potential employers. At 48, I need to hurry!
Regards, Debi Einmo, India
Dear Debi,
You are not alone in seeking advice about a career change into the realm of private service. Like all career changes, especially later on in life, the challenge is to gain credibility in a new field. Not an easy task.
I would be less than truthful were I to suggest that it is possible for you to make a transition such as you desire based on training alone. The fact is that Estate Management varies from situation to situation, and the top jobs are for persons who have prior experience in similar positions. Experience comes from working in the private estates of employers, which, along with good business and communications skills and education, make a person uniquely valuable to an employer. Career changers from the hospitality field often have an easier go of it.
You should read all you can from information posted on domestic placement web sites and develop a presentation of yourself that highlights skills you have and which would be relevant to an Estate Manager / Personal Assistant position. Then market yourself to staffing agencies, advertisements and by email to potential employers.
Cadbury
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Institute Training and Educational Programs
The Modern Butler's Journal is the electronic newsletter of the International Institute of Modern Butlers. We are dedicated to raising service standards through on-site and long-distance training, consultation, books, and articles.
We train employees in establishments where attention to detail, and intelligently executed, anticipatory of, and almost invisible service is highly appreciated: Private estates, four/five star/diamond hotels, resorts, spas, retreats, hotel condominiums, private yachts & cruise ships, and businesses.
We also offer consulting services direct to employers and owners seeking knowledge and insights into building and maintaining world class service organizations.
For industry professionals already in service, who may be long on experience but short on formal butler training, or anyone wanting to move into the service industry, the Instite offers several long-distance learning courses as a viable alternative to attending a school.
The Institute is the only US-based organization teaching the skills and mindset of the traditional butler as applied to the modern world's service needs. We are the only training organization in the world that focuses on developing the mindset, persona, attitude, and communication skills that are vital to the butler level of service in today's employees.
Contact us for all your training needs via email at enquiries @modernbutlers.com or via telephone: USA 1-813-354-2734. We invite you to also visit our website, www.modernbutlers.com, for more information.
Certificates for Institute Members
To become a member of the International Institute of Modern Butlers, simply visit our website's new membership page to study and pledge your agreement to the Code of Ethics for Household and Hospitality Service Professionals.
As a service to members, the Institute offers an official Certificate of Membership to those IIMB members who wish to display such a Certificate on their wall, or for inclusion in a resume/CV. Once you've been accepted as a member, please visit the membership pages on our website, and follow the link to purchase a membership certificate. There is a small fee to cover costs and shipping.
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