PROVIDE
VALET/BUTLER
SERVICE
NICHAELA TERRIBLE
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Valet
• The word "valet" is a French term that means
"male servants". In modern usage, a valet is an
employee who performs personal services for
guests, such as a hotel valet or parking valet.
Engaging
the Butler
audience • The word "butler" comes from the Old French
word bouteillier, which means "bottle
bearer". It originally referred to the person in
charge of a household's wine cellar, but
eventually came to describe a servant of high
rank in a noble household.
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The Job of the Valet
• Applies to all establishments where specialist valet or butler
services are conducted
• Valet = Butler (Manservant, or a Gentleman’s gentleman’)
• Valet services are not common. Certainly not all establishments
provide valet service and the position may not exist in some
countries. Many hotels will only supply a ‘valet parking’ service.
• However international guests may have very high levels of
expectation in relation to the service provided by valets, especially
American and Japanese guests. Many expect the same level of
service provided by other up-market hotels around the world.
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The Many Roles of a
Valet
VALET ROLE:
• Housekeeper – performing a range of services normally
provided by room attendants in other rooms.
• Confidant – being a trusted person whom the guest can
confide in when they need to talk or share an idea, experience
or opinion
• Guide – informing the guest of what is available both within
and outside the venue, when it is available, how to get there
and how to obtain entry, tickets, preferential treatment.
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The Many Roles of a Valet
• Concierge – while all valets work together with the concierge
in a venue, many valets often take the role of concierge for the
guests they are looking after.
• Organizer – organizing activities including reservations,
tickets to shows, entry to events, meetings with people, daily
schedules, on behalf of and under the direction of the guest
• Supervisor – overseeing the work of other people (venue
employees and outside workers) who provide products and
service to the guest.
• Guest relations – ensuring the guest has a pleasant stay in
the venue, ensuring their expectations are met and dealing 6
The valet must be able to respond
immediately and appropriately to the
needs of individual guests who may all
have widely diverse demands. It is Navigating
definitely a challenging position but, Q&A
without doubt, an extremely rewarding
one. sessions
The role of valet would generally be
undertaken by experienced staff
members or other people with sound
organizational and interpersonal skills.
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The valet is always:
• A front-of-house member of staff – they are
not ‘back of house’ staff who work ‘behind
the scenes’ Navigating
• A guest contact staff member – as opposed to
a manager or administration officer
Q&A
• A service provider – while they perform
sessions
some liaison and supervision duties their
primary role is one of service provision.
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The Main Duties of a Valet
The main duties of a valet refer to the services they provide to
their guests.
• Professionally and confidentially communicating – with the
guest and on behalf of the guest
• Unpacking and storing guest luggage
• Preparing guest clothes and footwear – ready for use
• Light pressing of garments – as required or requested
• Packing guest luggage – for their departure
• Cleaning and polishing shoes – as required or requested
• Repairing, or organizing the repair of, clothes and other guest9
The Main Duties of a Valet
• Providing assistance in relation to organization of guest needs
and requests including wake up calls, newspaper, coffee and
tea.
• Monitoring the provision of establishment services to the guest
– both in-room and throughout the venue. This may include:
• Arranging and supervising the provision of room service for
meals, snacks, parties and drinks
• Organization and implementation of functions for the guest
in their room or in a function room at the venue.
• Recording services that have been delivered – for quality
control and accounting procedures 10
The Main Duties of a Valet
• Preparing room before guest arrives – by providing various
items such as fruit bowls, complimentary gifts, bath robes,
chocolates or flowers
• Looking after guest laundry and dry cleaning needs – on an
ongoing basis for the duration of their stay.
• Organizing and processing secretarial duties upon request –
such as messages, faxes, packages, translation, postage, and
use of the business facilities at the property
• Arranging restaurant bookings, car hire, tours, specified
purchases of gifts or other items
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The Main Duties of a Valet
• Organizing activities to meet guest needs – such as arranging special functions
in the venue, booking local excursions and tours, and making reservations for
the theatre, shows, dining and special events.
• Provision of local advice (the ‘concierge’ function) including:
• Recommendations for dining and shopping
• Suggestions for transport and sight-seeing
• Options for tourism and leisure activities
• Acquisition of personal services
• Making, altering or confirming travel arrangements.
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The Main Duties of a Valet
Prior to guest arrival the valet must:
• Investigate background information and knowledge about
guest preferences and previous history with the establishment.
• Take action to ensure promises made to the guest are met
when the guest arrives.
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The Main Duties of a Valet
On guest departure the valet must:
• Record and process guest charges and accounts – for billing
and payment
• Assist in the maintenance of guest history file – to provide
relevant and up-to-date information about the guest/VIP
• De-brief with management – to identify lessons learned,
determine changes needing to be made to SOPs and whether
or not management needs to contact the guest to make an
apology.
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Locate the position of valet
within the enterprise
1.2 Locate the position of valet
within the
enterprise
The position of valet can vary in its location within a venue.
This Section looks at the options for positioning a valet within a
property.
The position of valet varies between properties:
• They are front-of-house staff– they are not ‘back of house’
staff who work ‘behind the scenes’
• They are guest contact staff-as opposed to a management
or administration
• They are service providers -while they perform some liaison
and supervision duties their primary role is one of service 16
Gender
Valets were traditionally male as their previous titles indicate,
with other names for valets being:
• Manservant
• Gentleman’s gentleman.
Today females are also employed as valets by some venues to
reflect the growth of women requiring valets in their own right
Generally speaking, guests still expect valets to be men but they
may: Request a female valet Ask if a female valet is available.
• Businesswomen may request a female valet.
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Location of the Valet
Where valets are employed by a venue the valet is usually shown
on an organizational chart for a venue as being located in the
Housekeeping department, also known as Rooms Division.
The position of valet:
• Reports directly to the head Housekeeper or Executive
Housekeeper
• Is regarded as a higher position than room attendants, but
does not have responsibility for them.
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Location of the Valet
JOB POSITION REQUIREMENTS
The valet may:
• Liaise with Sales and Marketing – to be advised of VIP
guests arriving, and to advise them of needs, wants and
preferences of VIPs
• Liaise with Front Office and Concierge – to deliver
products and services as required by the guests
• Liaise with Food and Beverage, Kitchen and Banquet
departments – to ensure special food, drink, catering and
event needs are provided for
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Location of the Valet
JOB POSITION REQUIREMENTS
The valet may:
• Be involved in middle-level management meetings – to:
• Enable the identified needs, wants and preferences of VIP
guests to be met
• Discuss and initiate required security protocols for certain
guests
• Facilitate venue-wide organizational and operational
arrangements to support a VIP stay.
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Employment Status
Employment status for valets varies enormously.
Options include:
• Full-time valet – this is not common except at 5-star and 6-
star facilities because there is insufficient work to warrant their
employment on a permanent ongoing basis
• Part-time valet – this is relatively common. The person works
as a valet when required, and performs another role such as
Room Service attendant, Porter or Laundry attendant within
the venue when there is no demand for a valet.
• Wages per hour are usually higher for a valet than for other
lower-level duties 21
Employment Status
Employment status for valets varies enormously.
Options include:
• Casual – the venue hires valets as required, paying them on
an hourly basis, choosing employees from a known pool of
professionals
• Outsourcing – where the services of an external provider
specializing in the provision of hospitality professionals is used
• This option is gaining in popularity amongst employers where
such a service is locally available
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Identify the personal
characteristics required of a
valet
1.3 Identify the personal
characteristics required of a valet
The work performed by a valet requires them to possess a unique
set of personal characteristics.
This Section identifies the personal characteristics needed by you
as a professional valet in order to meet the expectations of
guests
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List of characteristics
Valets need to be able to perform a
range of technical skills. This includes
serving food and drinks, cleaning and
folding clothes, shining shoes and
making reservations.
In order to deliver the services required
by a guest and fulfil the expectations of
guests, a valet must possess all of the
following personal characteristics as a
minimum requirement in order to make 25
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Tact and diplomacy
Tact may be seen as the ability to know
when to say something and when not to
say something. It also means being able
to say what needs to be said without
giving offence, without making people
feel uncomfortable or ignorant.
Diplomacy is the skill of applying tact
to situations so the outcome is
beneficial to the valet and their guest.
The two terms „tact‟ and „diplomacy‟ 26
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Discretion
In practice this means demonstrating
the ability to judge when to ignore
something the guest may have said or
done.
Central to being discrete is:
• The action of ‘turning a blind eye’
• Not mentioning the event to the
guest or to anyone else. 27
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Etiquette
Etiquette refers to knowledge about
social convention across a range of issues
such as:
• The correct piece of cutlery to use
when setting a table for a meal
• Action to take to make others feel ‘at
ease’.
Etiquette can be described as good 28
manners, decorum and propriety. It is the
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Good Manners
• Showing respect for others
• Demonstrating politeness
• Being refined and appropriate in all
situations.
• Knowing when to talk and when to be
quiet
• Remaining a respectful distance from29
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Politeness
It is closely aligned with showing respect,
making people feel at ease and creating an
appropriate and refined atmosphere for the
guest and their associates.
• Asking for permission to undertake tasks
• Saying ‘please’ and ‘thank you’
• Knowing when to withdraw and leave
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guests alone and when to maintain a
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Civility
Civility is closely linked to manners and
means avoiding anything that could be
construed as rude, disrespectful or intended
to give distress or cause offence.
It may embrace adhering to a ‘Code of
Conduct’ imposed by the venue in regard to
treatment of guests and others.
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Honesty
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Dedication
Being dedicated to a guest means you
cannot be dedicated to what the venue
requires you to do.
• Always use common sense to assist in
deciding what to do
• Never do anything that is illegal or places
you in danger
• Be prepared to seek guidance and counsel
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Willingness to be of genuine service
For a valet, a willingness to be of genuine service is critical because:
• They spend comparatively more time with guests than any other
staff member – valets are with their guests on a day-today basis and
sometimes for many hours at a time
• Guests rely on valets to a greater extent than they rely on most
other staff – valets are expected to undertake many duties on behalf
of the guest that reflect the guest’s standing, image and reputation
• Guests pay a premium to have the services of a valet – generally
speaking valets must be paid for by the guest on an hourly, or ‘per
stay’, basis so guests are entitled to expect them to be genuinely
committed to excellent levels of service delivery.
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An unbiased and prejudice-free
disposition
All valets must be free of bias and refrain from judging their
guests because:
• They will have to deal with people from a wide range of
cultures, ethnic backgrounds, and ages
• They will experience a great variation in the personal habits of
guests, individual opinions and thoughts of guests and in the
manners, attitudes and beliefs of guests.
The role of the valet is not to judge the guest based on these
individual differences but simply to continue serving them.
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Punctuality
• Arriving for work early – to ensure all the requirements for the
day have been arranged
• Not leaving work until the needs of the guest have been taken
care of – a valet can never work hours totally governed by a
roster. You must stay as long as the guest needs you or
arrange for another valet to replace you
• Making sure all arrangements made for the guest are delivered
punctuality – this applies to ensuring inhouse services are
delivered when expected as well as following up with external
service providers to make sure what they have promised
arrives on time.
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Attention to Detail
Definitely, for a valet, ‘near enough is never good enough’.
Keys to making sure every detail is correct are:
• Planning and preparation – deciding in advance what needs to be
done, what needs to be present and how things must look, flow or
occur
• Observation – physically paying attention to determine whether or
not things are correct or whether some details requires attention.
• Taking action when a detail is identified as missing, or in some way
incorrect – valets must always take action when there is a need to do
so.
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Initiative
Initiative requires you to anticipate what the guest will
may need and take action to ensure these needs are met.
When unsure about what a guest wants, needs or prefers
the recommended advice is to ask the guest what they
want.
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Describe grooming and
personal presentation
standards for a valet
1.4 Describe grooming and personal
presentation standards for a valet
While all staff in a venue will be required to comply with a
nominated standard of grooming and personal presentation, the
importance of these for a valet is even greater.
This Section presents relevant requirements for valets.
The need for high standards of grooming and personal
presentation.
Valets need to be professionally groomed and are required to
comply with the venue requirements in relation to personal
presentation, personal hygiene and uniform.
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Wearing of Uniform
Strict standards must be observed in relation to:
Wearing the uniform, ensuring:
• It fits properly-so it looks good, enables freedom of movement and is
comfortable to wear
• It is clean
• The uniform must always be:
• Pressed – meaning it must be free of wrinkles and look cared for
• Stain-free – and free of marks, dirt or other mess
• It is in good condition-– there can be no loose threads and no
missing buttons. 41
Wearing of Uniform
Your uniform must comply with venue requirements which can relate
to:
• Type & style of shoes
• Name tag
• Type of jacket or suit
• Epaulettes
• Tie.
ALL the uniform must be worn.
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Ensuring Personal Hygiene
Basic grooming requirements include:
• Regular washing/bathing • Neat & clean hands & nails
• Use of a suitable deodorant • Good dental health
• Use of lightly scented perfumes or • Sufficient Rest
after-shave lotion
• Exercise
• Use of neutral make-up for women
• Good personal hygiene habits &
practices
• Men must be clean shaven
• Hair must be neat & tidy
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Ensuring suitable personal
presentation
To ensure proper personal presentation:
• Always check your appearance in a full-length mirror –
before starting work or resuming work as a valet.
• Maintain good posture – valets should walk and function
with head up and shoulders back indicating pride in their role
and presenting a suitable ‘air’ expected by guests.
• Only wear basic jewelry – nothing ostentatious should be
worn. The valet should never ‘outshine’ the guest.
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The Valet’s Kit
Valets should develop their own personal kit which they should keep
with them in their workplace.
This kit is used to:
• Maintain their own personal appearance
• Assist guests with any needs they may have.
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The Valet’s Kit
Contents of the valet kit is very much an individual concern and the items
will grow as experience dictates
• Small scissors or clippers • Safety pins – different sizes
• Tweezers • Thumb tacks
• Hair brush and comb • Nail varnish remover
• Clothes brush • Stapler with staples
• Polishing and application brushes for • An eraser
shoes • Liquid paper
• Disposable gloves • Adhesive labels
• Needle and an assortment of threads • A small first aid kit – making sure
and buttons there are several sizes of plasters
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Interpret enterprise
policies and
procedures for the
provision of valet
services
1.5 Interpret enterprise policies and
procedures for the provision of valet services
To identify & understand venue policies & procedures for valet service:
Complete all required in-house trainingTalk with senior, experienced staffRead the relevant documents.Never be afraid to ask questions to fully understand what
applies
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Thank you
Mirjam Nilsson
[email protected]
www.contoso.com
