DISPLAY

PROFESSIONAL VALET
STANDARDS
QUARTER 3
WEEK 1
MELC
 Discuss basic roles of valet and butler service within the Philippine
hospitality industry.
 Establish rapport and enhance feelings of goodwill between the guest and
the establishment through principles of good communication in
accordance with the establishment standards.
 Access and utilize knowledge of individual guests to provide
personalized and quality valet service.
 Prepare reports and endorsements of valet service provider.
LESSON 1: BUTLER SERVICE IN
THE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY
Traditionally, a butler/valet is a chief male staff of dignitaries
assigned to serve food, wine, liquors, among others. This kind of
service was once just limited to families from higher social
classes. It was also deemed as a social advancement tool during
the medieval era. Later, it has become a potential profitable career
venture. However, it has always been associated in providing
service to guarantee satisfaction among employers.
Hotels, on the other hand, have improved the
services they offer to their guests. One of the
services they adopted and developed is the
provision of butler service. Hotel services have
evolved from mere selling of clean, safe, and
comfortable rooms to selling of personalized
services to guests who prefer to be attended to by a
butler during their stay in the hotel.
The goal of a butler is to provide personalized service to hotel
guests and achieve optimum guest’s satisfaction. The job of a
butler may commence even before the guest arrives in the
hotel up to the time of departure. Most five-star hotels in the
Philippines offer 24 hours of butler service to hotel guests.
As stated, butlers are traditionally composed of male servants.
However today, females can also serve as butlers. Some guests
may request a female butler. This just reflects the growth of
women in the industry.
TOPIC 1: ROLES OF A BUTLER
A butler plays diverse roles in a hotel. There
roles may even surpass the roles of other
housekeeping personnel. The following are the
roles of a butler adopted from the William
Angliss Institute of TAFE Trainee Manual
(2012):
 Housekeeping
Attendant
Guest
Relation Confidant
Officer

Supervisor Guide

Organizer Concierge
ROLES OF A BUTLER

Figure 6. Roles of a butler

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1. Housekeeping Attendant. A butler performs
different tasks normally provided by a
housekeeping attendant in servicing guest
rooms and other hotel premises.
2. Confident. A guest may consider a butler as a
trusted friend whom he or she can share
thoughts, opinions, experience, among others.
3. Guide. A butler is responsible in informing
guests of the services, products, etc. available
in the hotel, include the ways on how to avail
and buy them.
4. Concierge. He or she is also in charge of
providing information and assistance to
guests.
5. Organizer. Activities such as
reservations, meetings, availing tickets
for shows, among others are
organized by a butler.
6. Supervisor. He or she also watches
and directs the tasks of outsource
employees to make sure that they are
providing the best service or products
to guests.
7. Guest Relation Officer. He or she must
ensure that guests receive the best
experience while providing what they
expected during their stay. He should
take care of the problems that guests
may encounter.
TOPIC 2: DUTIES OF A
BUTLER
Here are some of the things that a butler does for a guest:

 Greets guest upon arrival. A butler must establish a good impression even on
the very first meeting with the guests.
 Makes recommendations and provides information about the hotel, events in
the area, and activities that the guests can see and do.
 Arranges and books flight and in-land transports and pick up ticket for tours.
 Attends to the guests’ personal needs such as shopping, going to the market
to buy special requests, etc.
 Launders and iron clothes of the guests.
 Cleans and polishes shoes of the guests.
 Packs and unpacks luggage.
 Serves in-room breakfast and beverages.
 Monitors the provision of services to the guests.
 Records services that have been delivered.
 Organizer’s activities to meet the needs of the
guests. For instance, organizing venues and
other reservations.
Most of the tasks mentioned are handled by other
housekeeping personnel. However, there is a thin fine line of
difference between the butler and the ordinary housekeeping
personnel. According to Cruz (2008), butlers are cornerstones
of a highly personalized service that guarantees high quality
standards. Aside from accomplishing these tasks, a butler also
brings pieces of information that may be used to anticipate and
provide for the needs of the guests even before asked. A butler
must undergo series of trainings to provide service quality – a
service that is gently and carefully provided from the arrival
until the departure of guests.
 A butler also communicates with other departments of a hotel.
The following are the varied departments that a butler liaises with:
 Sales and marketing. A butler advises this department when a
VIP guest arrives, thus coordinating their needs, requests, and
preferences.
 Front office and concierge. The products and services are
requested by guests are communicated to these departments.
 Food and beverage. To provide food, drinks, catering, among
others needed by guests, coordination with this department
must be established.
He or she is also in charge of disseminating
the information, requests, and preferences
gathered from guests to ensure that all of
these are met. For instance, when organizing
and arranging events for VIPs, a good
coordination among these departments must
be employed to meet the target of satisfying
the needs of guests.
TOPIC 3: ATTRIBUTES OF A
BUTLER
Because of the very sensitive job that butlers hold in the hotels, the following
attributes are needed to become a successful butler:
 Pleasing personality and well-groomed. Since a butler is part of the front-of-
the-office staff of the hotel, he or she needs to look presentable. A butler’s
presentation creates a lasting impression to the guests. He or she may look as
presentable as he or she started working until the task is done.
 Attentive and courteous. Good manners and etiquette must be practiced when
dealing with guests. A butler must know what actions to do to make guests feel
comfortable. He or she always needs to be respectful.
 Tactful and discrete. A butler may know when to disclose an
information and when it to keep it private. He or she must be careful
with choosing word and delivering them in a way that will not offend
or dismay a guest. He or she must also judge when to ignore things
that a guest did and said.
 Resourceful and self-directed. He or she must be capable of
resolving problems and other unfortunate circumstances that may
happen to guests.
 Articulate. A butler must be able to express clear ideas when
dealing with guests. Fluency in Filipino and English is a must.
Knowledge in other languages may be an advantage especially
when dealing with foreign guests.
 Fluent in hotel industry line of service. Knowledge
on hotel codes and standards is helpful to the
smooth flow of performing tasks. A butler must know
all of these to reflect them in his or performance.
 Marketing skills. A butler must know how to
encourage guests to avail the products and services
offered in the hotel. This includes knowing the
whereabouts of these items and how to avail them.
LESSON 2: RAPPORT BETWEEN GUEST
THROUGH GOOD COMMUNICATION SKILLS

A butler must facilitate good communication toward guests.

Communication may refer to the exchange of ideas,
messages, and information. There are two main types of
communication – verbal and nonverbal communication.
Verbal communication happens by speaking to each other. It
has certain characteristics that affect how the message
spoken is conveyed. These include the following:
 Volume. A butler must know how to control the volume of his or
her voice. Loudness of voice may be deemed as bossy or irate.
While too a soft voice may not be heard well and interpreted as
lack of confidence.
 Tone. Warm tones must be used when talking. However, it should
be noted that the tone must not sound too familiar or overfriendly.
A butler must use subtle tone that reflects professionalism.
 Pace. How fast the pace of speaking goes must also be
observed. Fast speech may be hard to follow and understand.
Slow pace is also not advisable. A butler should speak at a
reasonable pace to easily understood by guests.
Clarity and conciseness must be
observed. The correct words and its
proper pronunciation should also be
considered.
 Nonverbal communication, on the other
hand, refers to signs, symbols, gestures,
and expressions used when
communicating. All of these helps
effectively convey messages. It is an
advantage to make use of the following to
effectively use nonverbal communication.
 Facial expression. A smile or a frown can easily be noticed by
guests. A butler must consider showing a positive facial
expression appropriate to the situation when dealing with
guests.
 Gestures. Using hand and body movements when explaining
or emphasizing verbal messages may help to make guests
understand the message better.
 Body posture. A butler must also know the way he or she
carries himself or herself. Proper body posture may indicate
confidence and professionalism, thus may earn the trust of the
guests.
TOPIC 1: BUILDING RAPPORT
Communicating with the guests must also be harmonious and in
agreement. Hence, communication must be built through rapport.
Building rapport is an essential skill that may be used in all walks of
life. According to www.mindtools.com, this skill can open doors, create
opportunities, and lead to excellent relationships. Likewise, in building
and enhancing relationships with guests, building rapport is of utmost
importance. Rapport is a relationship built on mutual trust and
understanding. Butlers are part of front-of-the-house-staff. He or she
deals with guests face-to-face.
Rapport includes building trust and confidence with the guests.
Consider the following tips when enhancing the fundamentals
of building rapport adapted from the William Angliss Institute of
TAFE Trainee Manual (2012).
 A butler must be aware of the needs of the guest. He or she
should pay attention to the special request or reservation
details provided by and for the VIP guests.
 He or she must know the products, services, and facilities of
the venue. The policies and procedures of the venue must
also be noted.
 He or she must ensure that every information relayed to the
guest is updated and accurate.
 A butler must be proactive. He or she should let the guests
feel that everything is under control and he or she is prepared
at all times even in unexpected situations.
 A butler must make sure that every promise is kept and done
as promised.
 A butler should “walk the talk.” His or her words must reflect
his or her actions since some guests may be more concerned
with the actions done rather that the words spoken.
TOPIC 2: COMMUNICATING
STANDARDS
Nevertheless, to make building rapport through communication, some standards must be considered.

1. Listening. A butler must always pay attention to the message of the guest, considering understanding
the message conveyed between and behind the lines. Should the guests have questions or concerns,
he or she must be ready to address them. Guests may feel at ease and valued when they feel that
they are being listened to. This will help them to communicate their requests and needs easier. The
following points must be pondered by butlers when listening to guests:
o Give full attention
o Show interest in what the guest is saying.
o Focus on the more important details and take note of them.
o Find ways to address such concerns.
2. Constant monitoring. What the guests,
their companion, and staff are doing must
be observed. The equipment used by
guests must also be inspected. This is to
avoid and give preventive measures to any
inconvenience that may occur.
3. Knowing when to speak and keep quiet. A
butler must not intrude yet must be available
when needed. He or she must only talk to the
guest when the situation calls for it. Thinking
before speaking must also be considered.
Tactfulness must always be practiced
especially when choosing the words and
crafting them into appropriate sentences.
4. Keeping information about guest confidential. A butler must
treat every piece of information about the guest confidential. It
must not be discussed with other guests or co-employees.
 
5. Communicating using foreign language. It is advantageous
if a butler is bi- or multilingual. This will help him or her to be
more articulate especially when dealing with foreign guests.
However, eloquence in English – the universal language – is
also a big help.
 
To meet the expectations of the guests, good
communication is essential. Through proper
communication, the needs of the guests may
easily be identified and attended to while a
desired ambience and rapport built. Therefore,
good communication and rapport may enhance
trust and goodwill among guests.
LESSON 3: ACCESS AND USE OF
GUESTS’ PERSONAL INFORMATION

A butler has the privilege of having the access to guests’

personal information. This information allows a butler to
anticipate what the guest might want to do during his or
her stay at the hotel. When hotel guests accomplish a
reservation form at the hotel whether online or on-site,
personal information is provided. This can be utilized by
the butler to provide quality personalized service guests.
Information known by a butler is far beyond
the traditional information provided to other
housekeeping personnel. Such information
may even be provided even before guests
arrive. These pieces of information may be
used by a butler to plan and prepare on how
to deal with them from arrival to departure.
These information include the following:
 Name of the guest and their companion such as
their spouse, children, personal assistant, and
other staff.
 Title and how they want to be addressed like,
“Your Majesty,” “Madame,” etc.
 Special request and preferences
 Itinerary
 Functions to be organized
TOPIC 1: OBTAINING INFORMATION

As reiterated, a butler must be proactive especially

when gathering information about the guest he or she is
serving. He or she must not simply wait for a piece of
information to relayed, hence actions must be made to
obtain them. This may be done either by asking the
management to request information from the guest or
directly asking the personal assistant of the guests.
 The following are the other possible sources of obtaining guest
information (Angliss, 2012):
1. Internal guest history. These are reports or files collated from previous
stays of repeat guests. This may contain the following information:
o Preferred services and products that include like and dislikes of guests,
dos and don’ts when dealing with them, and their preferences when it
comes to brands, privacy, form of address, among others.
o Room service requirements such as the guests’ desired room type,
number, and setup of room upon their arrival; and the facilities and extra
items requested by guests.
o Problem encountered by the guests should also be obtained so that
necessary steps and efforts may be done to avoid having such problem
again.
2. Guest related communication. Information may also be obtained through
verbal or written interaction. Consider the following tips when obtaining
information using this way:
o Getting the telephone number or e-mail address of the contact is necessary
for follow-up, clarification, and confirmation of details obtained.
o Taking notes to properly record the details of the special preferences and
requests of the guests is recommended.
o Sending a transcript of the notes to the contact person may be done to check
the accuracy of the recorded details and to confirm if a detail is missing or
inaccurate.
o A hard copy of the requests made may also requested. Some guests,
however, voluntarily send their list of preferences that may be used as the
basis in their desired way of having the products and services a butler offers.
3.Discussion with other department and outsource
personnel. A meeting with other hotel staff and outsource
personnel who have handled the guests may be
organized. It will enable sharing of the following
information:
o Experiences when dealing with guests
o Needs, wants, and preferences of guests
o Peculiar characteristics, mannerism, language, and
attitude of guests
o Planning for the stay of the guests
4. Observing, asking, and clarifying upon guests’
arrival. A butler must be a keen observant when
dealing with guests to identify their needs and
wants. Clarify whether the gathered
information’s are accurate. A butler may ask the
guests or their staff for any clarifications.
Describing the options available may also help
inform the guests of the services and
productions that guests may be unaware of.
TOPIC 2: HANDLING INFORMATION

A butler is expected to handle the obtained

information with confidentiality. Below are
practical tips on how to handle guests’
personal information:
1.Do not discuss personal information of the
guests with fellow hotel staff.
2.Be careful in using information by not
allowing the guest to know that his or her
personal information is being accessed.
3.Use this information to make arrangements
to meet the needs, wants, and preferences
of the guests
Knowing this information is important to satisfy and
meet their standards and needs. This knowledge
also entails a butler to deliver service or products
especially made to efficiently fulfill the requests of
the guests. Once the needs and standards of the
guests are met, this may trigger to attract a repeat
of business or return of guests. Likewise, it may also
result to word-of-mouth advertisements and
endorsements.
 LESSON 4: Prepare reports and
endorsements of valet service provider
Reports and Endorsements:
A report will be kept for all laundry that is:

 Issued;
 Turned in for replacement; and
 Damaged (include Job#).
Do not give any inventories to anyone without proper
documentation. Keep the documentation as a receipt of the exchange.
Answer the form briefly.
THANK YOU
and GOOD
DAY!! 