What are the duties and responsibilities of an experienced butler?
A butler is a domestic worker in a large household, they are often given titles such as majordomo, house manager, staff manager, chief of staff and many more. Unlike any domestic staff, a butler is someone who has various tasks that is not usually done by a housekeeper. Though keep in mind that the precise duties of an employee will vary to some extent in line with the requirements of the client. These may include the following:
They will be in charge of overseeing the household staff
A family with a large household often has much domestic staff to help them with the housekeeping duties. They need someone reliable who will overtake and manage the household staff while they are away or have to stay long hours for work. An experienced and professional butler is responsible for making sure that the household duties are being carried out. He also assists in staff training and organizes the duties and schedule of domestic staff. This refers to a butler who has a high level of attention to detail and experience in managing a staff. They may also be someone who is a team player as they are tasked to oversee a grand household staff. It is also important that the butler is someone who can stay calm and can work under pressure whilst being able to prioritize and delegate tasks to the staff. Some families entrust the organising of payrolls of the staff to their trustworthy butlers.
Managing formal table service and service of drinks
According to research, the word “butler” originated from Anglo-Norman buteler, which corresponds to Old French botellier "officer in charge of the king's wine bottles". They are entrusted in taking care and serving wines and other bottled beverages to the family or guests, which in ancient times and as of today is a considerable portion of the household's assets. In modern times, a butler is expected to be someone who has excellent knowledge about wines and oversees the wine cellar and liqueur inventory. This may also mean that a butler must have a knowledge of the high social etiquette and formal table service. They must also have expertise and knowledge of the management, secure storage, use and cleaning of all silverware, associated tableware and their special functions. Some aspiring candidates who want to be an excellent butler attends one of the many schools or institutes that offer training.
They should warmly greets and assists the guests
A butler is also responsible for arranging dinners or parties for the family. Upon the arrival of the guests, the butler must receive and accompany them to the reception area. This means that they should have a welcoming and approachable quality so the guests would be comfortable with them. They may also be in charge of serving meals and pouring drinks or wine for the guests. If the guests are staying for vacation or holiday, then the butler must communicate with housekeeping staff to ensure that the guest's rooms are at its utmost cleanliness for the convenience of the guests. They may also recommend and arrange amenities for the guest if they like. It is important that the butler is well-groomed at all times and performs all the duties with discretion and professionalism.
They will provide personal valet services for the client
Just like the traditional butler, they are a man servant attending to the personal needs of the head of the grand household when it comes to their clothing and shoe care. It is important that the head of the household is always dressed and groomed in a presentable manner. It is the butler’s duty to ensure that the clothes and shoes of his client is well maintained in its highest quality at all times. They may need to arrange the laundry and ironing of the clothes and also making sure that the shoes are well polished and shiny.
They are generally expected to handle all the unpredictable needs of the family
Unlike the housekeeper staff, a butler is someone who is expected to carry out the unpredictable needs of the family. This may include paying the household bills, organising the stock for the kitchen and home, books the medical appointments and arranging events or travel plans for the family and oversees packing and travel preparations. If the family owns a yacht, then the butler may be assigned to look after it and ensure that is well maintained. Though they are not childcare providers, a butler may sometimes be flexible to bring their client’s children to their school and pick them up afterwards if the other staff is not available at the moment. He may also tend the garden and keep the beautiful landscape of the property. Also, it is expected that a butler will take the lead and direct the other workers to the household.
Making sure the safety of their employer and residence
Safety is the number one priority of families with great households and has complex houses. It is vital that the household has a strong security system to prevent any burglary and danger for the family. A butler is expected to stay updated to the latest software and security system. They also need to regularly check the smart home technologies and security screens of the residence.
Cleaning and maintenance
A butler must do regular check ups on the kitchen, laundry or even the automobiles to see if it is all running well. If there is a need to fix or repair, they are the ones who should be aware and take action. It is also crucial that the automobiles of the family are always in a good condition to prevent unwanted vehicle problems or accidents. If a butler fails to give attention to the automobile maintenance then it is at higher risk for major faults developing in the engine and other components.
Why should you use a Domestic Staff Agency to find the best butlers for your household?
One of the important decisions families have to make is to hire a butler that perfectly fits them and can get along with the other household staff. But it may be overwhelming to think about the process you have to go through just to make it possible. The best solution is to have a domestic staff agency who would be happy to help you in your search. Little Ones has been providing the best domestic services for over the past 15 years and successfully recruiting the best candidates for the families in Europe and UK. With the numerous applications that we receive everyday, only the most qualified domestic staff are being selected to be interviewed with the family.
What is the vetting and screening process of Little Ones in recruiting candidates?
Our company has the most thorough and rigorous screening process in the industry. There will be an initial phone call with the candidates to determine their work experience and personal background to ensure their motive in applying for the job. Then the selected most qualified candidates will undergo a face to face interview with the consultant specialists to assess their skills, qualification, past work experience as well as the former employer’s recommendation and remarks. This will be a recorded interview that usually lasts for approximately 40 minutes. It is also important that they have the specific requirements that the client wants. Since safety is a very vital aspect for Little Ones, we make sure to check every candidate’s standard criminal records or the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) along with other documents such as work visa permits. If they passed the vetting and screening process then they will be introduced to the family for them to determine if they are the right candidate they are looking for.
Little Ones, as the leading childcare and domestic staff providers in Europe and the UK is happy to give a helping hand for families who are in search of top calibre experienced butlers. We have amazing consultant specialists whose expertise is recruiting the best candidates in the industry. Once you enquire to us, you will be assigned to one of our consultants who will assist you with your search until you find the best butler you need. But if you are still unsure if you need a domestic helper for your home or wondering what are the benefits of having one then maybe it is good to know the duties and responsibilities of a butler.
A very large household particularly a family who has multiple tasks at hand may need someone they can count on regarding the homely affairs. Most families in the UK and the rest of the world are interested in hiring domestic staff who they can entrust with all the important tasks and making sure that the household chores are running smoothly. An experienced, proactive and trustworthy butler perfectly fits these kinds of families to weigh off some loads.
