UNIT OF COMPETENCY : PROVIDE VALET/BUTLER SERVICE

UNIT CODE :TRS512310

UNIT DESCRIPTIOR :This unit of competency deals with the skills and
knowledge required to provide specialist valet/butler
services in a commercial accommodation
establishment. This role would generally be
undertaken by experienced staff members with sound
organizational and interpersonal skills.

A butler is a domestic worker in a large household. In great houses, the household is

sometimes divided into departments with the butler in charge of the dining room, wine cellar,
and pantry. Some also have charge of the entire parlour floor, and housekeepers caring for the
entire house and its appearance. A butler is usually male, and in charge of male servants, while
a housekeeper is usually a woman, and in charge of female servants.
Traditionally, male servants (such as footmen) were rarer and therefore better paid and of
higher status than female servants. The butler, as the senior male servant, has the highest
servant status. He can also be sometimes used as a chauffeur.

In modern houses where the butler is the most senior worker, titles such as majordomo, butler
administrator, house manager, manservant, staff manager, chief of staff, staff captain, estate
manager and head of household staff are sometimes given. The precise duties of the employee
will vary to some extent in line with the title given, but perhaps, more importantly in line with the
requirements of the individual employer. In the grandest homes or when the employer owns
more than one residence, there is sometimes an estate manager of higher rank than the butler.

VALET SERVICE

One of the primary roles of the laundry is to provide valet service to guests. A a valet service
indicates to the guest that the hotel has a laundry facility either in-house or outsourced. It is now
international practice to provide valet service. Most international chains would certainly provide
one. A valet is one who, on call, fetches soiled linen from guests and return them either washed
or dry cleaned as per the demands of the guests. In hotels the contract out laundry services, the
valet service is provided by housekeeping. Some hotels may assign this task to bell boys at
night. The house telephone directory in the room would list a number for valet service. That
telephone connection may fall at the Laundry desk attendant’s table or the housekeeping control
desk.

Valet and Varlet are terms for male servants who serve as personal attendants to their
employer. In the Middle Ages and Ancient Regime, valet de chambre was a role for junior
courtiers and specialists such as artists in a royal court, but the plain term most often refers to a
normal servant responsible for the clothes and personal belongings of an employer, and making
minor arrangements.

Butler's Job Description:

1. Supervision of other domestic staff in one or more households

2. Hiring and organizing other household staff ( a housekeeper, cooks and maids) as well as
outside contractors and personnel (gardeners, chauffeurs and maintenance)
3. Valeting refers to the care of his client's wardrobe. This can often be a job in itself and, in
larger households, is carried out by the Assistant Butler
4. Assumes the role of a Personal or Household Secretary and, as well as keeping the family
agenda, he would be expected to carry out personal shopping for his employer, handle the mail
and be in charge of the household accounts.
5. Always be adaptable and flexible, ready to take on new responsibilities as and when his
employer sees fit. He is the byword for common sense, patience and expertise
6. Receiving guests.
7. Maintaining household security.
8. Assisting in cooking as well as serving meals and drinks to guests.
9. Arranging the table for serving meals.
10. Drawing household budgets, Keeping wine cellars and having knowledge regarding fine
wines.
11. Possession of excellent public communication skills
12. A passion for serving guests and collaborating with other staff.
13. Ability to work under pressure and for long unscheduled hours.
14. Excellent managerial and supervision skills.

Room Attendant Job Description:

Standard operating procedures for hotel room attendants, or housekeepers, are taught through
the American Hotel & Lodging Educational Institute and include everything from guest relations
to how to properly make a bed and clean a bathroom. The details of the job description for a
hotel room attendant are very important because the condition of the hotel room plays a huge
role in a property's reputation

Guest Relations

Every employee of a hotel, including room attendants, is expected to warmly greet guests, no
matter whether they are working in a five-star hotel or an extended stay property. According to
the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, more than two-thirds of the hotel industry's employees work
in the service sector of the industry. Hotel owners and managers rely on the customer service
abilities of their service staff to provide guests with a good feeling about their stay.

Guest Safety

The job description of a room attendant includes ensuring the safety and well being of guests.
The housekeeping staff is responsible for checking guest occupancy and verifying that rooms
have been vacated. After knocking on the door and entering the room, room attendants must
visually inspect each room before they begin any cleaning or organizing. They report any
inconsistencies to the executive housekeeper, hotel manager or housekeeping supervisor.
Room attendants also initiate requests for maintenance work.

Cleaning

To ensure they don't miss anything, the room attendant should begin cleaning the room at the
end furthest from the door. Housekeepers wipe down every surface, including tables, dressers,
televisions and headboards. Products and tools provided by the hotel should be utilized for
cleaning. The room attendant then removes the sheets and pillowcases from the bed and
remakes the bed with clean linens, tightening the edges for a crisp appearance. Vacuuming is
typically performed after the bathroom has been cleaned, just prior to leaving the room.

Bathrooms

Room attendants should always don gloves prior to cleaning the bathrooms in hotel rooms. Wet
towels are picked up off the floor and replaced with clean towels. Counters are straightened and
wiped and the mirror is cleaned. Housekeepers work from top to bottom in the bathroom,
usually starting with the mirror, in order to be thorough and remain on schedule. Shower stalls,
bathtubs and toilets are cleaned and sanitized. Toiletries that have been used should be
replaced.

Administrative Duties

Room attendants primarily work morning and afternoon shifts to make up rooms for guest who
are staying and prepare the rooms for new arrivals. Hotel room attendants typically arrive at
work in time for a brief staff meeting with the housekeeping supervisor when they are updated
on ongoing hotel activities and provided with their room assignments. They receive a log that
includes every room to complete before they leave each day.

Garments Folding, Packing and Unpacking:

Follow accordance by the guest request:

 Breakable materials should be wrap in paper or plastic bubble and place on the center of
the clothes.
Shoe shine:

1. Change into some old clothes.

2. Clear an area and put down newspaper.

3. Remove all dust and dirt by wiping the shoe, especially the heel and sole, with a cloth. If
your shoes are really dirty, or if the shoes have stains use a leather cleaner such as saddle
soap. Ivory soap or Murphy’s Oil soap also work. Apply the cleaner with a damp cloth (very
little water), wipe off and let them dry for five minutes before you start to shine them.

Many shoemakers recommend a conditioner to keep leather shoes soft and supple, and to
moisturize them. This keeps the leather from cracking. Some conditioners come in combination
with cleaners, which remove the old polish. When extra layers of polish build up the leather is
not able to breathe as well and perspiration can eventually break down the leather.

There are a lot of good leather conditions on the market, mostly sold for leather jackets,
furniture and purses. Some of the conditioners are known as balms.

4. Shoes will be easier to shine if you leave your shoetrees inside the shoe.
5. Make sure the polish matches the shoes. Neutral is the “color” for light colored shoes. Other
colors may have to be matched by taking one of your shoes with you when you buy polish
because some of the fancy names will throw you. Or you can ask your local shoe repairperson
what color is right.
6. Cream or Paste polish moisturizes fine leather, keeps it flexible, and soaks into the leather to
allow leather to breathe. Wax polish shines leather better than cream, but it seals the leather
and causes it to dry out. Avoid liquid polish, although it puts a fast shine on your shoes it can dry
out and crack the leather.
7. You can apply the polish with a soft, clean polishing rag; old socks will work fine. Wrap the
corner of the cloth around your first and second fingers of your dominant hand. Twist the
remainder of the cloth to tighten the portion around your fingers and hold that part in the palm of
your hand.

You may dampen the cloth.

You can also use a horsehair brush dauber instead of a cloth. They’re available at shoe repair
or drug stores. If you use a dauber, you’ll need a different one for each color of polish you use.
Even coffee filters can be used to apply shoe polish evenly!

Option – if the shoe has laces you may want to remove them in order to best get to the shoe
tongue and avoid staining the laces.

Apply polish to the first shoe and let it soak in while you apply polish to the other. Start from the
heel, toward the toe on one side, and back to the heel on the other, applying the polish evenly in
a circular motion. Excess polish doesn’t help and takes longer to dry.

Option – SPIT SHINE: as you apply polish the surface will dry and the cloth will slightly drag
then add a drop or two of water (avoid spit, especially if you are eating candy or drinking beer,
or both). Continue this process over the entire shoe.
Here’s a tip from “Dan from Boston” — Use a wet sponge to apply your polish, the polish will go
on evenly and it helps add the right amount of moisture necessary for a good shine.

8. Allow the shoes to dry (about 10 minutes).

9 .Buff the shoe with a polishing brush — preferably horsehair — and use a soft clean cloth
(ladies hose work well) to bring out a high luster.
10. Liquid sole and edge dressing may be used to restore the edge of the soles.

CARE INSTRUCTIONS FOR SPECIAL SHOES:

Here are the “don’ts” of shell cordovan care:
1. Do not use “neutral” polish
2. Do not clean cordovan shoes using saddle soap
3. Do not attempt to clean cordovan shoes using petroleum distillates or cleaning fluids
4. Do not use any spray shines or aerosol type waterproofs
5. Do not attempt to dry wet shell cordovan shoes with heat or a heater. Wipe them dry, and
allow them to dry naturally
6. Do not attempt to polish shell cordovan shoes while wet

Contact with water can sometimes cause cordovan leather to form small raised areas called
“welts” (tiny bumps). This is normal, and the welts will recede once the shoes are allowed to
dry. Wipe the shoes dry as soon as convenient, and allow them to dry naturally.

Spewing, a natural milky residue of wax will often form on new shell cordovan shoes. This is a
normal residue from the tanning of the leather. Wipe it off with a soft cloth or brushing. To
remove the wax in difficult areas, such as between stitches, use a toothbrush. Exotic skins can
be treated like calfskin, or with special conditioners that keep the leather from cracking. Take
extra care when brushing to prevent scratching the surface.

Fabric shoes can be cleaned with a mild spray fabric cleaner. Let the cleaner dry to a powder
and brush off the residue with a stiff brush. You can also use Woolite. Suede can be cleaned
with a clean soft brush (like a toothbrush), or you can buy special erasers (suede bars) to
remove stains and dirt. Raise the nap on suede by applying steam from a steam iron from
about 10 inches away. Also special brass-bristle brushes are available to raise the nap after
cleaning. A protective non-silicone finish (like Scotchgard) sprayed on new suede shoes will
help repel water and stains.

Nubuck – (brushed leather similar to suede, but with a finer nap) treat the shoes with water
repellent, use rubber-bristle brush (not nylon) or a suede bar. Use the bar damp to clean and
condition, and use the brush to lift the nap. Patent leather can be cleaned with a damp cloth
using lukewarm water and plain soap or Windex. Shine with a smooth soft cloth. Don’t get any
of the fabric wet (like the ribbon bow).

OTHER CONDITIONS

Wet shoes. If your shoes get wet, stuff them with terrycloth or paper towels, and let them dry
away from direct heat at room temperature. Don’t polish your shoes while they are still wet.

Salt on shoes – Damaging white salt marks should be rinsed off immediately with a 50/50
mixture of white distilled vinegar and water. Wipe dry, and follow the directions for wet shoes.
Squeaky Shoes: the shoe’s soles may be breaking down due to the rubber or synthetic
material, try replacing the soles preferably with leather. Or the shank, which is made of steel, is
loose or defective. Some companies make their shanks out of leather. This is an easy
replacement for your shoe repairperson. Or the easiest the tongue may be rubbing where the
shoes are laced – just apply saddle soap to reduce the friction.

Scuffmarks on shoes can be treated in an emergency with a small amount of toothpaste on a

damp rag, and then wiped.

To keep shoelaces tied, try a light spritz of water on the laces after you’ve tied them, or pull the
laces out and rub them lightly with a candle or paraffin wax to help them stick better to each
other. Flat or waxed shoe laces stay tied better than round and unwaxed laces.

Moisture protection—Mink oil will waterproof and preserve leather, but it can darken lighter
shades of leathers. A water and stain protective spray for leather, provides water protection,
and doesn’t alter the color. You can use the protective spray inside the shoes also.

If your shoes are in really bad shape look into a complete refurbishing by the original
manufacturer. Most provide this service.

You may have to send in your shoes to the factory, but you’ll get back a pair of shoes that look
almost new.

Now that you have a beautifully pair of shined shoes you’re ready to go out on the town and
really make a great first impression. After that it’s all up to you.