Visualise a butler and you may well find yourself thinking of a figure such as PG Wodehouse’s Jeeves, Carson in TV series Downton Abbey or Stevens, central character of Kazuo Ishiguro’s novel, The Remains of the Day.
‘A butler of any quality must be seen to inhabit his role, utterly and fully,’ wrote the Japanese novelist, ‘he cannot be seen casting it aside one moment simply to don it again the next as though it were nothing more than a pantomime costume.’
His book and those of Wodehouse were set in an era when servants were still key to British country houses, the early decades of the 20th century.
Time has moved on in the UK, but butler services worldwide are more in demand today than they have been for generations.
Much of the driving force behind this phenomenon is coming from Asia.
In a recent article in The Wall Street Journal, former butler Tony Sharp shared his opinion on why this is. ‘You can have tens of millions of dollars in London and still wash your own car,’ he said, ‘but Asians have ah yis in their house or a driver once they reach a certain class. It shows status to have people attending to your household needs.’
In response to this demand, training academies such as the Australian Butler School have seen a surge in interest in their courses. The school, located an hour outside Canberra, has seen a rise in interest in its $5,000, four-week residential course. Basic requirements to secure a place include a background in hospitality and customer service as well as fluency in English.
‘The concept of having a butler is of increasing interest in places like China,’ adds Pamela Spruce, the school’s director.
While the market for butlers may be considerably more international than it was in the days of Jeeves and Carson, many of the skills that were key in their day still endure.
Jane Urquhart runs the London-based Jane Urquhart Limited, a firm that recruits and trains staff for private households and hotels across the globe.
‘The most important thing is that a butler understands the correct way in which to do everything,’ she says.
‘That could be knowing how to serve afternoon tea, or how to walk around a table, or fold a napkin or pack a suitcase. Once a butler has that knowledge, they can adapt it to what their employer requires or the situation in which they find themselves.’
Urquhart adds that the correct ways of butlering stem ultimately from standards set by the British Royal Household – which to this day remains the benchmark for outstanding personal service.
Urquhart is another who has seen a leap in interest in her butlering courses, both from those looking to recruit and individuals interested in the possibilities of the career.
‘It is definitely a growth area – and that is partly because a butler is absolutely indispensible in a household.
‘Traditionally, the butler’s role was to look after the gentleman of the house. They would help to dress him, they would lay out his clothes, make sure his shirts were pressed, serve food and generally take away any household stresses.’
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Urquhart is also well-placed to offer suggestions as to what makes a good butler. ‘They need to have a personality that is not ego-driven,’ she says.
‘The best butlers are almost invisible – discreet and professional. They do what their employers want without intrusion. They’re not friends, though, they are someone who looks after you.’
A smart turnout is also crucial, she adds.
‘A good butler’s appearance should be as impeccable as the quality of service they offer. They should be aware of the smallest details as well as the bigger picture and they should be able to think ahead and anticipate their employers’ wishes.’
The trend of more butlers being employed in the Asian region is one Urquhart has also seen, though she is yet to witness a surge in demand for languages such as Mandarin.
‘It can be useful if people speak a particular language and it is certainly important they can communicate clearly,’ she says. ‘But sometimes employers would rather a butler actually doesn’t understand what they’re saying. If you’re engaged in a conversation about a sensitive business issue, for example, you might not want to be overheard – even by your butler.’
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| Mandarin Oriental, Bangkok |
As well as working with private households, Urquhart trains butlers for hotels and a recent client is the Mandarin Oriental in Bangkok.
‘The particular skill of the hotel butler is to understand the expectations of different guests, whether they’re older, younger or from different cultures or nationalities,’ she says.
This means knowing such things as when and how to pack or unpack a suitcase, handling dinner reservations, being able to get a troublesome laptop Wi-Fi connection working.
A good hotel butler must also be adaptable, adds Urquhart. ‘A businessman might be in a hurry and might want to have everything about their stay organized to the last detail. Or they might need to entertain clients and want them to be impressed by their suite and the service within it.
‘An older person might want a slower, more attentive kind of service. And people from different cultures have different expectations. For example, when leaving a room do you turn your back or do you not? That is the kind of knowledge a hotel butler must have.’
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| The Lanesborough Hotel, London |
Agreement comes from Daniel Jordaan, head butler at London’s five-star Lanesborough Hotel, where he heads up a team of 23 men and women.
‘We have to be ready to deal with anything,’ he says. ‘So, above all, we need to be problem-solvers.’
On a typical day Jordaan and his colleagues could find himself performing all sorts of roles, from setting up a video-conference, to getting an iPad started, to buying scented candles to make a room more homely.
He adds: ‘I had a case where a lady from the Middle East, who had come to London to give birth, was staying in the hotel. She had to go into hospital about a week before the birth and she wanted to make her room there more comfortable. So her husband asked me to go to Harrods to buy furniture, curtains and carpets.’
In between such memorable incidents there are more prosaic elements to the job, Jordaan says.
‘We like to get into guests’ rooms at least twice a day. While we’re there we’ll fold clothes, polish shoes and make a note of any favourite foods so we can either resupply them or make sure that’s something that is in their room when they next visit.’
Whether working in a private household or a top-notch hotel, this crucial role remains, it seems, one that was summed up by the novelist Ishiguro via his character Stevens – the definitive gentleman’s gentleman.
‘A butler's duty is to provide good service… those of us who wish to make our mark must realise that we best do so by devoting our attention to providing the best possible service to those great gentlemen in whose hands the destiny of civilisation truly lies.’
Where to experience butler service
Sheraton, Taipei
The hotel’s 20 butlers look after guests in 150 executive guest rooms and suites – their training was carried out by the Guild of Professional English Butlers.
www.sheraton-taipei.com
Mandarin Oriental, Bangkok
Butlers are available on every floor of the hotel and can provide help with packing and reservations. Deluxe rooms feature a personal butler service.
www.mandarinoriental.com/bangkok
The Ritz-Carlton, Kuala Lumpur
Butlers are trained to pack and unpack luggage, as well as to press clothing. They can provide tips on where to visit and eat in the Malaysian metropolis.
www.ritzcarlton.com
The St Regis, Mauritius
Butler service includes greeting upon arrival, daily weather forecast updates as well as packing and unpacking services. The resort’s butlers are required to have, ‘an innate sense of hospitality’.
www.stregismauritius.com
Jumeirah Emirates Towers, Dubai
A 24-hour butler service serves the Presidential & Royal suites, as well as VIP guests staying in the Apex and Summit suites. Butlers also provide concierge services.
www.jumeirah.com
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