Prepare to deliver valet services

Obtain guest information in advance of guest arrival

Why is it important to obtain this information?

It is important to obtain VIP guest information so you can:

• Learn about the guest – knowledge is power when used to satisfy the guest. The more knowledge you have about the guest to be served, the better you can meet their needs

• Identify their individual needs, wants and preferences – so service delivery can be tailored to meet their personal needs

• Meet expectations – where valet service is provided, VIP guests have high expectations about the standard of service received, and how they will be welcomed and treated. Meeting or exceeding guest expectations is important in relation to:

 Attracting repeat business

 Obtaining positive word-of-mouth advertising and endorsements.

Where and how can guest information be obtained?

The need to be proactive

Valets need to be proactive in sourcing information about guests they are required to service.

They cannot afford to wait for information to be given to them – they must take action to obtain it.

This may mean valets may:

• Ask management to contact the guest and request information from them

• Contact guest support staff (such as personal assistants) to obtain information.

Possible sources of guest information

Valets may also use the following to source guest information:

Internal guest history

Where the guest is a repeat visitor to the venue there is a strong possibility the venue will have details about their previous stay that can be used to provide information about their next visit.

The internal guest history may be a paper-based report or an electronic file on the venue CRS containing:

• Information from venue staff who served the VIP on their previous stay/s about:

 Likes and dislikes of the guest

 Things to do and not do for the guest

 Preferences in terms of things such as:

– Brand names

– Wake-up calls

– Food and beverages

– Timing of service delivery

– Privacy

– Personal treatment

– Forms of address

• Requirements relating to the room – such as preferences regarding:

 Room type or number

 Room set-up on arrival

 Facilities required

 Extra items required

• Problems encountered by the guest or their party – so special effort can be made to avoid a repeat of these issues.

Guest-related communications – verbal and hard copy

The guest may send communication to the venue regarding the upcoming stay of the VIP guest who will receive valet service.

This communication is traditionally electronic or paper-based but can be verbal (face-to-face, telephone or Skype).

Where verbal advice is provided to the venue about a VIP guest requirements you should:

• Obtain a contact telephone number or email address – to enable follow-up, clarification or confirmation

• Take notes during the discussion – to record what is required, timing requirements, brands preferred by the guest

• Send a transcript of your notes to the agent – asking them to confirm what you have written, adding anything that is missing or incorrect

• Politely inquire if they can send a hard copy of the requests made – this is often not possible as they have more important things to do. Agents will believe once they have the venue what is required, that is all they have to do. They will expect their requests to be met without further communication.

Some VIPs will have forwarded a list of personal preferences. This list should be seen as extremely beneficial as it provides valuable insight into what has to be done to make the guest‟s stay a pleasant and positive one.

A valet can never have too much information about a guest, so be grateful for the information such a list provides.

Discussion with other staff, departments or external providers

Where advance notice a VIP is attending management often arrange a staff meeting between staff, people and support businesses who have dealt with the VIP (or similar VIPs) and those who are going to deal with the VIP.

This meeting is very useful as it enables:

• Sharing of the experience in dealing with a VIP – it is true most VIPs are not the same as other guests in a venue. It is important the „little things‟ about the guest are shared so valets gain a full appreciation of what to expect and what the guest is all about

• Sharing of needs, wants and preferences of the VIP –so their requirements can be met

• Sharing of known idiosyncrasies of the VIP – so valets are not surprised or distressed at unusual behavior, language or attitudes

• Planning for the stay – such as allocation of duties, integration of services, scheduling of activities and preparation of required products or services.

Ensuring personal hygiene

Grooming activities ensure your personal presentation and hygiene.

Standard grooming activities to be considered or applied may include:

• Regular washing – a minimum is once per day but many valets will bathe twice daily

• Use of a suitable deodorant – to help prevent perspiration

• Use of lightly-scented aftershave or perfume – strong perfume which is predominant or over-powering must be avoided

• Make-up must be kept neutral for women – no excessive eye shadow, no dramatic colours for lips or eyes

• Good personal hygiene habits and practices – cuts and sores must be kept covered with a clean dressing, use of handkerchief, no coughing or sneezing near guest or food

• Men must be clean shaven – or have whiskers neatly trimmed. Many valets need to shave twice per day to maintain a suitable appearance

• Hair neat and tidy – brushed, combed and tied back. Regular hair cuts should be had to help maintain style and a suitable appearance

• Hands and nails must be clean and well cared for at all times – women should wear only neutral polish avoiding colours and nail decorations. Men and women must have properly manicured nails

• Regular attention to teeth – meaning regular brushing of teeth and dental checks to help avoid bad breath.

• Many valets are non-smokers as they believe „smokers‟ breath‟ can never be effectively addressed by brushing or taking mints

• Sufficient rest – it is imperative for a valet to be alert and awake

• Exercise – this helps avoid stress, increases the chance of proper rest and contributes to a feeling of general well-being which is reflects in all the actions undertaken.

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. Take whatever action is necessary to remedy any identified faults or short-comings

• 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

• Guests expect valets to have a certain „bearing‟ and this can never be achieved if they walk with their head down and shoulders hunched. The posture must convey a feeling of style and class and an appropriate demeanor

• Only wear basic jewelry – nothing ostentatious should be worn. The valet should never „outshine‟ the guest.

A wedding band and a standard watch are allowable. Anything else may be regarded as superfluous and unnecessary.

Communication standards

The following are important standards relating to communication between valets and guests:

• Listen – always be alert to:

 What the guest is saying

 What others around the guest are saying

 Questions asked by the guest

 Any sound giving rise for concern or action –the room door or telephone ringing or crashing noise

• Observe – constantly monitor:

 What the guest is doing – or appears about to do

 The activities of others in the company of the guest

 The performance of equipment – such as lights and appliances

• Know when to speak and when not to speak – being a valet is not the same as being a bar attendant, waiter or other front line staff member and a different protocol applies.

The valet seeks to be a background presence rather than an obvious presence – they must not intrude yet be available when required.

A valet is not required to supply casual banter, witty remarks or offhand comments on events they may see, or on comments they may hear. The principle of „seeing everything and saying nothing‟ definitely applies

• Valets must never communicate hotel secrets to their guests, nor communicate guest secrets to others. All information received from the guest must be treated as confidential and not discussed with others.

Similarly all observations in relation to the guests must be kept confidential. This includes how they behave, how they treat others, their level of intoxication or how neat or untidy they are in their room.

Guests who use valets often bring public relations people and other staff (security, personal assistants, and cooks) with them for the duration of their stay meaning valets:

 Sometimes need to speak to the guest's personal staff to access information about the guest, determine their preferences or identify their requirements

 Must keep information provide by these people confidential –this information must be treated as coming directly from the guest

 Must keep confidential any conversations or observations regarding the support staff – in the same way conversations and observations of the guest will be kept confidential.

This also means the valet's duties are likely to intersect with those of these staff so there is a need to interact cooperatively with those individuals. This can be difficult at times when the needs of the guest and their staff run contrary to standard house protocols but every effort must be made to accommodate these requirements

• A second language is always seen as a bonus for anyone seeking to be a valet being bi-lingual or multi-lingual is definitely an advantage and having high-level English language skills are also regarded as necessary in most venues and most countries

Why is good communication important?

Good communication between valets and guests is important to:

• Meet guest expectations – regarding service delivery

• Identify guest needs, wants and preferences – so they can best be addressed

• Assist the guest – in whatever ways they may want

• Create the desired atmosphere – of service, dignity and exclusivity

• Facilitate all relationships between the guest and the venue – and enhance rapport, trust and goodwill

Clarifying guest requirements

It is important for valets to make sure they do exactly what the guest wants, needs or prefers.

To optimize the likelihood of this occurring you must ensure you understand what it is the guest wants.

Sometimes the guest will tell you what to do quite clearly and there is no doubt about what is needed.

At other times the guest will ask for something without providing all the necessary detail to allow you to fully determine what is required. In these situations:

• Thank the guest for their instructions and ask them follow-up questions to obtain the detail needed

• Use common sense to meet requirements – to the best of your knowledge and ability in keeping with:

 Standard house protocols

 Previous service delivery provided to this guest or other guests who have used valet services

• Ask staff of the guest for their interpretation of what is required.