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Hello and Welcome
Well the fall is certainly off to a promising
start! I just returned from a
wonderful trip to India and France where I was working with Taj Hotels and
Hotel Fouquets Barriere both members of the Leading Hotels™ family.
During the trip, I sensed the beginnings of a recovery from the recession, which is very encouraging. Yes we still have a way to go, but it
is certainly a hopeful start!
I was also encouraged by the enthusiasm of the hotel staff I encountered who were so sincere in their desire to increase their knowledge in order to deliver better service to their hotel
guests. Such enthusiasm is a win-win-win
for the employee, the hotel and the guests!
I love the fall season and today while
driving to a client's home I noticed the leaves are starting to change colour. I
can't wait to sit in front of a roaring fire with a pot of tea and a good book!
Charles MacPherson
Chairman
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Taj Hotels Training
This summer we had the privilege of being engaged by Taj
Hotels in New Delhi and Mumbai to work with their Butler Operations Management
Team in both cities. Our assignment included a review of current
standards for delivery of Butler Service at the luxury five star hotels, a
review of internal training procedures and provision of a handbook of our
Butler 101 program.
I have never been to India and was very excited by the
opportunity to go. My hosts couldn't have been more gracious and welcoming. I
was impressed by the thorough and comprehensive attention to detail of the
luxury five star hotel and I fully understand how Taj Hotels has earned its
reputation as one of the world's leading luxury brands.
To view the case history, click on the link.
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Motivating Your Housekeeping Staff
Managing and motivating your hotel housekeeping staff in
this economy is critically important. A smoothly run housekeeping department
can do wonders for guest satisfaction and those so important travel reviews and
return visits.
Communication is always the most important part of
motivation. People want to know
what is happening, the occupancy rate, how their job impacts the bigger picture
and that they are important.
Regular meetings with the housekeeping team that communicate and seek
ideas and input are crucial. Hotel management also has to act on good ideas and
suggestions and to be seen to act on them. Also consider using email updates,
Facebook and Twitter to get important messages out.
All people like praise and housekeepers are no
different. Make a point to
publicly praise and possibly reward a member of the housekeeping idea who
brings forward great ideas or suggestions for improvement.
Do a regular check-in with your Executive Housekeeper or
Housekeeping Supervisor to ensure their skill set includes the tools to
motivate a crucial part of the hotel operation.
For more information on our hospitality industry training
programs please click on the link.
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Hôtel
Fouquet's Barrière
In
August the venerable Hôtel Fouquet's Barrière in Paris honored us by inviting
us to follow up on a previous engagement whereby we implemented a training
program for their butler department. This time we had the opportunity to meet
with the hotel's management team to evaluate the status of the department, its
progress since our previous engagement and its challenges going forward.
It
was gratifying to see so many familiar faces on this second visit. I took it as
a positive indicator that Hôtel Fouquet's Barrière is doing all the right
things with its butler department since it is able to retain so many of its
staff. It demonstrates that if a hotel is prepared to invest in its staff
through training that is of high quality and is ongoing, that its employees
will in turn reinvest in the hotel by doing good work and staying on.
To
view the case history, click on the link.
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DEMA
The Domestic Estate Managers
Association (DEMA) has been conducting a successful series of well-attended networking
events for House Managers all along the east coast of the United States. The
series is scheduled to culminate in a final event in Detroit, Michigan on Wednesday,
October 21, 2009.
Charles MacPherson will be
speaking about best household practices for domestic staff and service
providers.
If you are unable to attend, the
event will also be broadcast as a live Webinar from 6:30 to 7:30 PM EST. DEMA web link
Be there in
person - $30 
View the live
Webinar - $25
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Math, Science, Literature and... Table Manners?
The London Evening Standard is reporting that Cambridge
University is now offering a 4-day course for £850 to teach its students
table manners. The head butler at the Lanesborough Hotel in Knightsbridge, Mr.
Sean Davoren, teaches the course.
According to Mr. Davoren: "The problem these days is that both
parents are busy working, and they don't have the time to be a home-maker."
To read the full article, click on the link.
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To Wax or Not to Wax
By Greg Kelley
For everyday cleaning, dust with a very slightly damp cloth
or brush. For fine antiques with a
history of being waxed, wax them every year or two, or when necessary, with a
good quality paste wax - but beware of silicone lurking in your cleaning
products. Apply the wax with a
soft cotton cloth and wipe off the excess. Let the wax harden for one hour and
then buff. For pieces that have
never been waxed, just leave them as they are - this is especially important
for lacquer pieces and furniture with bare wood. If you have any concerns about how to care for fine objects
contact a conservator.
Helpful cleaning hint of the day: if you have candle wax on your table, use wax to remove it
(like dissolves like).
For information on our hotel housekeeping training, click on the link.
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Defining the New Luxury
For those of you interested in
marketing issues for hotels, there is a wonderful video blog called VTV that is
produced by VFM Leonardo, a hotel marketing firm that specializes in online
merchandising.
Recently they posted an
interesting interview with Professor Bonnie Knutson who teaches at Michigan
State University's School of Hospitality Business. In the interview, Professor
Knutson discusses the "new luxury" and how it is predicated on experiences and
feelings as opposed to consumable objects. To view the interview, click on the link.
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The Butler Speaks
With all my travels this summer it was a challenge to keep
our blog "The Butler Speaks" updated on a regular basis. There is a new video that we recently
posted to the page that features some fantastic attention to detail from Taj
Hotels in New Delhi.
One evening I walked into my room and saw a gorgeous leather
box and thought I was being sent a present. Needless to say, I was excited. When
I opened it I saw beautifully folded and meticulously presented shirts that I
had sent out to be laundered.
You really need to visit the blog to see what I'm
talking about. It really was an impressive example of the kind of attention to
detail that can differentiate one hotel from another.
www.thebutlerspeaks.com
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Positive Signs For Hotels?
Hotel News Now is reporting that
the Hotel Industry's Pulse (HIP) Index has improved for the 2nd
straight month in a row. After 17 consecutive months of decline, this is the
first bright news for the hotel industry in a very long time. HIP is a
composite indicator that measures business activity in the U.S. hotel industry.
For a bit of welcome good news, click on the link.
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Etiquette & Protocol Seminars
Charles MacPherson Associates in pleased to add Etiquette and Protocol training to its service offerings.
It is our goal to foster civility, manners and excellence in the business and social arenas.
Our seminars cover the following important topics:
- History of Etiquette and Protocol
- Correct form of introduction
- Order of Precedence
- Forms of Address
- International protocol
- Social Forms of Correspondence
- Invitations
- Correct table settings
- Toasts
- Table Manners
- Menu Cards
Our seminars can be delivered at private clubs, businesses, colleges and schools. We teach corporate executives through to young children. Please contact us to discuss your requirements.
Request Information
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Fall Season in Placement
The Fall tends to be one of our busier seasons in terms of
placing staff. Already we have
engaged a number of new clients across North America. There seems to be an
increased interest in the hiring of 'domestic couples' to manage a client's
home(s).
We continually look for signs that the US economy is
recovering but in many cases the job market is the last part of an economy to
recover after a recession.
The recession has seen many talented people lose their jobs.
But that is a plus for clients seeking to hire as there is a good supply of
candidates on the market. A
recession also increases the demand for training as recently laid off people
seek to upgrade their skills by enrolling in college or other formal training
programs.
Please contact us to discuss your household or hospitality staffing
needs.
Request Information
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Butler School Joins Twitter!
Well after getting numerous requests from clients, students and
graduates we decided to open a Twitter account. Now you can follow
what is happening right on line with the going ons of a professional
butler school. We hope to see you and look forward to following your
tweets too! You can find us easily with this Twitter Blog Link or follow us @butlerschool if you already have an account |
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Charles MacPherson Associates
Charles MacPherson Associates Inc. has over thirteen years
experience in the luxury residential market and the luxury hospitality
market. We have three complementary lines of business:
* Consulting
* Training
* Placement
Today we would like to highlight our Placement practice that offers premium search and recruiting services within the luxury residential and hospitality markets. We specialize in the placement of key personnel positions like Estate & House Managers, Butlers, Private Chefs, Executive Housekeepers, Chauffeurs and more. Request Information |
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Contact Information
Toronto:507 King Street East Suite 100 Toronto, Ontario, M5A 1M3 CANADA (416) 369-1146 office (416) 369-1743 facsimile New York:134 West 82 Street Suite 3B New York, New York 10024 United States (212) 877-6962 office (917) 441-0064 facsimile |
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Hotel Housekeeping Training
We are now offering Hotel
Housekeeping 101 and Advanced Housekeeping to hotels, resorts and
private clubs.
The training sessions teach the essential skills required to provide stellar
service to guests and/or members of luxury hotels, resorts and clubs.
The program can be delivered in a 'Train the Trainer' format
or delivered directly to front-line housekeeping staff.
Both Hotel
Housekeeping 101 and Advanced Housekeeping have been designed for
delivery on-site at the client's location. In addition, both
courses can be customized to meet the specific training needs of your
specific location.
For more information and to download the brochure, click on the link.
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We are pleased to announce the introduction of the Hotel Butler 101
training program. This course teaches all of the basic skills required
for a hotel or resort to have an expertly-run Butler department. The
emphasis is on a good, basic skill set.
Whether you currently
have a Butler department or want to install one, this course will
establish the fundamental skills needed for your team to be
successful. But more importantly our program includes a "train the
trainer" segment so that you can continue the process of improving the
skills of your team on an on-going, very cost effective method.
Our Hotel Butler 101 program is delivered on site at
your hotel or resort. The course can be delivered in five full days or
more effectively over two weeks with ten half days, allowing staff to
continue with their duties.
For more information, click on the link.
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