- PUNCTUALITY + PERFECTION be punctual and strive for perfection at all times
- Service = technical skills
- Butler service = technical skills + attitude (passion, commitment, energy)
- Butlers 'hear' things, but they don't 'hear' things. They 'see' things but they don't 'see' things - unless they are intended to.
- Never cross the (red) line between you and your employer or you and the staff.
- A butler never offers his/her hand first to someone in a superior position. You do accept (respond) if a hand is extended to you. Always offer a hand to those on your staff.
- When you are thanked for a fabulous event, say: I’m part of a team, sir.
- Avoid smoking, garlic, coffee, onions, alcohol, etc... to prevent mouth odors. Freshen as needed.
- Excuse yourself for a shower whenever needed to prevent offending others with body odor.
- Always correct/ inform staff as well as your employer of bad breath, body odor, un-zipped flys, etc...but please, do so in a discrete manner.
- Never 'waste' your employer's money, time, or other resources.
- When listening to other people (staff) you have to care. Be empathetic.
- Take care of your staff, but do tell them off when they’re doing something wrong. Never in front of others, unless it is very serious.
- Take care of yourself - physically, mentally, spiritually, & financially & your appearance.
THINGS A BUTLER SHOULD ALWAYS CARRY
Note Pad -leather bound gold comers, loose leaf.
4-5 pens (in working order!).
Cigar cutter.
Wine and bottle opener.
GENERAL DO'S AND DON'TS
• Do always have the right attitude, be ready and willing to serve your employer at all times.
• Try to anticipate his or her needs, make good use of the following phrases 'Certainly Sir', 'no problem Sir' and 'it's a pleasure Sir. Always accompany them with a smile.
• Be diplomatic, if your employer asks your opinion be honest but do not give your opinion unless asked. Keep generally well informed on world news, current events etc.
• Do always have answers ready, never bluff or lie. If your employer asks the cost of a Dinner Party - know it.
• Be discreet at all times, never divulge anything about your employer's home or business life to anyone.
• With the possible exception of a secretary you will be the only member of staff permitted to touch your employers desk. Clear away papers, files, documents etc., lock them in a drawer or filing cabinet but make sure your employer knows where everything is.
• Be well organized, maintain a diary, have everything you need at hand. Always work with check lists, don’t rely on memory. Pay great attention to detail.
• Update your Order, Account Payable and Pantry books daily. Keep a record of your 'Petty Cash' expenditures, save all receipts, your accounts must balance to the penny.
• When buying food etc. for the house always purchase more than you need to cover all eventualities. Remember everything is on the menu 24 hours a day.
• Do make yourself known around town to people who matter, don't just be a voice on the phone.
• Never take a bribe from a supplier, any discounts belong to your employer.
Thank you.
Put Yourself First
Putting yourself first may sound selfish on the surface. In reality, it is not selfish at all. In addition, it does not mean that you hurt others in order to achieve your goals. Rather, it means that you do not allow others to selfishly interfere with your goals and with your priorities. If you hope to live your best life, you need to make your dreams and goals a priority.
Don't Give Up
Along the path toward achieving the life you have always wanted, you will inevitably run into some roadblocks. This doesn't mean you turn around and go back home. Rather, look for a way to work around that roadblock or to use it to your advantage. Never focus on the obstacles in your way - allowing all of your attention to be drawn to a problem is really just your self-critical voice speaking to you out of fear. Continue focusing on your desired outcomes and working toward your goals.
Working from Your Strengths
No one can do everything. We all have our strengths and weaknesses. Don't waste your time and energy beating yourself down, worrying about the things you don't do well. Instead, recognize your strengths, take full advantage of them, and ask others who have counterbalanced strengths to do the things that you don't do well."
by Sandra Sinclair
"The Happy Path Mini-Course -- 5 clear steps you can take to create your ideal life."
Martini drinkers are a breed unto themselves. These days just about anything can pass for a martini. Take, for example, the Cosmopolitan: Vodka, cranberry juice, lime juice, Cointreau. Even though this drink is typically served in a martini glass, we all know it is far from it. Martinis are made with gin and are NEVER shaken. Below is just one of the many acceptable methods of making a drink that can bear the name "MARTINI".
Method 1: Stirred
What you will need:
Dry Gin
Noilly Prat Vermouth
Large hand blown glass pitcher
Hand-blown martini glasses
Lots of clear, hard ice
Lemon
1. Fill the glasses with very cold, ice water.
2. WAIT 5 minutes (have some light conversation with your guests).
3. Fill the pitcher with the clear, hard ice.
4. Pour the gin into the pitcher. It must be CAREFULLY poured along the
sides of the pitcher so it is not "bruised" by crashing into the ice
cubes.
5. Pour the vermouth on top of the ice. Be sure to maintain the required 36.5 parts gin to 1 part vermouth ratio.
6. Let the drink cool down by SLOWLY stirring. Each full turn of the pitcher's contents should take 2.5 seconds.
7. Watch the ice in the pitcher carefully. When it looks like it's
starting to melt, stop stirring & completely empty the glasses.
8. Take a large strainer & pour the drink SLOWLY into the glasses.
9. Add a lemon twist & SERVE!
Here is a recent letter that I mailed to AmTrak, the National Railroad Passenger Corporation Board of Directors and Mr. Alexander Kummant/AmTrak CEO:
November 30, 2006
AmTrak Guest Rewards
P.O. Box 1762
Minneapolis, MN, 55440-1762
Re: AmTrak Guest Rewards Program & AmTrak “Customer Service?”
To whom it may concern:
I am very surprised with AmTrak’s current declining and otherwise poor attitude and treatment towards it’s frequent travelers and rail travel lovers. This is probably one of the many reasons AmTrak will never even be compared to the great rail service providers in Europe.
For instance, while most airlines’ mileage points earned almost never expire - AmTrak’s expire frequently and are loaded with hidden travel rules and ‘black-out’ dates that fall during peak travel periods. I personally had over 824 points that have since ‘vanished’ due to my inability to travel while battling cancer. I love to travel by rail, and if the option exists, will always choose AmTrak over the major airlines. Alas, I am re-thinking my loyalty to your company since AmTrak apparently does not seem to care about this value.
Another example of this is when your railroad decided to not allow ANY pets to travel via AmTrak anymore. Imagine my surprise, and eventual dismay, when I recently called 1-800-USA-RAIL to secure travel from Dallas, Texas to Los Angeles, California for my two cats and I when your “customer service?” agent hostilely told me “pets have never been able to travel via AmTrak” and that I need to “hang up and consult your local yellow pages to find another way to travel with your pets” - upon which she hung up on me. Without even allowing me the chance to ask any other questions. So, I had to call back to speak to another equally rude “customer service?” agent to get a phone number for AmTrak shipping to see if they could be of any assistance. Well, “assistance” must be a foreign word to AmTrak agents because once I finally secured the number from the second RUDE agent and I dialed your shipping department to my surprise...I got another agent who apparently did not want to be at work or answering the phone for AmTrak. I was told by this non-customer service agent to contact the airlines or to drive them to California myself!!
Moving to California, I was dreaming, would be great for me because rail travel on AmTrak is easier on the West Coast and possibly more frequent. Like I said, I was dreaming. I will never subject myself to any of AmTrak’s “NAZI” customer service agents ever again!
I know AmTrak recently actually posted an earnings for the first time in many centuries since the inception of a national rail line. I guess AmTrak officials feel these earnings were created out of thin air and not as the result of their travelers and loyal clientele whom paid for their rail fare with their sweat and back-breaking labor that keeps America running.
Continue down the road, AmTrak, as most large corporations seem to be headed today, in regards to pitiful or non-existent customer service, and you may realize too late that NO customers or NO travelers = NO profit and NO jobs!
Regards,
Johnny D. George, Jr.
(#7000186754)
CC: National Railroad Passenger Corporation Board of Directors and Mr. Alexander Kummant
P.S. This letter will be posted to my international web blog. We, as consumers, tend to forget at times we have a voice, and a right, to fair and civil treatment from ANY company we choose to spend our hard-earned money at. Chugga-chugga, choo-choo!
The infinite possibilites each day holds should stagger the mind. The sheer number of experiences I could have is uncountable, breathtaking. So here I sit refreshing my stupid inbox. We live trapped in loops, reliving a few days over & over, & we envision only a handful of paths laid out ahead of us. We see the same things each day, we respond the same way, we think the same thoughts, each day a slight variation of the last. Every moment smoothly following the gentle curves of societal norms. We act like if we just get through today, tomorrow our dreams will come back to us.
Do you keep a journal or diary? How often do you write in it?
Submitted by Kim.
I normally write in it when I feel like - which is not every day or night - journaling to me is not set with strict rules that I must adhere to. Writing like any art form comes from deep within and cannot be forced on a whim. IMHO.
Since this is my first attempt at "blogging" I really seem to be stumped as to what to blog about for my first entry. Any suggestions from other bloggers would be appreciated.
I guess I could start with my "philosophy" (kudos to Dr. Cooper, my Mother, & Bobbi Brown) that permeates my daily life: achieving & maintaining balance, cultivating a positive outlook, growing spiritually, & loving yourself the way you are, are all key. Following are my ten rules that I try to live by on a daily basis:
- Tell the truth.
- Be nice.
- Look people in the eye.
- Always be on time.
- Read.
- Exercise.
- Drink lots of water.
- Eat healthy.
- Always return phone calls/emails from friends & family.
- Never give up.
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