Hiring a Butler for the First Time? Here’s What to Expect.

Which word comes to your mind when you think of these two scenarios:

• A Victorian setup with a man-servant pouring out a cocktail in silverware
• Famous cartoon character Richie Rich with his favorite Mr. Cadbury

We don’t know about you, but we identify the two as butlers. In fact, Cadbury is even referred to as the ‘perfect butler’ in the Richie-verse.

As for the first scenario, gone were the days when butlers only served drinks at the dinner table. They’re no more reserved for the elite family. Instead, the modern butler handles much more. It’s one of the reasons why people hire a butler for their unique household demands.

And yet, hiring a butler for the first time can be confusing. You might not know how and where to find one. You might find it challenging to deduce the tasks for the butler.

This blog will clear the confusion, leaving you free to enjoy your time while hiring professionals to take care of your comfort.

Duties of a Butler

The modern world prefers referring to a butler as a household manager or even an estate manager. However, since a butler may be asked to wear many hats, the duties also vary.

According to The International Guild of Professional Butler's website 2001, a butler is expected to do the following:

• General cleaning and maintenance of the house
• Taking care of the clothing of the Master of the house
• Managing and maintaining fine china, silver, crystal
• Caring for artwork and antiques
• Maintaining automobiles and valuables
• Ensuring the safety and security of the Master and property
• Scheduling and coordinating with service contractors

When required, a butler can be asked to meet and greet people in the house, at the door or gate. They’ll also take the coats and bags and guide visitors inside the property.

Other duties include chauffeuring, personal assistance, etc.

How to Get a Butler?

Hiring a butler or looking for a maid and butlers may seem effortless initially. However, it demands time.

Since you’re in Ibiza to have fun, it’s best to leave the hiring process to recruitment agencies with a professional network. For example, we have several maid and butler services as partners at HOY HOY IBIZA.

What to Expect When Hiring a Butler?

Expect too much, and you’re in for a disaster. Expect too little, and you might pay someone for idling around your home. The key lies in finding the right balance.

Start with clarifying why you want a butler and what you’re looking for in a butler. The following can help you figure out the why part:

Which tasks in the household need immediate attention?

Do you want the butler to pick up all the tasks?

Can any other staff member take care of some tasks?

What special skills do you think your butler should have?

 A butler is expected to have the following qualities to qualify as a professional:

Qualities of a Good Butler

Butlers are the first point of contact in a household. Therefore, strong interpersonal and communication skills are essential. Some other significant qualities a butler must have include:

• Management
• Discretion
• Being polite
• Patience
• Knowledge about household topics
• Coordination and teamwork
• Ability to remain calm under stress
• Ability to work under tight deadlines

Do Butlers Live with You?

Now that you know how to hire a butler and their qualities, it’s time to face the elephant in the room: what to expect after you hire the butler?

• Will the butler live with you?
• Do you have to treat them as a family?

The answers are yes, and no. It depends on your unique situation and needs.

While life after a butler does change, you need to check whether you want the butler in your house full time. You also need to determine if the butler can access all parts of your home or if some areas will be restricted.

We suggest clearing the working hours, wages and delegated tasks beforehand to avoid confusion.

Hire a Butler Today!

Knowing what to expect can end your concerns if you’re confused about how to hire a live-in butler or where to look for a daytime butler.

The best thing to do is create the perfect butler job description detailing your wants and desires. Once you do that, hiring one would be a walk in the park.