Serving the wealthy and powerful is not for the faint of heart nor enthusiastically uneducated-it requires know-how developed over a millennium by the very people-British butlers-who have looked after the personal lives of the most discerning and demanding of individuals. In the really old days, failure could result in death; today, it merely results in firing. Yet there is no need for either, as there are right ways to conduct oneself and engage with employers, their families, and guests; and right ways to look after their prized possessions and beautiful properties.Whether looking back at the traditional world that helps define the butler; or analyzing the fast-changing world that offers its challenges to butlers in real time; or anticipating the future for our profession-a world populated by technology, including robots-and how best to prepare for it, this first of a two-volume series provides a voice in the ear of the thinking professional and a measure of stability for those entering the profession.The know-how presented has been brought together and updated for the 21st Century butler and household or estate(s) managers, and is furthermore equally applicable: a) to any private individual wishing to introduce or maintain high standards in their person life; andb) to any service industry where superior service is expected and appreciated by clients, consumers, patients, et al, and is, in fact, vital to the success of any company and its bottom line.931 definitions are provided as footnotes and in a glossary to smooth the way for readers. The 125 color photographs and 785 pages of know-how gleaned over more than a quarter of a century of work in service, up close and personal, to the wealthy, as well as over six decades of living and learning, add up to a tome that is a must-have for any professional's library. For it not only provides an overview of this unique style of service and the expectations of others, but also the tools to succeed.In addition, the reader will have access to the author, who is Chairman of the International Institute of Modern Butlers, for advice on any service-related questions or difficulties.Volume I is the updated edition of the best selling book, "Butlers and Household Managers, 21st Century Professionals" and together with Volume II, comprises the first and only comprehensive work on the service skills that have made butlers a household name (pun incidental) and the envy of anyone wishing to provide superior service.
Having worked in private service and the hospitality industry in England, Steven Ferry decided to train as a butler in London at the original school offering such an education, run by the Queen's Toastmaster, Sir Ivor Spencer, and then worked in the USA as a butler. It was during these years that his path crossed with many other butlers and he founded the Guild of Traditional Butlers, the first association of its kind, in 1990, to pool knowledge and experience and offer assistance to each other. He wrote the first industry text, "The British Butler's Bible" in 1992, published in 2001, followed by "Butlers and Household Managers, 21st Century Professionals" in 2002 and revised in 2008. Teaching engagements followed at a butler academy in Europe and in private estates. While teaching subsequently at hotels, spas, resorts and private villas, it became evident that a new text was needed to address the issues and needs of hospitality industry butlers, and so came about "Hotel Butlers, The Great Service Differentiators." In 2004, at the request of peers, Professor Ferry established the International Institute of Modern Butlers to set and maintain standards for the butler profession. But moving beyond the obvious target of the butler profession, he saw the opportunity to use the butler model to raise standards for all service industries and even individuals in their private lives. In addition to training, consulting, the creation of training materials, and the expansion of the Institute into an International organization, Ferry has given speeches at various universities and organizations, had four-dozen articles published, and introduced initiatives, such as the spa butler and an international database to curb criminally inclined hotel guests. This two-volume edition "Serving the Wealthy, The Modern Butler's & Household/Estate(s) Manager's Companion" represents the culmination of a quarter of a century of working in the profession as a practicing butler, teacher, and lecturer. While it may not be a definitive work (that would take an encyclopedia), it does cement the basics of the profession while also providing some extremely useful skills for life in general. Mr. Ferry has worked in several professions prior to butling, including teaching, counseling, intelligence, and writing & photography for book and magazine publishers, corporations, and PR & Marketing agencies. He has hundreds of articles and photographs published, as well as over 20 books.
