The first interaction the guest has with the hotel or domestic property is the front of house. The way the guest is greeted and the manner they are welcomed into the property or venue, and the experience they have within those first few seconds and minutes, is key to providing a lasting and high-end experience.
People make their first impression within 2 to 3 seconds. From what they see, hear, smell and experience, this instant impression will flavour the experience to come. It is vital that the right and best impression is made straight away.
So what options exist for Butlers or those in the hospitality industry looking to obtain a Front of House certificate?
Research Training Options
Front of house training for Butlers is quite a specific area of training, so a search online or a chat among colleagues should give you a good idea of what is available. The aim of you doing this course would be to improve skills in dealing with high-end clients and guests and to be working in high-end hotels and luxury private homes. Whatever route you are looking at, look to find a specific training provider that provides high-end training courses.
What to Expect from the Training
These type of courses can vary in length, but it is most likely that they will be between 1 to 3 days. Our Polo & Tweed front of house training for Butlers can vary in length, as this will be custom made according to the specific needs of the venue, client or individual.
The training course will consist of a combination of theory and practical application. During the practical parts of the training, the trainer will be closely watching, helping and giving feedback accordingly so that skills can be learnt and fine tuned instantly. The trainer will also give feedback at the end of the course which the student should note down to review later for further improvement and development.
Bespoke Front of House Training
Many House Managers, Hotels or employers sending their staff to us, or us to them, will look to create a bespoke training package. This simply means that one can select specific modules out of the long list available, and with the help of the training team, a fitted course can be created according to needs and requirements.
We cover every skill required in Front of House, including welcoming and greeting guests, personal presentation, etiquette, cultural understanding, communication, IT/admin, teamwork, team management and dealing with problems.
Some clients might need specific front of house training as appropriate to their venue. Perhaps the hotel is opening a high-end property in the Middle East and require their staff to be trained in Middle Eastern customs. The staff can be taught the correct etiquette and form required.
Skills Learnt During Training
Skills learnt during the training course will be in two sections. Firstly, there is the theory, background and history of the relevant subjects. It gives the students an idea of why things are being done in a certain way, with perhaps history and tradition behind it.
Secondly, the course will consist of many hours of concrete practice, applying the theory to potential real life situations in mock settings, watching demonstrations from the trainer, and going over motions, cases and role play. Going over situations and practising these several times will improve the skill set of the students and make them better understand the material.
At the end of any training, the student is assessed with both written and practical exams, after which they will receive a certificate when passing.
How is the Training Course Taught?
The course is interactive and in a small group setting, and besides the Digital Module Handbook, the trainer will use several different things to aid his course. The trainer follows structured teaching notes and uses power point presentations to demonstrate theoretical knowledge. Here there are lots of fun videos and interactive elements to visualise things further for the students.
The trainer will spend time on every module to go through the practical application of the theory, in the form of role play and practising mock situations. Some of the courses include an optional field trip which can be added to the training on request and where required.
To conclude the course there will be a practical and written examination, with feedback from the trainer afterwards.
Digital Handbook
All students are provided with a digital module handbook for personal use and reference during the course. It is sent to them beforehand to give them an opportunity to familiarise themselves with the theory, and can also be used as a form of reference after the course. It is the student’s own handbook to keep. The digital handbook can be used and saved on laptops, tablets or smartphones so is easily accessible.
Front of House Course Trainers
All our trainers are professionals in their field with many years of experience in providing 7* level service, as well as being experienced teachers. They use their experience from previous jobs and their professional qualification in the training to pass on their wealth of knowledge to the students.
Find out more
We’d love to hear from you if you are interested in learning more about our Front of House Training for Butlers. Why not drop us a line and one of our training consultants will get back in touch with you.