Holiday Issue 2021

46 Mar21001 Are you being served? Taking service standards to a totally new level, The British Butler Institute is recognised as the worldwide leader in Butler and Hospitality Training. Based in London, and built on years of experience, the Institute is committed to helping companies achieve ‘Best in the World’ status in their individual sectors. Recently bestowed with a Leader in Luxury Award, we speak to Principal Gary Williams about the Institute. To give it its full title, the British Butler Institute International School for Butler Administrators and Household Managers (Trained British Style), is a private Institute that equips hospitality professionals with the latest skills required to meet and surpass international standards. Established in 1997, and now represented in more than 14 countries, the Institute is a world leader in luxury front-of house-training. Serving some of the world’s wealthiest and most well-known families, the institute can count amongst its clients royal palaces; embassy staff; royal superyachts; private jet companies; luxury retailers such as Louis Vuitton and Chanel; Oxbridge universities and residences for the rich and famous, as well as many others. “The Institute ethos is to deliver services that match and surpass the requirements of its clients and students worldwide,” explains Institute Principal, Gary Williams, who undertook his training at the Ivor Spencer International School for Butler Administrators. “This core value has resulted in a team effort, working closely with our clients to achieve outstanding results within their respective industries and achieving ‘Best in the World’ status which is awarded by industry standard bodies.” After successful completion of his formal training as the top of his class, Gary was appointed to his first butler position at The Ritz London as the Head Butler, where he was responsible for overseeing all the luxury suites, including The Royal Suite, and attending to the requests and requirements of the many VIP guests including Royalty, Prime Ministers, Heads of State, movie icons, musicians and many more. After being head-hunted for further prestigious positions, including being Major Domo for one of England’s most prominent families, and setting up his own concierge company, Gary was entrusted by The British Butler Institute to head up the training team as Principal. He was given the responsibility of developing the brand with a vision to be the finest front-of-house training school in its field and expanding The British Butler Institute brand worldwide. “It is all about "changing people’s lives" and, in the process, having fun doing it!” he enthuses. “Here at the Institute, we are a fantastic team and success is all about supporting each other through teamwork.” It is clear that having a strong team is key as Gary elaborates on the internal culture and sings the praises of his dedicated team. It is this devotion to the cause that has seen the Institute successfully weather the Coronavirus storm. As a hospitality company, The British Butler Institute was certainly not immune to the Covid-19 pandemic which brought the industry to its knees during much of 2020 and 2021. However, while experiencing a significant downturn in revenue during this period, Gary and the team used this time proactively to strengthen its ties with clients by sending free monthly ‘motivationals’ with advice, as well as developing the online side of the business further as well. “One of the unexpected benefits is that we learnt how to effectively deliver courses via the online platform, Zoom,” explains Gary. “We also produced books and training manuals. It’s really important to point out that the resilience of the staff who were dedicated to making it all work was paramount.” Regarding the future, the team is preparing itself for the hospitality industry to bounce back in mid-late 2021 and is very much ‘up for the challenge’. The Institute is currently opening offices in the US and Brazil and, as part of its overall vision, will also be opening its first retail showroom under the newly developed brand, Hospitality & Homes, which provides exquisite detailing products for the hospitality and home industry, sourced from sustainable means and direct relationships with fine artisans. With the development of its extensive services, The British Butler Institute continues striving to take service standards built on years of experience to a whole new level. Contact: Gary Williams Email: [email protected] Web Address: www.britishbutlerinstitute.com