Hotels, restaurants, and other businesses hire valets to greet guests and park and retrieve their cars. Valets also help unload guests’ luggage, open car doors, give directions, and provide other guest-related assistance. They prepare payroll tax returns, train new associates, and develop techniques to improve customer service. In an emergency, valets are also responsible for calling the medical transport service.
In addition to parking and retrieving vehicles with care, valets must possess several skills to perform their jobs effectively. Delivering top-notch customer service is crucial as a valet. Regardless of personal frustrations and problems, valets must maintain their composure and put forward a friendly and attentive demeanor when interacting with customers. When there is heavy traffic and the lines are getting longer, valets must be professional and address complaints calmly to avoid any disastrous confrontations.
Valets must be versatile and quick to react to fast-changing situations. During rush hour, they must keep a close eye on the available spaces and adjust according to the flow of vehicles. When working in a hotel, a good valet can anticipate when repeat customers will arrive and leave based on previous visits. They must also be experienced in driving different kinds of vehicles and knowledgeable about the rules of the road, including speed limit, insurance, and impaired driving.
Applicants must be licensed to drive and insured before they can become valets. They should have a minimum of 3 years of driving experience and be without major violations for 10 years. They should also pass a drug or alcohol test. Valet companies often see motor vehicle accidents and significant traffic infractions and tickets as red flags. During the interview process, applicants should look clean and presentable, and demonstrate a personable attitude.
One of the most common certifications that can help when starting a career as a valet is the EPA Amusement Operators Safety Certification. This certification teaches operators and employees about risk management practices to monitor and avoid potential issues in the workplace. In some cases, valets also receive training on how to perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation and first aid.
Valet companies also conduct regular trainings to ensure that the entire valet team works in harmony. Valets-in-training learn about proper dress code, social and cultural etiquette, local names and addresses, and guest arrival and departure procedures specific to the establishment. They are also taught how to handle problematic customers at varying levels of anger and intoxication. Furthermore, valets learn about the company’s policies for handling damage claims and refunds.
According to job research site Zippia, 86 percent of valets prefer to work at private companies. Meanwhile, the top three industries that hire valets are hospitality (39 percent), retail (10 percent), and health care (7 percent). Most valets are men (78.3 percent), and the average age is 41 years old. Out of more than 16,000 valet resumes analyzed by Zippia, only 20 percent of the valets stayed at their jobs for longer than 5 years, while 36 percent left within a year. While the average starting annual salary is $18,000, the highest-paid valets receive at least $28,000. Currently, Dallas, Texas, and Atlanta, Georgia, are the two cities with the most valets in the US.