SPOTLIGHT interview with Ms. Perrone: Housekeeping & Household Management Expert
This week's interview is with Ms. Marta Perrone, a housekeeping and household management expert with experience working for celebrities, high-net-worth families and billionaires.
How did you get started in the private service industry?
When I first started a family, decades ago, it was obvious to me that finding qualified assistance was not easy. Coupled with the fact that I wanted to have a job where it would be possible to work from home, I thought about being a recruiter and starting my own agency.
My husband thought that this would be an excellent choice since every aspect of “homemaking” was my passion. Most of the labor force in private service on the West Coast is Spanish speaking. Because I'm originally from Spain and speak the language fluently, it made becoming a staffing agent very easy for me. My domestic staffing career took form and lasted 20 years.
My husband thought that this would be an excellent choice since every aspect of “homemaking” was my passion. Most of the labor force in private service on the West Coast is Spanish speaking. Because I'm originally from Spain and speak the language fluently, it made becoming a staffing agent very easy for me. My domestic staffing career took form and lasted 20 years.
How did your estate management manuals come to be?
While recruiting, I began training the candidates and writing housekeeping training books/videos and creating online courses. This process was more fun for me than the placement phase. In fact, I realized that the households would operate more efficiently if the staff were well-informed of every aspect of the home and all expectations.
One day, I just decided to close the agency and reach out to my clients about creating personalized Estate Management and Maintenance Manuals. Many Estate Managers don’t have the time to do this when they first get hired. Also, ensuring their staff were trained properly is time consuming.
Clients were thrilled to have me come in to do it all. While it was very rewarding helping people find employment and making that match; ten years later, creating estate management systems and training staff has been equally rewarding in different ways.
One day, I just decided to close the agency and reach out to my clients about creating personalized Estate Management and Maintenance Manuals. Many Estate Managers don’t have the time to do this when they first get hired. Also, ensuring their staff were trained properly is time consuming.
Clients were thrilled to have me come in to do it all. While it was very rewarding helping people find employment and making that match; ten years later, creating estate management systems and training staff has been equally rewarding in different ways.
What are some of the common problems you see in the homes of UHNW clients?
Firsthand, I often see a disconnect between the staff and the Estate Manager. This is especially true when a new EM is hired to manage a staff that has been there for some time. It’s a delicate situation because the EM needs to manage the staff but not make fast enemies.
It is imperative, from my perspective, that the principals make a proper introduction to the new EM so the staff is aware that all directions must be followed respectfully. Initially, having daily short staff meetings that eventually turn to weekly meetings are very helpful.
Another common problem is the lack of protocols (guidelines) so that every staff member is fully aware of how the principals want their home to be maintained and managed. Without these, the staff will operate under their own assumption and this can cause major chaos.
It is imperative, from my perspective, that the principals make a proper introduction to the new EM so the staff is aware that all directions must be followed respectfully. Initially, having daily short staff meetings that eventually turn to weekly meetings are very helpful.
Another common problem is the lack of protocols (guidelines) so that every staff member is fully aware of how the principals want their home to be maintained and managed. Without these, the staff will operate under their own assumption and this can cause major chaos.
What's the single most important piece of advice that you can give affluent families when it comes to managing their homes?
My advice to affluent families is the following:
- Hire properly. Write out a good job description and take the time to know the candidate. Offer a good and fair benefit and salary package. These jobs are very demanding and those that work in private service are the hardest workers out there. Making a decision out of desperation is not a good approach.
- Ensure your staff has household manuals available so they understand your expectations, standards for cleanliness, privacy boundaries, and communication parameters, reporting hierarchy and all other aspects of how they should conduct themselves in your home.
- Ensure your staff is properly trained. Do no assume because they come with years of experience in other homes that it means they know how you want your home to operate. They need personalized training to ensure your home runs smoothly.
- Finally, ensure that you have a good HR department/company to handle all potential issues dealing with payroll, onboarding/offboarding, labor codes, and all other legal and staff issues that require professional advice so that you don’t get inundated with lawsuits.
Read more interviews with experts in our SPOTLIGHT series.
