What is a concierge? Hotels, apartments, airlines, credit card companies offer concierge services. So what exactly does it mean? And why might you need one? We explain the different types of concierge and include reviews from HomeViews residents to find out how useful they are for your home.
FAQs
What is a concierge?
A concierge is a person employed in a hotel or apartment building to act as a receptionist, a representative of the landlord and also possibly a caretaker or janitor. A hotel concierge tends to be a multilingual member of staff. They will help guests with luggage, mail and making arrangements on their behalf.
Concierge services are becoming very popular in apartment buildings. This is because the concierge can provide useful services to guests. These might include signing for deliveries, arranging personal errands, coordinating maintenance staff and even organising social events for residents. The concierge team can also keep residents updated on plans and arrangements for new services and facilities in the building.
What are the duties of a concierge?
Concierge is a French word that can mean caretaker or head porter. Generally, a concierge is there to help guests or residents living or staying within a large building. Their duties might include:
- Making travel arrangements reservations
- Helping to book tickets for events
- Booking building facilities
- Coordinating reception staff
- Helping with luggage
- Providing basic security for the building entrance
- Handling mail and deliveries
- Coordinating building maintenance
What is a Residential Concierge?
A residential concierge works within a residential development. This can be a very different role than a hotel concierge. For example, a residential concierge is more likely to build a personal connection over time with the residents he/she works with.
Why do I need a concierge for my apartment?
HomeViews reviews suggest that having a concierge in your apartment building can greatly improve your experience of living there. The 2022 National Build to Rent Report found that of the top 10 UK Build to Rent developments, all of them offered a concierge service. Here’s one reviewer mentioning their building’s concierge service:
The lovely concierge team always welcome us with great smiles, they professionally manage sorting all active issues in a timely manner. They are the heart and soul of Aston Place. I have never met customer service providers who are working as hard to make our experience at Aston place better and unforgettable. A great big thank you to both of you. (Read more)
The concierge desk is conveniently located at the lobby for me to quickly stop by and arrange gourmet food deliveries, request the booking of theatre tickets, dinner reservations or chauffeur-driven service to get me to the airport or anything else that I might need. (read more)
– Private Tenant, Aston Place, October 2021
Residents reviewing their apartment buildings said that it was harder to report problems without a concierge. In addition, residents said that having a concierge in their building made them feel safer. Signing for deliveries is also a very useful job that concierges can do for residents.
What skills do you need as a concierge?
A good concierge should be naturally polite, helpful and friendly. You should also be well organised and be able to manage a team of people, especially when looking after a large building. You will also have to be flexible in your working hours. Shift work is common, as many buildings and hotels offer 24-hour concierge services.
Is concierge the same as front desk or receptionist?
A concierge may have some of the same duties as a receptionist or front desk worker. However, they usually have more of a customer service focus to their role. A concierge will provide additional services that a receptionist generally would not.
What is a luxury, lifestyle or executive concierge?
Luxury, lifestyle or executive concierge services aim to provide a comprehensive ‘personal assistant’-style service to clients. Some credit cards offer these services. Users can use the service to have someone else arrange almost anything on their behalf. It may be marketed as ‘lifestyle management’ and tends to be associated with upmarket products and venues.
How do you pronounce concierge?
Concierge is pronounced CON-SEE-ERZH. It is a French word meaning ‘head porter’ or ‘caretaker’.
What is another word for concierge?
Other words that may be used for concierge include:
- Janitor
- Doorman
- Housekeeper
- Caretaker
- Porter
None of these jobs cover the breadth of tasks and duties a concierge is responsible for. However, each does cover some of the main responsibilities of a typical concierge.
What is the concierge fee? How does the concierge make their money?
Depending on the building, fees vary significantly. For instance, prime London property can vary from between £1,000 and £100,000 per year. At the lower end, concierges offer fewer services. At the higher end, services can range from doorman duties to ordering you a private jet.
In general, concierge fees comprise the maintenance of lifts, security, communal heating/hot water, maintenance of gyms, porters and concierge staff. Concierges can charge residents in various ways. For example, some charge membership fees based on how many requests are usually made per month. Others bill through a service charge or a set monthly retainer, while others charge per service or per hour.
Are apartments with a concierge more expensive?
Generally, if the apartment building has a concierge service, properties there will be more expensive than a building without a concierge. However, the levels of concierge vary greatly, and you might find some developments offer basic concierge services without a significantly higher price than other apartment buildings. For full-service, 24-hour concierge or ‘lifestyle management services’, expect to pay a hefty premium.
What is concierge customer service? What do they provide?
Concierge customer service provides many benefits for residents. Concierge staff provide a range of services, including helping with any queries or issues, booking transportation and postage services for residents. All combine to help make day to day living smooth and effortless for residents.
Is concierge a good job?
If you’re the kind of person who likes to engage with people, then being a concierge is a good job. It can provide plenty of job satisfaction and, depending on the type of property, a competitive wage.
Do concierges clean?
Concierges may be responsible for minor cleaning tasks within the lobby and other communal areas of the building. However, they generally don’t perform regular cleaning duties, which are left to professional cleaning staff.
How do I contact the concierge?
The concierge can usually be contacted via phone – a landline at the lobby desk and work mobile. Of course, you can talk directly to the concierge when you enter or exit the building through the lobby. Concierges aim to be a very visible and helpful presence in the building, so you shouldn’t have difficulty finding them.
What makes a great concierge service?
A range of skills combine to form a great concierge service. At the top of the list is understanding what the customer (residents) want – the skill of anticipation. A great concierge will have many other qualities, including willingness, commitment and a quick response time.
A concierge should be eager to serve and make it personal to each resident in order to make them feel at home. Finally, a great concierge will be a strong team player. They will understand that collaboration with all the management staff brings success and reliably good levels of service.
What if my building doesn’t have a concierge service?
Not all luxury apartment buildings offer a concierge service, but a growing number do. If your building doesn’t offer a concierge, you might find some or most of the roles of a concierge are take by other staff, such as cleaners, receptionists and building managers. If you want more lifestyle management services, you could always employ a specialist private concierge service.
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