A concierge is referred to as the employee of an apartment/office building or the hotel who serves the guest’s request for the needs by introducing the appropriate host. The positions could also be handled by the security officer over the graveyard shift. 

In the Spanish-speaking regions, they are known as the portero. Further, in the 18^th century, the concierge was the high official of the kingdom, appointed by the king for maintaining the order and oversee the police and the prisoner’s records.

Types of the Concierge Services Along with the Questions Raised
How To Become A Concierge
How To Do The Marketing For The Best Concierge?
Challenges Faced While Being The Personal Concierge
Package of the Personal Concierge
How To Set Your Own Personal Concierge Services
How Much Does a Personal Concierge Make?
What Does a Private Concierge do?
How do I Start a Personal Assistant Service?
How to Start a Luxury Concierge Business
Personal Concierge Rates
How to Bill For Concierge Services
Top 7 Benefits of Personal Concierge Services
Types of Concierge Services
Personal Concierge Salary
List of Concierge Services
Personal Concierge Software
What Skills do You Need to be a Concierge?
What Are The Requirements to be a Concierge?
How do I Start a Virtual Concierge Business?

Types of the Concierge Services Along with the Questions Raised

There are different types of the services such as hospitals, hotels, etc.  They are increasingly available for concierge services. It helps the hospital employees who are working for the long shift and helps in providing a work-life balance.

For moving ahead with the career of the personal concierge, you will have to ask some of the questions to yourself –like, what a personal Concierge work carries and what does he do?  Ways to build your concierge skills? How to run errands as the professional profile? How are you going to arrange for the payments for the groceries, gifts, and more?

How To Become A Concierge

As a concierge, your job is to make the life of the clients easier. Clients generally don’t have to do any kind of hand-holding, they are just looking for someone who could get the works completed for them. With the personal concierge service, you make every client feel like the most important person in the world.

Read Also: Using Computer Repair Services to Make Money

Although these are the recent development, the companies that are dealing with the services are mushrooming at a rapid rate which is right along with the customer’s demand for the businesses.

How To Do The Marketing For The Best Concierge?

Business success occurs due to the appropriate networking across the globe with respect to their services which they are offering. Generally, the millionaires don’t normally check their own mails or let alone read their mails, thus email marketing or direct marketing isn’t really the best means.  

They attend most of the meetings with the best of the events which are quoted affluent. The best portion of the event is that most of the people are not at all aware of the services which are available.

Social media is another new means for making your Concierge business grow successful as you are getting linked with lots of people. It is the means which gets your name highlighted in the marketplace among the business associates and the organizations.

It helps in building the brand and your reputation among the people and the groups. They should be active on the social networking sites like LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, and many others. The people should join different groups which could encourage in building the business further.

Challenges Faced While Being The Personal Concierge

In this field of work, people have to spend most of their time on the system or the phone calls. So it’s quite important that they step away from the systems and the networking as often as possible. You can have the clients travelling in another area that you can use each other’s resources for making the customer experience better.

In some cases you could get the call in the middle of the night for some emergency work, though it is ok-as it’s the part of your life. Working late nights and with lots of pressure can land you guys into some trouble and lots of stress.

Package of the Personal Concierge

The package does vary according to the structures which are being offered to the customers. Some individuals do charge a flat rate which could be based on the per hour basis and can range from $20- $75 plus per hour. But most of the individual concierge offers the customers with the specific package according to the requirement of the customers.

They want the charges to be received on the monthly basis. When they are charging on the monthly basis then they have to worry about how much time they are spending on their projects. Based on the work load the packages are being decided.

Most of the customers do look for the options, where they want that the individual should be checked for the work -like whether they are going to be fit for them, so they look for the trial options which are available for them.

How To Set Your Own Personal Concierge Services

In case you are prepared for helping individuals and bring happiness to their lives then without any other query you should move ahead with the option of the carrier of concierge services. Just ensure that you have plenty of time in your hands because the needs of the customers are going to take over and your time is going to become their time.

The first and the foremost thing in becoming the Concierge is to determine your skills and also to check what kind of services are required in your area. Suppose if you are living in a larger city, then the demand for work would be at the higher side, you are going to gain more experience with the exciting challenges and get more opportunities to handle.

But in case you are living in the smaller areas, you will find that people are willing to pay for some works which they are not able to handle themselves. You should start by creating your own business cards which should take care of the services which you are offering to the customers or the people.  It should highlight the work which you could handle and some of the common services which should be included in the work are as stated under:

• Caring of the child (which requires the supervision and the chauffeuring)
• Services with regards to the Errands (like the banking, pharmacy, pick-up, delivery, dry cleaning)
• Entertainment and the dining (reservations, private tours and the buying of the tickets)
• Setting of the house decor based on the requirement of the clients (checking of the teens, gardening and the keeping of the refrigerator full)
• Caring for the pet services (grooming, feeding and walking for the pet)
• Executive and corporate assistance which could include the work of the events, planning of the travel and the meeting across the work duration
• Helping on the office area like copying, filing and faxing the required documents to the customers as per their requirement.
• Repair and the maintenance –where you are going to check for the quotes, compare it and then arrange it in the proper manner and show it to the customer, so that according to their requirement they could finalize the work.
• Services with respect of the shopping in which they do take care about the items which are not appropriate and has to be returned to the shop from where it has been purchased, wrapping of the gift in case it has to be delivered to the appropriate people.

Above mentioned services are just the few options which are required by the customers and the personal concierge has to take care of with proper and utmost care and attention. Ensure that you are carrying your business cards along with you where ever you go, and drop one of the cards at the place where you have been visiting so that in case they require your services they can contact you easily.

It has been in the market that the Personal Assistants for the celebrities do earn a lot of funds and does have the incredible lifestyle and the dreams which many of the individuals really look forward to. With the stars or the celebrities, they also believe to be living on their dream pattern which helps them in gaining momentum.

Here are some of the tips for selecting your desired track for being the concierge and making money by becoming a personal concierge.

Select The Appropriate Celebrity

Each and every individual who gets to some heights do require some kind of assistance, so you need to decide on that for whom you are interested to work for, whether it’s going to be for the actor, actresses, rock star, politicians, bestselling authors, wealthy families, professional athletes etc. It could be anyone who is having ample of the money with them and require the assistance which is offered by you.

The best option would be working for the person, in whose field you are interested in so that you could be happy and take the work with full zeal and importance in your life. It doesn’t feel like that you are being enforced for doing such kind of work in which you are not interested in.

Enhance Your Skills

For grooming up your career you require to keep up enhancing your skills with regards to your field. You guys should be a bit aware of all the things which is taking place in the world, so that you can provide the appropriate solutions and discuss on each topic which is being discussed among the customers you are working for. You should be aware about the changes which are taking place specifically the technological enhancements which have risen up to such a remarkable pace. 

The people are looking for a concierge who does have the skills of information technology and its workings. They should be aware of that how the information could be transformed from one location to the other and send the e-greetings along with the mails and the responses with an appropriate manner.

Many of the celebrities are in need of individuals who are skilled in their typing, knowledge with regards to etiquette, and planning the parties at the larger scales. Also, they need to be sure that you are not going to reveal their secret at any point in time. So you have to practice the pattern of discretion as well so that the things could be kept apart.

Take Appropriate Training

There is no specific training for such a career as of now, but you can develop more of the skills just by moving ahead with the computer courses, personality development, house hold management, and also the event management where you should be aware of how the things of events have to be planned by you.

You should be able to find some of the appropriate information with regards to the career through the internet and some personalities who are already experienced in this service. But you should also be aware of some of the people who portray that they have been the assistant for some of the celebrities. 

Before believing on anyone you should ensure you go through the sites of the celebrity and check their schedules and how you could be helpful in their working status. By checking the details on the site you would be able to know what they are portraying themselves is really true or not.

Gain the Experience

Before moving ahead with the celebrity personality you should ensure that you have worked for many of the business men or the non-celebrity persons for some time. As working for them would be providing you with lots of manners and patterns which need to be taken care. You would be able to gain hands on experience.

Maybe while moving ahead with the celebrity assistant you won’t get the chance to interact directly with the celebrity but you could interact with the publicist or the agents or even the personal assistants.  Maybe you can interact with them and intimate them that you are interested in seeking the job as their assistant. So if your details and resumes are there with them they could call you in case they require an assistant.

Don’t mess up with the mistakes

You should prepare the appropriate script for interacting with the clients so that you don’t mess up during your interaction with the client. The script should sound like the professional interaction rather than being on the personal front.  Even it should not feel like that if you don’t get the job it’s going to get finished and you are going to be in the mess of sorting it out with the appropriate manner and pattern which has to be followed in the proper way.

How Much Does a Personal Concierge Make?

The average annual pay for a Personal Concierge in the United States is $41,759 a year. Just in case you need a simple salary calculator, that works out to be approximately $20.08 an hour. This is the equivalent of $803/week or $3,480/month.

While ZipRecruiter is seeing annual salaries as high as $62,500 and as low as $18,500, the majority of Personal Concierge salaries currently range between $30,000 (25th percentile) to $50,000 (75th percentile) with top earners (90th percentile) making $60,000 annually across the United States.

The average pay range for a Personal Concierge varies greatly (by as much as $20,000), which suggests there may be many opportunities for advancement and increased pay based on skill level, location, and years of experience.

What Does a Private Concierge do?

Working as a personal concierge is much like working as a personal assistant. However, personal assistants typically work for one company, serving a single executive or perhaps is shared by several executives. As a personal concierge, you’ll work as an independent contractor, taking on clients who need your services. Clients’ needs vary greatly. Some need only a few hours of assistance every week, and others require multiple hours per day.

Many people think of hotel concierges when they hear the word, and personal concierges really aren’t much different. They just serve a different clientele with different needs. While a hotel concierge might be asked to lock down dinner reservations—or perform other similar tasks—for guests staying in town no more than a day or two, personal concierges often serve clients for extended periods of time.

The types of tasks personal concierges might handle are almost endless, but some common jobs include:

• Filing and other organizational tasks
• Running personal errands
• Making travel arrangements
• Assisting with event planning
• Coordinating household chores

How do I Start a Personal Assistant Service?

Starting a virtual assistant business is an enterprise with very low overhead. You’ll need general office supplies, fast internet, and technology such as a computer, basic software programs, a headset, and a printer. You’ll want your workspace to be located in a quiet area so that you can take client calls without distractions. 

While a course or training program can be helpful, formal education isn’t necessary to start your home-based business as a virtual assistant. As you look to expand your services or develop your expertise in a particular niche, it may be worth taking courses that can help you hone specific skills. 

Here are the steps to take as you launch a virtual assistant business:

1. Read, research and network.

Operating as a VA on your own can feel like you are all by yourself, but in fact, there are professional groups, online forums and books to support you in your business dream. By reading and researching what services a VA can perform, you can narrow down your own offerings. And by networking with other VAs, you can benefit from subcontracting work or advice from more established VAs.

“Most VAs are more than happy to help out someone who is new to the field. And even if they don’t have any subcontracting work, they may be able to refer you to someone who does,” said Julie Perrine, CAP-OM, MBTI Certified, with All Things Admin.

2. Develop a business plan.

As with any business, you need to develop a business plan before launching a VA company. A business plan is an outline of your company and how you plan to operate. The business plan acts as a timeline for your company. Also, if you plan to seek out loans or investors for the VA business, lenders will request a copy of your business plan.

3. Choose your business structure.

Structuring your business is a requirement before making your services public. There are multiple business structures available. According to the Small Business Administration, a sole proprietorship is ideal for low-risk business ventures or individuals who want to test the waters with their new company before formalizing plans. Additional structure options include corporations, LLC, and partnerships. All structures have tax advantages and disadvantages.

Before launch, check with your municipality about any licensing requirements you may need for your new business.   

4. Expand your skill set.

There’s a lot more to being a VA than helping with the tasks your client needs you to do. Having office experience will help you in your day-to-day duties, but as an independent business, you need to learn the ropes of how to run it.

“Working virtually means you must exercise great discipline,” said Tim Petree, senior vice president of BST Concierge. “You’re your own boss, (but) those corporate rules that once seemed to be a drag can save you from financial ruin when you’re the CEO or sole proprietor. If anything, you must now be conversant in all areas of business administration – sales, marketing, IT, customer service, project management, receivables, payables and compliance.”

5. Communicate clearly.

As with any type of virtual work, not being in the office for face-to-face interactions with your clients can present some difficulties if your or their communications are unclear. VAs perform many of the important day-to-day tasks that keep a business running, so knowing what’s required of you as a service provider is key to customer satisfaction.

6. Market your business.

Marketing is essential when developing a successful VA business. Keyword research will help you get started on a marketing plan for your company. Find out what keywords clients are using to find VA services. Tools like Moz are useful in researching keyword terms.

Once you select your keywords, integrate them in all marketing materials for the VA business. Your marketing efforts should include a professional and user-friendly website. An optimized and well-designed website will attract new clients. Social media marketing should also be a part of your strategy for your VA venture.

7. Adapt to your clients’ needs.

As a VA and as a business owner, you’ll need to be able to deliver exactly what each client needs. It’s a good idea to determine the best structure for your service packages and pricing based on what your clients are looking for.

“A VA provides business owners with the opportunity to get exactly what they need, when they need it, like ordering from a menu,” Anastasio-Festi said. “Because most VAs offer a wide range of services to various industries, it becomes confusing as to who needs what most.

Do You Pay For Concierge Services?

Services you’d normally get in a primary care visit, like physicals and preventive screenings, are already covered by the fee you pay for concierge service, so you won’t have to cover costs for each individual visit. 

For those with conditions like heart disease that require frequent visits, a concierge doctor could be more cost-effective in the long run. However, major medical issues like surgery will still require insurance coverage.

If you’re considering adding a concierge doctor to your team of health care providers, be on the lookout for companies that market concierge service as low-cost medical insurance. Always look at what the service actually covers, and run the numbers to be sure you can afford the monthly — or yearly — cost.

How to Start a Luxury Concierge Business

Starting your own senior concierge business can be easy and quick, or it can be a slow and drawn-out process. Why suffer? Follow these ten steps to make your concierge business startup easy, painless and speedy.

Step 1. Choose services to offer.

Making a list of the services you plan to offer is an essential first step, so you need to think about what may be needed and what is in demand in your area. Some folks specialize in running errands, others enjoy household management, and others love to do grocery shopping, care for pets, provide escort services or help seniors with computer challenges.

There are over twenty in-demand, popular services that a senior concierge can provide. Ask other senior care providers what services are most needed in your town. When you’re done, make up a list that can be a part of your flyer or brochure, or an advertisement on Craigslist or on a website.

It’s a good idea to add this at the end of the list: “If you don’t see a service you need – just call and ask if we offer it.” This allows you to make sure you are meeting the needs of all your prospective clients, as you’re bound to miss a few in-demand services when you make up that list.

Step 2. Name your business.

Now you’re ready to name your senior concierge business. Think of something catchy and memorable. Examples include: “At Your Service,” “One Call Does It All,” and “On The Run For You.” Pick a name that is easy to spell and remember, and consider adding the name of your town, or even your own name, in the business name.

Ask for feedback from friends and family. Do they like it? Check with your state officials to make sure no one else is using your name, and that it hasn’t been registered or trademarked already.

Step 3. Don’t spend money!

Resist the urge to spend money when you’re starting your business. Ask yourself “Do I really need this?” before you buy anything. If you have a reliable vehicle and a cellphone, you’ve already got the essentials you need. Keep your office at home to avoid spending money on rent, utilities and other costs for a separate office. Think and act like a miser until your business income is steady and solid.

Step 4. Legal structure.

When you start an senior concierge business, it’s important to pick the right legal structure for the new business. Most concierge businesses operate as a sole proprietor or as an L.L. C. You’ll find lots of free advice about the picking the right option for you at Nolo.com. Whatever you decide, get this pinned down first, before you apply for a business license, or get a federal tax number.

Step 5. Insurance.

The right coverage is essential for protection in case of a lawsuit or claim. Talk to a local independent insurance agent to find out what is required in your state for a concierge business.

Step 6. Set your rates.

Many new senior concierges make the mistake of not charging enough to cover all their costs, as they haven’t been in business long enough to be aware of all the little costs, like licenses, bookkeeping fees, social security taxes, vehicle maintenance or insurance, all of which can add up over time.

A good rule of thumb is to add about 30-35% to the wages you’ll be paying yourself, to arrive at a reasonable rate that allows you a profit and still makes your clients happy. National rates vary from around $20 an hour in small towns and rural areas to as much as $50 an hour in big cities.

Step 7. Finding customers.

After you’ve set up your business and listed the services you plan to offer, start looking for customers. You’ll only need a few good ones. Local senior service providers are often a good source of referrals.

Those include senior care providers in assisted living communities and nursing homes, elder law attorneys, and those who work and volunteer at the local senior center. You can run a free ad on Craigslist to find new clients, as well as advertise in local Over-55 community newsletters. You should also put up a flyer or leave a few brochures at the senior center.

As soon as possible, set up a simple website, because many computer-savvy seniors, as well as the adult children of seniors, now regularly use the internet to find service providers.

Step 8. Referrals.

Once you have your first few clients and have treated them well for a while, ask them for referrals. Tell them you’re still growing your business, and could use a few more good clients like them. Offer a reward, like two free grocery shopping trips, in return for a referral that becomes a regular client.

Step 9. Provide exceptional service.

If you take care of your senior clients, they will tell others and you’ll never have to advertise again. Always try to practice the Golden Rule and treat your clients they way you would want to be cared for if you were in their shoes.

Step 10. Stay organized and save money.

There are several online programs that help you keep up with your business bookkeeping and your job schedule. My favorite, which makes keeping track of your small business finances easy, even if you can’t add or subtract, is Outright.com, now part of GoDaddy.

The cost is way below what you would pay a bookkeeper, around $12 a month, and it has a built-in scheduling feature that can track your work hours and prepare an invoice for a client. . It even reminds you when taxes are due, or when you miss a deduction, like the 55 cents per mile for business mileage.

Personal Concierge Rates

Some concierges charge their clients membership fees. Some memberships allow a certain number of requests each month for one annual fee. For those types of memberships, annual fees might start at around $1,000 to $1,500. Other memberships might be available for a smaller annual fee.

For instance, if a client wanted to use the concierge services only once or twice a year for small errands, a fee of $500 might be established. Fees and contracts vary among concierges and clients.

Corporate clients are generally charged much higher fees because they require more services per month. For corporations, membership fees will vary widely depending on the size of the company and how many requests each employee is allowed.

Again, most concierges declined to divulge exact fees, but a ballpark annual fee for a corporate client with many employees who are each allowed multiple requests each month could start at about $5,000. More employees and a greater number of requests could drive the fee much higher.

How to Bill For Concierge Services

In this business, your primary source of revenue will be from your clients for your services and, occasionally from their additional tips in appreciation. Additionally, most successful people in this business have explored and leveraged the benefits of developing referral agreements with such vendors as wedding planners, travel agents and moving companies that enables them to receive commissions or discounts for business conducted by clients.

According to the website Payscale, it is estimated that personal concierges in the United States have an average rate of $12.83 an hour and about $25 at the top end. However, this heavily buttresses paid employees of services offered by hotels and other hospitality businesses rather than independent contractors.

Have it in mind that your own rates will be determined by how much perceived value you offer as well as by the wage rate in your location and the finances of the clientele you target. Payscale puts concierge salaries in the range of from about $21,000 to $41,500 annually. Glassdoor has the figure at a national range of around $25,400.

Both of these sources are primarily concerned with the salaries of employees for concierge services at hospitality centres. Your own revenue stream will depend on your reputation, marketing expertise, local competitive rates and other factors.

Generally, note that the price you charge your clients will be more or less based on the economic ability of the client and the value associated with the task. To get started, below are few considerations and factors to consider:

1. Know what your concierge service is worth to the customer

Note that special expertise and a personal touch are paramount for some duties (i.e., relocation assistance). In addition, the ability to finish a task that is not possible or desirable for a client helps determine the fee. Routine tasks, like laundry and daily pet care, are examples. Pricing is done by the task or by the hour.

2. Determine the cost to produce the desired results

You can also consider how much it costs to care of a client’s pet while the owner is away. There could be feeding, walking and medicine to give. Your hourly rate (i.e., $25 per hour) and the cost of buying any food would have to be calculated to suit the services your offer. It is advisable you complete a break-even analysis to see when you reach the point when your variable (i.e., utilities) and fixed (i.e., rent) expenses are covered.

Research the going rate for concierge services in your area

Indeed concierge service prices in metropolitan areas tend to be quiet easier to compare. You can use the Internet to find out what the competition is charging. There may be many companies offering similar services to clients, so be prepared to explain how your concierge service is different when advertising prices.

It is always advisable to start slow, with a single client on a part-time basis. For example, it can be a mom who needs you after the kids get out of school and that might allow you to continue another part-time night or weekend job.

You should also consider approaching businesses first as a concierge to employees. That way you can possibly count on enough business to devote your full-time energy once you sign a contract. Also consider approaching larger corporations via their human resources department.

Top 7 Benefits of Personal Concierge Services

Some will always prefer to do these things off their own back, but people are increasingly turning to concierge services to manage it for them. Here are some of the benefits.

1. A Personal Pro-Active Service Tailored to You

The best concierge services will give you your own personal concierge, so that you deal with the same person at all times, for all requests. By learning your tastes and needs, this becomes a pro-active service, pre-empting what you would like to do.

2. Your Personal Guidebook and Search Engine

Researching holiday destinations, booking hotels and restaurants, or sourcing a unique gift can sometimes be an arduous task. Why search blindly on the internet when you can ask for a personal recommendation from an expert with a huge book of contacts? This removes the unknown element and puts you in trusted hands.

3. Save Time

Most clients will say that the main reason they use a concierge service is to free up precious time, enabling them to experience the things they love instead of spending time researching and booking them. A concierge service offers today’s most priceless commodity – your time.

4. Access an Expert’s Insider Knowledge and Skills

A good concierge service will always be looking for the best of everything to recommend to their clients, so you will have access to their insider knowledge and expertise. Want to know the best hotel in Paris? The best new restaurant in New York? The secluded beach resort in the Caribbean? The hidden bar in London? Your concierge will know.

5. The Convenience

It’s not always about saving time or offering solutions to a problem you can’t solve yourself – it’s the convenience of having someone on hand, at the end of the phone or email, to help run your life, enabling you to maximise your free time.

6. Special Privileges and Complimentary Benefits

A true concierge service will strive to negotiate for special privileges and benefits for its members wherever possible. Upgrades at top luxury and boutique hotels, priority reservation and complimentary drinks at the best restaurants, free entry to exclusive clubs, or discounts at a host of other lifestyle services – a concierge service can add value, make you a VIP and save you money.

7. Know About the Latest ‘Scene’

At Bon Vivant, through our member newsletters and blog, we keep our members informed of the best new hotels, new restaurant and bar openings, and the under-the-radar exclusives, so they can remain on the pulse wherever they are. We also get invited to new openings, launches and exclusive events; which we can pass onto our members.

Types of Concierge Services

Various concierge services suit the customer needs; let’s take a look at some of them briefly.

1. Lifestyle concierge

Lifestyle Concierge is a personalized service that takes important parts like personal, family, and professional lifestyle. The service covers the required matters allowing the customers to enjoy more. 

The various tasks include

• Errand-running
• Event planning
• Transportation arrangements
• Personalize shopping and dining

2. Medical concierge

Medical concierge service is specially designed for a winning business model. It is ideal for senior citizens,  child care, and injured people. Through the service, a doctor can handle many patients, and patients can get treated well with routine care.

The various tasks include

• Fill insurance form
• Handle billing expense
• Scheduling and rescheduling appointments
• Answering calls
• Maintaining patients records

3. Business concierge

This is one of the expensive concierge services you can hope for due to a lot of demands. The concierge is usually of vast knowledge and skill for handling business chores efficiently. The service is used by IT companies’ great professionals and c-level executives.

Various tasks include-

• Business transportation
• Clients meeting
• Tracking financial reports
• Schedule and reschedule meetings
• Industry research
• Recommending new ideas for business

4. Travel Concierge

Travel concierge is on a rising trend gaining popularity from business people and traveler enthusiasts. This service is applicable if people plan to go abroad for business or leisure.

Various tasks include-

• Agreements with local restaurants
• Booking tickets for a local place to visit
• Restaurant booking
• Driving to the hotel
• Healthcare

5. Learning Concierge

Learning concierge service is where specialists and experts come together and launch custom programs. It includes coaching about child development, self-improvements, post-school class, and much more for both parents and children.

Various tasks include-

• Summer field trips
• Parents coaching
• Private tutoring

6. Wedding concierge

Wedding Concierge is the most important one for decades. Clients usually hire the service for a few hours or before a few days, getting huge pay. 

• Wedding Plan
• Food and soft drink serve
• Transportation arrangement
• In-charge of music, dance, and other activities
• Health safety
• Photography and videography

7. Chauffeur concierge

Chauffer concierge service is regarded as quite expensive ones. It provides the best experience in retaining guests or celebrities from hotels, events, buildings, or any other location.

• Reservation of meal
• Club reservation
• VIP nightlife
• Chauffeur-drive
• Evening entertainments

Personal Concierge Salary

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, concierges earn $29,480 per year on average. This is a nationwide average, covering all concierge positions and not just personal concierges. The BLS indicates that concierges are found most often in New York and California, earning an average of $41,060 and $30,100, respectively.

The regions with the highest concentrations of those working in this field are Hawaii and the District of Columbia, where concierges typically earn an annual salary of $35,000 and $32,490, respectively.

According to AOL Jobs, high end personal concierges can earn in excess of $100,000 per year. Many times, there are also perks included such as international travel, staying in luxury hotels, eating at five-star restaurants and even monetary bonuses.

In exchange for this high salary, high-end personal concierges are expected to be always available and trustworthy with private information. Jobs for high-end concierges can include clients in the movie and music industry, in addition to high-wealth individuals.

List of Concierge Services

Vacation Services 

• Rentals
• Grocery Shopping & Delivery
• Reservations & Tickets
• Personal Chef & Catering Services
• Linen & Beach Rentals
• Toy Purchase
• Airport Transfers
• Bike, Jet-Ski and Water Sports Rentals
• Fishing Charters

Homeowner Services

• Preparations for House Guests
• Grocery Shopping
• Dry cleaning
• Prescription pick up*
• Property Maintenance & Wait Service  – Liaison with home vendors (plumbers, electrician, cable, etc.)
• Post office & mailing
• Home organization projects
• Relocation packing/moving assistance/unpacking
• Attic & garage clean out
• House sitting: check mail, water plants, peace of  mind
• Mail management
• Landscaping/tree service/yard cleanup
• Car Washing & Detailing
• Pet sitters/walkers/trainers

Event Planning 

Concierge Services 

• Grocery Shopping & Delivery
• Cleaning Service & Make Readies
• Airport Transfers
• Dry cleaning
• Prescription pick up    
• Specialty Gift & Food Baskets
• Packaging & Shipping
• Personal shopping
• Pickup Lunch or  Dinner From Your Favorite Restaurant
• Personal Chef arrangements for one night or the week
• Spa Reservations
• Nanny & Babysitting Services
• Messenger & Courier Services
• Massage & Spa appointments
• Car Washing & Detailing
• Pet sitters/walkers/trainers
• Unique gift purchasing & wrap

Errands & Shopping

• Grocery Shopping
• Dry cleaning
• Prescription pick up*
• Post office & mailing
• Shop and purchase gifts
• Gift wrapping
• Specialty Gift & Food Baskets
• Locate hard to find items
• Returns/exchanges
• Holiday shopping

Grocery Shopping 

Business Services

Let us help you organize your office, handle errands, change facility locations, engage and supervise caterers, project management, plan your corporate socials, executive assistant services, and provide employee perks and rewards. 

• Meeting Planning
• Event Planning
• Messenger & Courier Services
• Relocation assistance

Personal Concierge Software

Concierge software provides hotel concierges with the necessary tools to fulfill the needs of a hotel’s guests and staff. Solutions are designed to provide concierges with a database of nearby attractions and restaurants to offer as suggestions for guests, as well as the ability to schedule activities and make reservations for guests.

Concierge software also contains means to fulfill special item requests for guests and may facilitate services such as dry cleaning or travel arrangement. In many cases, concierge software is deployed separately from general hotel management software but may integrate with these solutions to deliver a more seamless experience for guests and help the concierge coordinate with hotel staff to fulfill guests’ requests.

To qualify for inclusion in the Concierge category, a product must: Maintain a database of local restaurants and attractions, Provide tools to book attractions, make reservations, and schedule services for guests, Help coordinate with other hotel staff to improve the guest experience.

1. ALICE

Get the job done with ALICE, the all-in-one solution that enables hotel staff to do the most impactful work without all the guesses. Task management, real-time communication and operational analytics reduce the complexity and chaos of hotel operations providing the transparency and flexibility needed to run efficiently.

2. Virtual Concierge

Enhance your guest experience with a custom designed collection of Virtual Concierge Mobile Apps for your guests to experience in the lobby as well as to enjoy on their own mobile devices throughout their entire stay.

3. FCS Concierge

FCS Concierge is a multi-language web-based solution that replaces the traditional way of handling in-house guests and non-in-house guests by fully automating the daily concierge functions and processes. With FCS Concierge, hotel staff can easily manage guest and non-guest profiles, itineraries, restaurant recommendations and bookings, transportation bookings, baggage and parcel delivery, lost and found, as well as customize their own reports.

4. ResortSuite CONCIERGE

Complete third party reservations conveniently on behalf of your guests. ResortSuite CONCIERGE allows a property to manage external reservations and partner information another way to personalize and deliver a five-star guest experience.

5. Triparound

Founded by established travel professionals and backed by an all-star team of angel investors from Silicon Valley and across five continents, Triparound is a travel tech company with a mission of bringing travel planning into the future. Triparound empowers travel professionals to do more with less and embrace growth opportunities previously unreachable.

Hotels can now efficiently manage guest requests for onsite/offsite experiences and ancillary services while increasing their revenue and guest satisfaction. Building on network effects, our software for travel advisors and DMCs offers a holistic solution from the start of the sales cycle to the conclusion of the trip.

It enables travel agencies to source suppliers and customers, build and present itineraries in unique fashion, confirm bookings, track sales performance – and everything in between.

What Skills do You Need to be a Concierge?

Below is a list of the top five most important skills for a concierge, as well as attached lists of related skills employers seek in candidates for concierge jobs.

1. Communication -Communication is critical for a concierge. They speak with guests all day, so it is important that they speak clearly and maintain a positive tone and a helpful attitude. Job candidates who are fluent in more than one language will have an advantage when applying for jobs, particularly in major metropolitan areas like New York, Seattle, Los Angeles, Washington DC, and Dallas.

Perhaps most importantly, being a good communicator means being a good listener. Concierges need to listen carefully to their guests’ requests to provide a positive experience for them and to proactively identify any particular support they may require.

• Answer Email
• Answer Phone
• Arrange Package Delivery and Pick Up
• Computer
• Confirm Flights and Print Boarding Passes
• Maintain Database of Local Information
• Make and Confirm Reservations
• Marketing
• Microsoft Office
• Order Amenities for Guests’ Rooms
• Public Relations
• Secure Tickets for Events
• Sell Tickets to Guests
• Send Pre-Stay Correspondence
• Verbal Communications
• Written Communications

2. Friendliness -A concierge is one of the first people a guest sees upon entering a hotel, he or she is the “face” of the organization. Therefore, concierges have to be extremely welcoming. They should greet every guest with a smile and a kind word, no matter how long they’ve worked or how tired they may be.

• Courtesy Calls to VIP Guests
• Customer Service
• Customer Relations
• Customer Satisfaction
• Greeting Guests
• Guest Relations
• Interpersonal
• Outgoing
• Personable
• Positive Attitude

3. Organization -A concierge has to manage multiple tasks at once: they must serve many guests, make appointments and arrangements for people, and more. Being organized allows a concierge to juggle these multiple tasks without losing his or her cool.

• Accommodate Guest Requests
• Airport Transportation
• Coordinate Guest Requests
• Distribute Printed Materials
• Event Planning
• Maintain and Post Daily Event Schedule
• Maintain Menu Books for Local Restaurants
• Maintain Supply of Brochures, Flyers, Handouts, and Maps
• Monitor and Replenish Lobby Refreshments
• Multitasking
• Prioritization
• Provide Business Services
• Schedule Activities
• Set Up Special Packages
• Travel Arrangements

4. Local Knowledge -A concierge provides guests with suggestions for entertainment and various services within the hotel itself and in the surrounding geographical area. Therefore, it is very important that a concierge know the area, its best restaurants, and most interesting attractions, and the other sorts of services available in the region.

• Arrange Transportation
• Booking Services
• Booking Show Tickets
• Booking Tours
• Dinner Reservations
• Directions
• Knowledge of Hotel / Resort Features
• Knowledge of Local Dining, Entertainment, Theater, Shows, and Events
• Recommendations
• Strong Knowledge of Local Area

5. Professionalism -Because a concierge is representing the hotel and is interacting directly with guests, he or she must look and act professionally. Professional attire and demeanor will make guests trust the concierge and his or her suggestions.

• Conflict Resolution
• Dependability
• Flexibility
• Patience
• Professionally Promote Resort Activities to Guests
• Punctuality
• Telephone Etiquette

By demonstrating your professionalism, communication skills, local knowledge, organizational talents, and friendliness on your resume and in your interview, you’re sure to impress the hiring manager as being a great choice for their next concierge.

What Are The Requirements to be a Concierge?

While there isn’t a lot of training or education needed to work as a concierge, most concierges do have experience in the tourism or hospitality industry. They know how to greet guests as soon as they arrive and how to work with them to ensure that they are happy and satisfied during their stay.

Qualifications and Training

You do not need a college degree to work as a concierge, because the concierge job description only requires a high school diploma. Some hotels will even hire those who have a GED, but if you do not have a college degree, you usually need to demonstrate that you have experience in the tourism industry.

If you decide to go to college, you should enroll in a hotel management program. Hotels may give you a small assignment too and ask you to complete it, which shows how well you can handle the requests of future guests.

You can also start out in a different position within the hotel and work as a front desk agent or in another position. This gives you experience working with guests, handling any complaints or requests they have, and using computer programs and software. Once a concierge position opens up, you can use your connections and experience to get that job.

Work Experience

Getting a job as a concierge without any experience is almost impossible because hotels want concierges who have local connections. Those connections help you make restaurant reservations, book concert tickets, and make any special arrangements guests want. If you have a local network of professionals to assist you, you’ll have a better chance of getting a job as a concierge.

A good way to get the experience you need for the concierge job description is by enrolling in a college program. Hospitality programs as well as hotel management programs let you earn three credits or more for doing an internship. Some programs have a hotel that you can work in too.

How do I Start a Virtual Concierge Business?

Something always needs to be done, but there’s hardly ever enough time in the day to get it done, so it’s no wonder everyone from busy executives to single moms seek assistance.

Read Also: Make Money As A Computer Technician

By starting a virtual concierge business you can lend a helping hand by offering organizational skills, expertise and a “can-do” attitude to clients who need an extra set of hands to get through their busy days. “Entrepreneur,” a magazine and online resource for business owners, estimates that startup costs for a concierge business range from $2,000 to $4,000.

1. Research the concierge industry to see where your knowledge, skills and abilities are best suited. Take a look at the types of services other virtual concierges offer, whom they target, how they price their services and the methods they use to target their clients.

2. Define your target market based on your assessment of your education and experience. You may opt to provide virtual concierge services for brides-to-be, startup founders or writers.

3. Identify your competition and begin to come up with ways to differentiate your business. Your service guarantee, the types of services you offer or your rates can help make your virtual concierge business stand out.

4. Craft a name for your virtual concierge business. Contact your local Chamber of Commerce to find out how to register your business as a legal entity in your state, and to determine if you need a special license or permit to run your virtual concierge. Laws and regulations vary by state.

5. Set up a home office equipped with a computer, fax machine, telephone with multiple lines, printer, scanner, copier, desk and chair. Purchase software you may need for your niche, such as desktop publishing, accounting, project management and word processing.

6. Outline the types of virtual concierge services you plan to provide. Some services might include sending birthday, meeting and anniversary reminders, making travel arrangements, referring service providers, creating monthly menu plans, purchasing and sending gifts, develop party themes, plan dinner party menus, research or writing thank-you correspondence.

7. Come up with a price list for your virtual concierge services. You may elect to charge a monthly fee with a set number of tasks, hourly or per project.

8. Hire a graphic designer to create a logo, business cards and a brochure. Hire a website designer to create a website and a blog for your business. Include your experience and credentials, instructions on scheduling a service, your price list, menu of services and contact information on your brochure and website.

9. Join professional associations, such as National Concierge Association and International Concierge and Lifestyle Management Association. Get your business listed in their professional directories so that potential clients can find out about your business.

10. Purchase advertising placements on websites, blogs and publications that cater to your target market. Pitch story ideas to them that are filled with tips and ideas your target market can benefit from reading.

Finally

Once you land clients, make sure you deliver on your agreements and deadlines. Being attentive to the needs of your customers is an important part of maintaining and growing your client base. As you get to know clients and keep them satisfied, ask for referrals—word of mouth can be an effective way to gain new business.