Concierge Services
To have an experienced and versatile concierge at your finger tips means that at the drop of a hat you can hire a private plane, get centre courts tickets for Wimbledon, find someone to wash your dishes, set up an international business trip or arrange an impromptu wine tasting trip in the heart of French chateau country.
In fact ask any high-quality personal concierge what they think of their job and they will tell you that every day is a new challenge and their clients come from all walks of life and from many different backgrounds.
Many concierge services are set up by people who did an identical job in five star hotels around the world. They have learnt the value of perspicacity and how to be very hands-on and quick thinking, using their host of valuable contacts to set wheels in motion and move last-minute mountains!
Be sure that you feel completely comfortable with your personal concierge. Make clear your requirements, and ensure you are getting all the information you need. By doing, so you will be able to build a relationship which really does make a difference to you and your family’s lives.
If they are helping you to organise your home, or find a cleaner for you, or just dropping something off, don’t panic and think you have to do the dishes or tidy up. They are well aware that you don’t have time to do everything, and don’t expect you to be perfect. If you were, why would you need a concierge?
If you are at work for most of your day or are involved in a busy social life and have a mass of errands to do but simply don’t have the time you can call on the services of a personal concierge who can take on those errands, sort them and have them completed for you so that you do not have to lose any time away from work or interrupt your daily schedule.
Some of these services include:
- Running miscellaneous errands
- Relocation services
- Making travel arrangements
- Mail pickup
- Meal pickup from chef services
- Dinner reservations at favourite or notable restaurants
- Light housekeeping duties
- Car repairs, oil change, car wash
- Queuing to pay your bills or to collect your car tax renewal
- Special event or party planning
- Finding, wrapping and delivering special gifts for you
- rdering and sending flowers, chocolates or hampers
- Plant care and pet care
- Picking up dry cleaning
- Organising building or interior decorating arrangements
- Sorting out gardening and landscaping services
- Dealing with cleaners or maid services
- Organising carpet or upholstery cleaning
- Making concert, theatre or movie reservations
- Grocery and household shopping
- Locating hard-to-find items and collectibles
- Booking you in at one the finest of spas or beauty salons
- Sending a professional masseur/masseuse to your preferred location
- Have your golf tee-off times arranged for some of the best courses
- Arranging for on-the-spot business services or business related essentials
- Arranging chauffeur services, flight bookings or even your own private yacht
A personal concierge should be personal in nearly every sense of the word, developing a strong and lasting relationship with you and your family. This way they get to understand your very individual needs. However be aware though that discussing your personal requirements with a comparative stranger can be rather like inviting someone to share your very personal space.
The foremost concierge services are appreciative of these possible apprehensions and are more than willing to work with you and your family by setting out to make you feel relaxed and comfortable when entering your world.
There are many things to consider before employing the services of a personal concierge.
For example:
- Are they security checked?
- Can they provide recommendations from previous clients?
- Will they grant you permission to contact some of their clients?
- What insurance do they hold – will it be enough to cover any personal liability?
- Are they flexible and willing enough to meet your needs?
- Do you and your family feel comfortable with them?
- Do they make a genuine effort to get to know you?
- Will they like and be able to deal with your animals?
- Will you be able to communicate effectively to ensure your ‘to do’ list gets done?
- Do you feel comfortable asking your concierge to do virtually anything at anytime?
- Are they willing to help you in whatever situation?
Concierge services can bill their clients in a variety of ways. For instance, some charge membership fees based on how many requests are usually made per month, while others bill on monthly retainers. There are also those that charge by the service or by the hour. It's really up to you to tailor the service to meet your needs.
For the seriously rich there is also the option of joining an exclusive private members' club that offers 24-hour global concierge services. With an ethos of providing only the very best, many of the more established clubs have offices in almost every major destination and thousands of suppliers worldwide are on hand to satisfy their member’s requirements, round the clock, 365 days a year. These hallowed agents pride themselves on being able to deliver top quality concierge services, no matter how complicated the requests from their members.
Related Sections: