A concierge service? An unattractive, almost surly term, so connoted that it sounds like something out of Balzac's old Paris... Well, this term, revisited as a contemporary lifestyle, is now all the rage, not only among the fickle members of the jet set, but also among VIPs and other senior executives in the corporate world. As a result, alongside the traditional concierges of luxury hotels - those who know everything about everything and respond discreetly to the slightest request in less than three minutes - a new way of dealing with the unusual or the urgent has emerged, leading to the creation of dedicated agencies and the emergence of new professions with an ultra-furnished address book.
Although today's concierge no longer looks after the jewels of royal palaces as he did in his early days, he has become the soul of prestigious hotels, renowned châteaux and luxurious residences. As Lionel Lorans, concierge at the Hôtel Raphaël in Paris and vice-president of the Union nationale des concierges d'hôtels Clefs d'or, describes, "the concierge is the first person you meet when you walk through the door of a luxury establishment. It's the first image you have of the place".. Part steward, part butler, part public relations officer, he responds to the client's every wish, ensuring his well-being 24 hours a day. Patient, discreet, cultured, resourceful, diplomatic, good-looking, bilingual in at least English... he will meet almost any request, as long as it is not illegal or immoral - and all in record time! After all, most requests are made at the last minute: booking a table in a Michelin-starred restaurant, tickets for an overbooked show, an evening dress to be found within the hour...
Thierry Godin, Clefs d'or concierge, has been working at the Grand Hôtel Barrière in Dinard for over twenty years. He has learnt to juggle his many contacts, keep his cool in all circumstances and solve many problems, never departing from the adage of his guild: "If a concierge can't find it, you won't find it!" He remembers one customer who asked him for a new service every morning: send a damaged suitcase for repair in Switzerland and return it directly to her Swiss home, book a private plane to any destination, find a lifeguard for her daughter or a babysitter for her young child... "Every day, I knew I had a new challenge to take on!" Thierry Godin uses both his address book and the Clefs d'or network to carry out his missions. Indeed, the association's motto, "service through friendshipThis is the only way to ensure the mutual assistance of its members all over the world. Information is exchanged by telephone or e-mail, enabling customers to be satisfied in record time.
The hallmark of a luxury hotel is to be able to meet their customers' every wish. The address book and expertise of Clefs d'or concierges, a distinction that recognises the best professionals, enable them to meet their clients' every expectation, from the most basic to the most far-fetched.
Some hotels, such as the Four Seasons George V and the Bristol, have dedicated a website to their concierge service, while others have equipped their staff with iPads. But contrary to popular belief, extravagant demands are more anecdotal than everyday, as Lionel Lorans points out: "The most common requests are for restaurant reservations, airline tickets or theatre tickets, tourist advice or even small services such as making sure that the customer receives the local newspaper every morning or picking up a parcel left behind in a shop". With businessmen, concierges work more in a hurry: cufflinks to find, buying medicine to relieve a headache, services directly linked to the professional world...
As you can see, it's a life far removed from the clichés associated with this profession, no doubt due to its cohabitation with the gotha and the international jet-set, and therefore potentially the holder of secrets that would thrill many a celebrity...
Immediate response
This reputation is also reflected in the number of private concierge services, which have exploded in France over the last ten years. In the Côte d'Azur, for example, according to the tourist office, their number tripled between 2009 and 2010! Playing on the confidential aspects, these companies aim to lighten the daily lives of managers and company directors, allowing them to devote themselves entirely to their active lives.
In 2003, one of the pioneers, Zachary Chanou, launched UUU (Ultimate Luxury for You and Only You), a company specialising in providing support for top managers, including a B to B Corporate department and a B to C branch. With employees from the hotel, events and luxury sectors, UUU handles both hotel reservation requests and the organisation of in-house incentive campaigns. "But still very high-end".says Zachary Chanou, who also notes that "that the market is growing exponentially. When private concierge services first appeared on the scene, the French didn't really understand the usefulness of such a service... It's just that they didn't imagine building wardens taking out the rubbish! The company, which doubles its sales almost every year, now has almost 4,000 customers, including 70 % from outside France; around sixty correspondents throughout the world, and relies on a network of over 10,000 service providers.
When they call on UUU, customers are above all looking for high-performance personal assistants and impeccable, precise service. Nothing ostentatious in any case; just perfection... Because by acting on behalf of a company, the concierge also conveys its image. So it's vital to take care of every detail, whether it's booking a chauffeur-driven car, choosing the right table for the guest or welcoming a guest on arrival in France. Everything has to be perfect! Especially when the company invites its best customers, as is often the case at major international events such as the Paris Motor Show. VIP guests are entitled to a VIP welcome, with made-to-measure services and exclusive use of exceptional venues.
Important points of passage for travellersAirports are gradually introducing their own range of services. Aéroports de Paris, for example, has just launched La Conciergerie to make life easier for executives travelling to and from the airport.
On one occasion, the company privatised the Château de Versailles for 250 American managers, setting up a table to accommodate them all, serving a gourmet dinner and moving a troupe from the Paris Opera. For another client, the concierge service organised a night-time helicopter flight over Hong Kong. Buoyed by its success, UUU has opened two new departments: Ultimate Players, a concierge service dedicated to sports enthusiasts, and Ultimate Paris Gate, aimed exclusively at international and provincial clients. Modules are offered on a daily, weekly and monthly basis.
The quest for perfection also requires a close understanding of our customers. To achieve this, John Paul has created its own software. Along with UUU, this company is one of the largest private concierge services in France, with sales of €4 million and 80 employees in Paris. It manages all requests and draws up a behavioural profile for each of its customers. By determining their expectations, the concierge service is able to respond quickly to their needs. Regardless of which concierge handles the request.
At the service of companies
David Amsellem, Chairman of John Paul, points out that, "Contrary to popular belief, concierge services are not just for billionaires or CAC 40 companies! Nearly 85 % of its turnover comes from its B to B activity, where the employees of the client company become private members of the concierge service and are offered a sliding scale of charges according to their requests. John Paul works with the SNCF, L'Oréal, Nestlé and Orange. "Our work revolves around three areas: day-to-day emergencies such as plumbers, baby-sitters or car registration renewals; lifestyle issues such as booking restaurants, tickets for shows or museums; and, finally, managing more comprehensive requests such as organising a holiday or organising a special event".adds David Amsellem.
But whether they are executives or VIPs, the demands are much the same: to simplify their daily lives and provide a personalised solution. So the most difficult requests to satisfy are not necessarily the most spectacular: retrieving a piece of clothing left behind on a train or getting tickets for a show when the venue has been sold out for a long time are much more difficult challenges! However, John Paul also satisfies some bizarre requests, such as an airport transfer in a tank and the requisition of thirty or so penguins for a Black and White evening!
With overloaded diariesWhen it comes to the little details of everyday life, business leaders often don't have enough time. New concierge service providers, such as John Paul and Ultimate Luxury for You and You Only (UUU), take care of the success of their moments of relaxation, from booking a Michelin-starred table (here, Paul Bocuse) to organising a complete holiday anywhere in the world (here, the underwater restaurant at the Conrad Maldives Rangali Island).
In terms of market trends, David Amsellem is convinced that "the trend is towards anticipating requests. As well as responding to a problem, we need to become a source of recommendations! For example, for a wine enthusiast, we're going to offer a private tasting of wines selected by us and matching their tastes, close to their home. Many luxury concierge services also offer exclusive services such as newsletters listing the best deals and negotiated offers available.
But it's also about opening doors through your address book. This is what Émilie Lanoe, director of the eponymous concierge service, does. "I play on extreme personalisation".says the young woman. So, for both private individuals and companies, she finds a last-minute box at Roland-Garros or a room in Cannes during the festival, a table at a Michelin-starred chef's, an invitation to an ultra-chic vernissage, or even organises the family holiday of an overworked businesswoman from A to Z.
In-house concierge service
Companies can also call on concierge services that are entirely dedicated to businesses. Co-financed by the employer, their aim is to make life easier for all employees. The aim? To promote the well-being of staff by giving them free time, outside the workplace of course. The result is that, with their minds completely free of everyday worries, they are less stressed and therefore more effective at work. It's a win-win situation for the company, whose image as an employer is enhanced by this attention, and which also benefits from additional grants and tax credits!
Organising an evening at Crazy Horse These exclusive services, which were once the preserve of luxury hotels, are now within reach of the professional world thanks to the development of private concierge services, a rapidly expanding sector.
This practice, common in the United States, is still in its infancy in France. It is nevertheless tending to develop, supported by the Borloo and Wauquiez plans. The services on offer range from the delivery of a meal tray to car cleaning, ironing, finding a babysitter and massage sessions. "We play a real part in the life of the company by organising various in-house events: flower market, organic week, book fair, Christmas preparations, etc.".says Christophe Faelens, founder of Zen et Bien. This concierge service makes it a point of honour to work with quality local suppliers, with whom it negotiates attractive prices. Hotels with Clefs d'or concierges even call on them for their staff! This type of concierge service is immediately welcomed by employees, and is used by companies of all sizes, from multinationals to SMEs, whatever their field of activity. In Brest, for example, the vast majority of César concierge service customers are companies with fewer than 200 employees.
"Even if attitudes are a little slow to change in the provinces, demand is exponential, because the spin-offs are very important for the company".says manager Sylvie César. And whatever the type of concierge service, they all provide their customers - overbooked managers, the happy few or non-executive employees - with unique moments of luxury, making their daily lives more enjoyable. Happiness at work, in a way...
Golden key concierges
Founded in Paris in 1929 by Pierre Quentin, the Union professionnelle des concierges des grands hôtels has since become the Union internationale des concierges d'hôtels. "Les Clefs d'or in 1999. Today, it has almost 3,650 concierges in some fifty countries, including 426 in France. They all represent the elite of the profession, and can be identified by the two small crossed gold keys they wear on the lapel of their uniform.
To join, candidates must meet strict criteria: they must have been in post for two years and be sponsored by two Clefs d'or concierges. Once accepted, they become associate members for three years, during which time they may be removed if they do not meet the corporation's values, before becoming active members.
In 2007, in order to promote and enhance this profession, the Clefs d'or set up a partnership with the Lycée des métiers de l'hôtellerie et du tourisme d'Occitanie, in Toulouse, a vocational training course for chefs. "hotel concierge. This is a one-year sandwich course, with a maximum intake of 14 students. All graduates have found a job on completion of the course!
