The hospitality industry — having played a pivotal part in community life around the world for thousands of years — has long been defined by personalized service and exceptional attention to detail. Throughout this sector’s storied past, the concierge has emerged as one of the most iconic roles.
Today, contemporary concierges continue to enhance guest experiences, solve problems, and provide personalized services, and in many cases, they are regarded as the face of the hospitality industry.
What Is a Concierge?
A concierge is a hospitality professional who specializes in assisting guests and patrons with their questions and requests. According to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), concierges may work in hotels, residential buildings, or office buildings, and they set themselves apart from general guest services employees by focusing on personalized experiences rather than operational tasks.
The History and Evolution of the Concierge Role
The concierge role can be traced back to medieval times, when the comte des cierges position — the keeper of the candles — emerged in noble circles in France. This position, which was dedicated to personalized care and attention, continued to evolve over time, with the modern concierge role first coming to fruition in the early days of the leisure travel industry in Europe in the 19th century. Quickly, concierges became integral to hotels, luxury travel companies, and lifestyle services providers, cementing their iconic role in the hospitality industry.
Now, in a digital-first society and amid an age of artificial intelligence (AI), virtual assistant capabilities have the potential to personalize experiences for customers, even if they cannot fully replace human concierges.
What Does a Concierge Do?
A professional who works at the concierge desk will provide a variety of services:
Personalized Guest Assistance
The primary responsibility of a concierge is to provide personalized guest assistance. This can entail making reservations, providing translation services, organizing celebrations, or even tying a bow tie for a guest heading to a formal event.
Reservations and VIP Access
Concierges are often able to help guests secure hard-to-get reservations and book VIP access tours, allowing them to feel pampered during their stay.
Travel and Transportation Coordination
Concierges often handle travel and transportation logistics for guests, such as booking ride shares, ordering limousine services, or securing transportation to and from the local airport.
Insider Knowledge and Recommendations
Guests often rely on concierges for personalized recommendations, like a hidden gem restaurant that a typical traveler may not know about or the perfect park for a marriage proposal.
Handling Special Requests
When guests have special requests and unique needs, concierges work to make sure that they have a safe, healthy, and happy stay. Special requests (e.g., adding a welcome basket to a room or ordering turndown service) can be handled by the hotel concierge.
Types of Concierges
Concierges are commonly associated with hotels, but they work in several settings beyond the concierge desk. According to the BLS, the following are common workplace settings for concierges:
Hotel Concierge
Hotel concierges go above and beyond to ensure that guests enjoy an exceptional stay with personalized service. They can help secure in-demand restaurant reservations, offer localized recommendations, and access hard-to-get tickets to the top events in town.
Residential Concierge
Residential concierges typically work in apartment buildings or independent living facilities in order to provide residents with personalized assistance for day-to-day tasks. These concierges provide tailored services to connect residents to amenities within the facility as well as in the local community.
Corporate Concierge
Corporate concierges work in office buildings to assist both employees and guests. They focus primarily on streamlining daily tasks, like:
- Scheduling meetings
- Booking reservations at restaurants
- Coordinating transportation
- Finalizing travel arrangements
Travel and Lifestyle Concierge
A travel and lifestyle concierge is a luxury hospitality professional who delivers personalized service directly to clients. They offer travel planning and personal assisting services, with an emphasis on tailored experiences and exceptional results.
Concierge vs. Front Desk: What’s the Difference?
There are distinct differences between concierges and those who work at the front desk. Front desk staff for lodging services focus primarily on operational tasks, such as check-ins and answering phone calls. Concierges specialize in personalized guest services and strive to create memorable experiences for guests.
What Skills Do You Need as a Concierge?
As noted in Success magazine, today’s travelers and patrons are in search of next-level experiences, requiring concierges to go the extra mile to provide custom-curated service. These are the key skills and experience needed to succeed as a concierge:
Exceptional Communication
Clear, concise, and honest communication is necessary when you work at the concierge desk. In addition to having exceptional verbal and written communication, concierges hone their body language to appear welcoming, ready, willing, and able to fulfill guest requests.
Local Expertise
Patrons rely on concierges for local expertise and inside knowledge, calling for familiarity with the best experiences, attractions, and businesses in your destination.
Organizational Skills
In most cases, concierges are required to manage multiple requests at once — so it pays off to be organized, detail-oriented, and self-motivated.
Problem-Solving and Creativity
When a guest asks a concierge for help, the expectation is that their request will be fulfilled. Thus, concierges are ideally adept problem-solvers who can think creatively in order to ensure that the guest enjoys the exceptional experience they deserve.
Customer Service Excellence
In many ways, concierges are the face of customer service for the building. They should aim to be friendly, approachable, and willing to do what it takes to deliver results.
How to Become a Concierge
Concierges enjoy a rewarding role in the hospitality industry. Here are the steps to consider taking if you are looking to secure a position as a concierge:
Earn a Highschool Diploma
Most concierge roles require only a high school diploma, making it an accessible entry point into the hospitality industry. This position offers valuable, hands-on experience in guest services, communication, and problem-solving, skills that serve as a foundation for many future hospitality leadership careers.
Gain Experience in Guest Services
After completing your degree program, you might pursue guest services positions that allow you to become comfortable working with customers while developing the skill set needed to quickly fulfill requests.
Develop Local Knowledge and Networks
Concierges are considered local experts, so before you begin working at the concierge desk, it’s wise to grow your professional network and become familiar with the best offerings in your destination. Additionally, you can learn concierge-specific skills by pursuing industry credentials, such as the National Concierge Association certification.
Pursue Concierge Positions
With a solid background in the hospitality industry and an in-depth understanding of your local destination, you may be able to begin to seek concierge positions at hotels, residential facilities, or office buildings.
Consider a Bachelor’s in Hospitality Management for Career Advancement
While a degree isn’t required to become a concierge, earning a bachelor’s in hospitality management can create opportunities for advancement into supervisory or management roles. Many professionals begin as concierges to gain real-world experience, then pursue a degree to prepare for roles such as guest services manager, front office manager, or hotel operations director.
Prepare for Leadership Roles in the Hospitality Industry at Johnson & Wales University Online
Working as a concierge provides a strong foundation in customer service and hotel operations, but long-term career growth in hospitality often requires management-level expertise. JWU Online’s Bachelor of Science in Hospitality Management is designed to help professionals take that next step.
The program’s curriculum combines core business principles with hospitality-specific courses, giving students the skills needed to supervise front desk, concierge, and guest relations staff while driving exceptional guest experiences.
For more information about completing your degree online, complete the Request Info form, call 855-JWU-1881, or email [email protected].
FAQs About Concierges
Hotel concierges deliver a wide range of personalized services, with an emphasis on offering guests a memorable experience. They may make restaurant reservations, book tours and activities, secure transportation, or provide local recommendations.
A concierge focuses on providing personalized services and curating memorable experiences for patrons, whereas a personal assistant is responsible for managing the daily tasks of their clients.
Yes, due to their extensive professional network and industry connections, some concierges may have exclusive access to events and high-demand attractions.
