Many a time during a vacation or a business trip we come across a concierge desk at the hotel that we have been put up. Often the foreigners residing at the hotel interact with the people at the concierge desk, while we hardly ever ask them for assistance. This could perhaps be attributed to our lack of knowledge about the role that a concierge plays.
At the recently held annual general meeting of the Les Clefs d’Or India, where the Concierge Map of Pune was launched by the general managers of city hotels, we tried to find out more of the role that a concierge plays and how important they are for promoting tourism.
Shaunak Vengurlekar, honorary president, Concierge Association of Western Region, explains that Les Clefs d’Or is a professional association of hotel concierges, with approximately 4,000 members. At the meeting, new Clefs d’Or Concierge members to Les Clefs d’Or India were inducted.
Speaking about their role, Vengurlekar says, “One can easily identify the concierge belonging to the association by the golden crossed keys on their lapels.” A hotel concierge needs to have several years of experience, pass a comprehensive test and prove that they will be able to deliver the highest quality of service, before they earn the right to wear the golden keys.
Vengurlekar points out that becoming a concierge is not an easy task. “S/he requires patience and hospitality skills along with immense knowledge of the city and the country that they are placed in,” he says, adding, “Their primary role is to help guests with whatever they require — be it making a reservation, things to do and places to see in a city. Now how are you going to guide someone if you are not aware of your own surroundings and the requirements of the guests?”
Talking about Pune, Vengurlekar says, “From a slumber town it has become a city. Hence there are so many hotels coming up in the city — business hotels, luxury hotels and even resorts for that matter. This has resulted in a lot of traction by foreign officials, who are visiting the city for business, travel, leisure and education reasons. As a concierge, we can guide these people and encourage them to visit places in and around the city that are unique. In a city like Pune, there is so much to explore which even the residents fail to do so. Be it art, culture or entertainment, the city has it all. With the hotel industry booming in the city, as concierge it is their responsibility to put the city and the places around it on a map,” says Vengurlekar.
These places need to be identified and then promoted to boost regional tourism which is what exactly concierges do. The map that was launched serves as a guide to anyone new in the city wanting to explore the life and essence of the place.
“So the next time you are in a different city or visiting a different country, strike a conversation with the concierge at the hotel. They will be able to guide you through the city or the places depending on your interests because no one knows the city or the place like they do. They have met people from so many countries that they know what can make the stay marvellous and memorable for the guests,” he concludes.
