How it is arranged: Concierge Service at the hotel

Tells Gleb Crochekov, head of the Concierge Service of the Four Seasons Moscow.

Our compatriots do not always know what a concierge needed in hotels. So: concierges exist, as a rule, in four- and five-star hotels. If you look at what sizes are our rack, then you will understand – we are no less important than those who help you register and go to the room. Usually, guests do not ask the Council concierge, they require the execution of some particular task. In fact, concierge is a person who, like Gin, is performing any wishes. Of course, there is a trait that we cannot overcall: we never break the law. Everything else is subject to us.

We have the biggest team of concierge in the CIS – six people plus a back-office concierge, which responds to emails and performs important assignments of guests and colleagues. Letters come from guests and from people who want to come, and even from those people who are not at all stopping in our hotel. We do not refuse to anyone. Of course, preferences we provide those people who have a booking, or they will live in our hotel already for sure, or live or lived sometime. It happens that our guests come to us who travel around the world and they need help in other countries. For example, we recently called our guest from Mauritius Island and requested help.

For guests – we, of course, often guides in Moscow. The most common requests to us – recommend the restaurant, book a plane tickets, to the theater, organize a tour. Non-standard tasks – our horse. More recently, we organized a meeting with the veterans of the Great Patriotic War for guests from Argentina. They turned out to be Ukrainian roots, and they came to thank our veterans for their lives. At a meeting with them, they simply said: "Thank you very much that we are alive, what we are, we were born thanks to you.

There are interesting logistics tasks. For example, one guest from the Arab Emirates bought a gigantic carved wooden statue of the Slavic Warrior weighing 300 kg – such a hero. To be honest, I remember my Soviet childhood, and we have such figures on the playground stood, such chests. And here is a landlocked Guest asked to deliver him to the mansion in London. At first, the Lesovik came to the hotel and lived with us for two weeks, while we were determined with delivery. And all because the shipment of such non-standard cargo requires certain documents from the Ministry of Culture (it is necessary to confirm that the knight does not represent any historical value), and then the search for a company that will deal with such large-sized transportation. Of course, we managed to transport Vityaz to London, but the main problem was waiting for us exactly. Guest wanted not only delivery to the house, but also lifting a statue on the third floor, because I knew exactly in which room and in what place the statue should stand. As a result, we called in London a crane and on the winch raised the cargo through the window in the room.

Recently, one of our guests forgot his dear mobile phone in a taxi in Qatar, came to us very upset and asked to help out his phone. We got through to this number, took the phone to the taxi driver, but he did not speak English. We quickly found among our employees of the speaker in Arabic, agreed with the taxi driver, he brought the phone to Four Seasons in Doha. We specifically asked our colleagues to thank the taxi driver for his honesty and help, and he didn’t even want to take money – in the Arab mentality it was imposed that it is impossible to take someone else, and for him to return the phone was in the order of things. Then my colleague, a concierge from Doha, brought this phone to the International Congress to Dubai, I received it and delivered it in a few days a guest to the hotel. And most recently, we organized the bars of the daughter of one of our guests: with a father, a god dad, a godmother. So that we start to give such assignments, we must conquer the guest’s trust.

Become a member of the organization "Golden Keys" – this is a certain status for concierge. If, traveling around the world, you will see a concierge with golden keys on the lapel of the jacket, you know – this is a kind of confirmation of high professionalism, quality of services and greater experience. To join "Golden Keys", the concierge must at least five years to work in a hotel, three of them – concierge, and then pass a series of tests. Concierge should know, he must take part in meetings, proven itself, make up and protect an annual project that will benefit "golden keys": it may be an information booklet, some almanac of Restaurant Recommendations.

Some hotels on one rack of the concierge service can be concierge and gold keys on lakes, and without. But in some hotels is a quality standard. "Golden Keys" give us huge opportunities. First, you understand that anywhere in the world you have your brother or sister who are ready to share your workshops, contacts, and this is a certain case of honor – to help your brother from another country with "golden keys". This is something like the sect: in the world in the world more than 3,000 "golden keys" members. Member has the right to be only a hotel concierge. There is a huge number of concierge companies that provide similar services, but not in hotels. But true concierge – hotel. How champagne, which can only be from the province of Champagne, the rest – sparkling wine.

There are some unrealistic requests: for example, "today fly into space". Of course, we will not be able to do, but we will be able to offer an alternative – fly on the air pipe, feel the weightlessness of a similar plan (ride on a racing car or fly to the MiG-29 fighter), that is, to get closer to the flight in space for sensations.

Our work never ends. We have no vacation. Even if it is on paper, you still call guests 24 hours a day. I am a chef confess to the team, so I get calls at 3 am from guests directly, because the guests trust me and understand that I can help. When we visit restaurants, some clubs, bars, go on excursions, parties, we always look: Can we recommend this. There are certain standards of the hotel, by default we must advise restaurants with high ratings, but we always repel from the preferences of the guests themselves. All that I advertise I or my guys tested on yourself. Today, after work, we must visit about three places: two new bars and another exhibition. This is a kind of audit, I feel at the place of the guest who came. Sometimes we require the English-speaking menu to see, sometimes we ask questions on the organization of banquets. Despite the fact that at the moment we do not think to organize anything, potentially we are wondering how much it costs one or another room whether it is possible to extend the opening hours of the restaurant – our guests that come late flight often require the opening of a restaurant in a clock clock. Each concierge has a network of contacts, and if we cannot do something ourselves, we appeal to our colleagues: someone will help, the world is not without good people. Any question can be performed, the question in the money and time. The best concierge is the one who has the largest network of contacts. Guests are often asked to buy gifts: as a rule, fashion boutiques are very friendly with concierges of five star hotels, and we have the opportunity to bring several models right here, in the hotel. Boutiques understand: if today Guest acquired one pair of sneakers, it is quite possible that tomorrow he will make a large purchase.

Once a guest, for example, entrusted me to buy nine "kamaz". And another guest – two rabbits

In our work, the balance is important: the guest should be satisfied with the hotel, but it does not mean that he becomes our master if he paid a lot of money. We are trying to smooth out the corners. If the situation comes out of control, the security service works, and works very well. This is a matter of one minute, one call – and we will come to the rescue. First, we defend our other guests, and secondly – our employees. Stop-list guests we do not. But if the guests do not pay large accounts, leaving without payment and if we cannot, for example, write off the debt from the guest card, then in the second visit the guest or pays the bill and settled, or it does not set out anymore. There are guests who are not guests at all, as well as: come to the hotel, run from one hotel to the other, do not order anything and disrupt the rest of the guests. And we usually exchange with other hotels with lists in which there are similar people and unreliable guests. When a person orders a service in the concierge service, we will organize it, but do not pass money: the guest binds directly with those people or organizations that we picked him up and sign accounts. So cases when a person ordered nine "kamaz" and disappeared – exclude.

The concierge receives a salary from the hotel, but at the same time it is customary that he leaves the tip. We always use the same phrase: "At your discretion". There are guests who do not give tips for serious requests, and this, let’s say so sad. We, of course, do not talk about this concierge colleagues from other hotels. But but always warn when it goes good, generous guest. Sometimes it turns out funny: for example, our compatriots often do not leave Tip in Russia in Russia. Because in our society there is a stereotype: to give tea to the waiter, but not to give a concierge. But when I call my colleagues to Paris and please order a car for such a guest so that he was met at the airport, at the other end of the wire begins to exclaim: "Oh, how great, our permanent guest goes, of course, we will do everything. No payment guarantees will come – everything will pay ". And I ask timidly: But why do you care about this guest? And I answer me: "You are what when he drives, there is no one who has no one week". And I am very strange to hear it, because in Moscow this guest does not leave tips even waiters at breakfast.

Sometimes called concierge. Or still guards that open the barriers. But recently, people are increasingly understanding what concierge is. In the case of all sorts of small thefts or troubles, a credit card number takes. After his departure in the room, an inventory is carried out: if the guest took something with you, scratched the bed or broke the lamp – he should pay it. True, I know the story of colleagues from one Moscow hotel, as Indian guests carried a mattress through the central entrance. They asked the seven rolls in advance, this mattress was wrapped, and carried out – as allegedly the picture as a gift to one of his friends in Mumbai. Got into a car with this convolution and went to the airport.

Celebrities who live in the hotel under the fictional names are actually a lot. We really know that they are celebrities, because during settlement they show their real passport. But if they are pseudonyms, then we call them exclusively so

It happens that concierge is friends with guests. But it is important for us not to cross the face. We sometimes have personal, close relationships. We know when their children’s birthday, what is the name of their dog, what the color of the carpet is at home in Australia – we are somehow involved in their privacy. But the standards of the hotel, for example, require us to always call the guest by the last name with the prefix "Mr." or "Mrs.", even if the guest insists on handling by name. We are distant, because sooner or later, when you become a friend, the guest may ask you about something, about some kind of discount – and here we are unfortunately, do not dominate. In my phone there is about two or three contacts in each country of the world of our guests who call me to visit. And I have never taken advantage of these suggestions.

Jars with shampoo, disposable toothbrushes, knobs, notepads – everything that is in the room for immediate use, you can carry with you as a souvenir. Moreover, we have guests who are asked to bring them six or seven handles to bring souvenir from Moscow. Some stationary things – for example, a coffee machine or a remote control from the TV – of course, it is impossible to carry out the hotel. Moreover, our rooms are iPad, which are newspapers, control panel and calling room together. This iPad also cannot be taken with you. By the way, and outside the room, it is also completely useless: the software is configured so that it works only in the room.

Sometimes we can give something: everything is frightening what guest, how often it stops with us, how much money spends money in our hotel, what is his status. Most recently, guests have requested a popsicle, for example. The most delicious popsicle, I remember since childhood, – in Gum. We quickly found, bought, delivered ten minutes a guest in a room in a large vase with ice. And everything for free.

In our hotel, during operation you can not sit down. But such requirements differ from the hotel to the hotel. Before that, I worked at the InterContinental Concierge Hotel, there was a table and two chairs, which have a conversation.

We can not drink alcohol in the walls of the hotel, even if the guest asks. And we do not go to the bathhouse. But if the guest suggested to make him a company, for example, to the market, we do not refuse. We regularly go with guests to Danilovsky and Dorogomilovsky to buy black caviar, choose fish. This is insanely interesting, and guests like it very much. We, as a rule, do not even change clothes, and go in shape with golden keys on the lapels to once again explain to others what we do and how important it is to have contact with us, because we bring guests who make large purchases.

Sometimes people live in hotels in the years. Even Muscovites sometimes live with us for several years – it is just more convenient: you are always at hand service, 24 hours a day. They know that they will always help them and they are always safe.

Dream guests are, firstly, a person with humor, a multicultural person who likes to travel and who appreciates culture. I like foreign guests who teach our. I adore them because I consider it a certain indicator of respect for the country where you are.