How can you build a team of concierge staff that exceeds guest expectations?

1 Hire the right people

The first step is to hire people who have the right attitude, skills, and personality for the concierge role. Look for candidates who are friendly, courteous, attentive, and empathetic. They should also have excellent communication, problem-solving, and multitasking skills, as well as a passion for hospitality and a willingness to learn. You can use behavioral interviews, role-playing scenarios, and personality tests to assess their suitability for the job.

2 Train them well

The second step is to train your concierge staff well, both on the technical and the soft aspects of the service. They should be familiar with your hotel's policies, procedures, systems, and amenities, as well as the local area, attractions, events, and culture. They should also be taught how to handle different types of guests, requests, and situations, and how to use their initiative, creativity, and judgment to deliver exceptional service. You can use a combination of online courses, workshops, mentoring, and shadowing to provide them with the necessary knowledge and skills.

3 Empower them

The third step is to empower your concierge staff to make decisions and take actions that benefit your guests. You should give them the authority, resources, and tools to fulfill their guests' needs and wants, and to go above and beyond their expectations. You should also encourage them to be proactive, innovative, and flexible, and to personalize their service according to each guest's preferences and profile. You should also support them when they face challenges or make mistakes, and help them learn from them.

5 Monitor them

The fifth step is to monitor your concierge staff's performance and service quality, and to measure their impact on your guests' satisfaction and loyalty. You should use various methods and tools to collect and analyze data on your concierge staff's activities, interactions, and outcomes, such as surveys, reviews, ratings, comments, complaints, compliments, and referrals. You should also use mystery shoppers, audits, and observations to evaluate their service standards and behaviors. You should use the results to identify strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats, and to make adjustments and improvements accordingly.

6 Involve them

The sixth step is to involve your concierge staff in the planning, execution, and evaluation of your service strategy and goals. You should solicit their input, feedback, and suggestions on how to enhance your service, and listen to their opinions, concerns, and ideas. You should also involve them in the decision-making and problem-solving processes, and give them a sense of ownership and responsibility for the service. You should also foster a culture of collaboration and teamwork, where they share their knowledge, skills, and experiences with each other, and support each other.