May I help you?

In the movies, a concierge's character runs the gamut from evil to stereotypical. He is suspicious as he breaks into a room to prove a guest is a fraud (Home Alone 2: Lost in New York). Or ambitious as he plans to open his own hotel (For Love or Money). Or stuffy, yet generous to guests (Pretty Woman). Or compassionate to hotel staff (Maid in Manhattan). But in the hospitality industry, a concierge defies characterisation.

He is an affable, amenable and efficient travel consultant, tour guide, transport in-charge, social adviser, personal secretary, handyman and even a friend.

He arranges gifts, books salon appointments, gets tickets to an exclusive show, charters a private jet, plans a surprise, hires a car, makes dinner reservations, charges cellphones and repairs shoes.

And if you're upset or stressed, offer you a cup of tea or coffee.

He also accedes to your most bizarre demands with one proviso:

it should be legal. So we hear stories of how a concierge helped a Kuwaiti guest to buy pesticide for his date plantation and sourced a quotation for a British guest who wanted a robot camel rider. We also hear stories of how he turned down a guest who asked for a replacement part for his personal gun.

In a week, Joseph David, concierge at The Palace Hotel, Old Town, Burj Dubai, attends to 200 guests, providing information, guidance and assistance.

The queries vary from the routine to the strange. Yet his role "is more than that of a moving, talking database," says the winner of the Concierge of the Year Awards 2008,
an event sponsored by Wafi and the Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM) that concluded in October.

A concierge's role can be intimidating given the questions he is asked. Sometimes the desk feels like a lectern at a GK quiz, says David who scored the highest for the Mystery Guest round of the competition.

(The mystery guests were chosen by an independent international team that visited the 38 participating five- star hotels four times each over a period of six months.)
The overall scores were between 68-96 (out of 100).

"It gives one an idea of the high standards in the region," says Sally Meech, public relations manager of Wafi, Dubai,
who has worked in the hospitality industry for 20 years in the UK and the UAE.

Wafi has sponsored the Awards for the past seven years. In the two years that Meech has been with the company, she helped facilitate the collaboration between DTCM and Wafi. "The competition creates friendly rivalry between hotels,
which improves the hospitality service in the UAE," she says.

The Awards On the evening of the Awards, David was working. His plan was to attend the Gala Dinner on the Wafi Roof Top Gardens halfway through the ceremony.

The moment he completed his shift, he changed and drove towards Wafi. En route a friend attending the ceremony called on his cellphone. "'They've just announced you as the winner. Your boss is delivering a speech on your behalf,' he said. I didn't believe him," recalls David.

The disbelief was partly because he didn't win any categories when he entered the competition two years ago and that The Palace Hotel was barely a year old.

David didn't make it in time, but he was thrilled with the announcement. "It was a tough competition. The recognition means a lot," he says.

Meech says the Mystery Guest round posed a formidable challenge. "The mystery guest could have showed up on the day the concierge was having a bad day. He had to be prepared."

"It was impossible to differentiate between the mystery and real guest. It's not like being quizzed in front of a panel of judges," says David, who admits that honouring the most unwonted request is the easy part.

The difficult part "is to be sapient and use the right mix of professionalism and friendliness. My job represents my personality and character as well as the willingness to go the extra mile".

The Awards investigated various areas of knowledge like culture, heritage, attractions, events, shopping and bargaining. "We had a strict marking system for all categories. The awards were allocated on the basis of the results from the Mystery Guest reports, two-day quizzes and individual presentations by all participating hotels," says Meech.

The questions presented to the participants tested their resourcefulness and knowledge. One situation was of an elderly American lady guest who says to the concierge, "When I travel, I like to go where the natives are. Where can I go and what can I do with the local people?"

Another was of a guest who wanted to propose marriage and wanted a venue recommendation.

And another was of a guest who didn't know where he could take his partially-disabled 80-year-old German-speaking mother-in-law.

Some questions were on current or forthcoming events like 'what is the Dubai Desert Challenge and when is it held'. "We [DTCM and Wafi] prepared the questions," says Meech.
David received Dh15,000 as a cash reward from Wafi and a trip to attend the International Clefs D'Or Congress, run by the Union Internationale des Concierges d'Hôtels (UICH) in China next year courtesy DTCM. Some of the other award categories were First Class Customer Care, Outstanding Knowledge of Culture and Heritage and Head Concierge
of the Year.

The role

David started out in the hospitality industry as a receptionist in 1997. And has since worked with three-, four- and five-star hotels as a bellboy, airport representative and concierge.

When people ask him the best position to train as a concierge, he says, "The bell desk or the reception; you glean a lot through guest interaction. You can then work your way up." His current role isn't easy to define as he provides assistance in hotel services, entertainment, recreation facilities, restaurants, luggage, transport and sightseeing.

A concierge is usually the first and last point of contact. The areas he involves himself may differ "depending on the hotel set-up", says Meech, explaining that the role is a combination of different functions.

In a traditional set up, transport, bellboys and concierge comprise the concierge desk.

Consequently the size of the desk can range from three members to even 40. "A concierge is the key communicator of information available within the hotel and the city that he works in. He has to be aware of local events, hotel facilities and jurisdiction."

For David, the most important part of his role is building rapport. "Many of my former guests still keep in touch. Some
of them call or e-mail me before they visit Dubai. I don't mind providing information even if they are not guests at the hotel. Some drop in to say hello and dine at the hotel's restaurants."
Observably, Meech says a concierge must excel at interpersonal relations.

"He should display a customer focused attitude to build relationships that create loyalty. He also has to deal with several guests comfortably and confidently."

"I enjoy guest interaction and pick cultural cues," says David as Meech reasserts the importance of understanding cultural differences. It isn't only about deportment, "a concierge has to be knowledgeable and provide a genuine, yet memorable experience," she says. A concierge has to represent the best service. Often this goes beyond guest and inter-departmental relations and includes external parties.

"He may liaise with companies that the hotel has contracts with or independent external service providers like tour guides, car rentals, etc. Depending on the seniority of the concierge, a hotel might empower him to take decisions. Most [concierges] are allowed to have their local contacts to help guests," says Meech.

Even with touch-screen kiosks and virtual concierge services, the traditional role of a concierge is sacrosanct. "Especially in the UAE that is still a service-based industry. While centralised databases of customer preferences and the internet have made the role of a concierge a lot easier, guests still prefer to interact with a person," Meech says.

The skills

The word "no" doesn't exist in a concierge's vocabulary. Yet there are times when he has to say it. And more importantly, say it in a manner which is polite, yet firm.

"He is required to decline a request if it doesn't comply with the standards, rules and regulations of the hotel and the governing law of the country," explains Meech.

"He cannot say he doesn't know either."

A concierge is like a living vade mecum of information of local customs and restrictions, places of interest, key events, upcoming attractions and developments.

A guest will also approach him for advice, says Meech. "For instance if a guest were to ask, 'I would like to visit the Deira Gold Souq this evening and make it to the airport by 7pm. Will I be able to?' The concierge must be able to say, 'In that case, I suggest you go in the morning. Traffic in Deira can
be difficult in the evening.'"

David uses a range of skills like organisational, administrative and problem solving and considers aspects of compassion, legality, morality and honesty.

Hospitality schools teach the basics, many skills are learnt on the job, he says. "Some things cannot be taught. There are so many non-verbal clues. I can tell a guest is uncomfortable by looking at his posture. I need to be aware and sensitive and if the situation requires, be apologetic."

There is also the aspect of confidentiality. "It's an unwritten rule that a concierge never reveal his guest's requests," says Meech.

And apart from these functions, a concierge has to be circumspect in an era of raised security. While the hotel may have a separate department to look out for suspicious behaviour, "many guests leave their belongings with the concierge after they check out. So he has to be eagle-eyed," she says.

– Carolina D'Souza is Lifestyle Features Coordinator, Friday