From management to support teams, the value of corporate concierge service is fast becoming recognised as a way to deliver both professional and personal well-being on site.
29th October 2009
by Martin Whitten
From management to support teams, the value of a corporate concierge service is fast becoming recognised as a way to deliver both professional and personal well-being on site
Pleased to be of service
Many people’s perception of a concierge service stops at the desk of a hotel. But the world of corporate concierge services is now big business and has rapidly evolved into a core commercial function. It’s a fast growing phenomenon that is becoming increasingly integral within facilities departments, as employers recognise the value it can bring to business Ð from the highest echelons of management through to admin and support teams in all areas, a corporate concierge service can deliver strong benefits when it comes to enhancing the work/life balance and adding value to a professional operation.
It is essential that a corporate concierge service is implemented in a way that gives a pure, clean capability in the provision of goods, tasks and services that adds value and releases time back into the workplace. Its scope is flexible Ð such services can easily be extended to cover personal use, professional support or both. It’s a benefit that is shown to be highly valued by employees with as many as 50 per cent of workers enjoying use of such services on a regular basis.
1) Choice?
The first step for any facilities manager considering the implementation of a corporate concierge service is to stop and ask what they want to achieve. Is it to help redress the balance between work and home, or to increase professional effectiveness and productivity?
2) On or off?
A corporate concierge service can be managed on site or offsite and there are advantages to both. Costs are typically lower if the team is based at your supplier’s premises, although an on-site presence does drive usage levels and make promotions easier. On-site teams will also inevitably build stronger relationships with the service’s users and, as they get to know each individual person, lead to a more personal and appropriate service being delivered.
3) In-house or outsourced?
It is certainly possible, albeit unusual, to deliver a corporate concierge service in-house. Most often the decision to deliver in-house is taken because of a particular FMÕs career history, although it will take longer to reach critical mass (given the need to build contacts, relationships and negotiate discounts with suppliers) and is inevitably considerably more expensive (not least because of the need to cover sickness and holidays and a concierge partner’s already-established purchasing power).
4) Concierge and reception together
It is not uncommon to find a reception being described as a Reception concierge service, but beware although they can be integrated it must be done properly, using the core components of a standalone concierge service Ð simply adding the word Concierge to Reception will only confuse the discerning! For example, the whole team must be well trained, knowledgeable about the local area, have access to a custom-built concierge database on site and preferably be supported by an offsite team.
5) Specialist support
It would also be wise to consider the ongoing training of your team, both in terms of customer service skills and the solution specific aspects. The world of the concierge is constantly evolving and you need to make sure you’re up-to-date. Always make sure that training and development of the team is part of the package.
6) The Taxman’s interest
If a corporate concierge team is in place on site (it can still be an outsourced service) then it’s not taxable to employees. But, if it’s an off-site service point, and personal access is given to staff, then Inland Revenue has deemed this to be part of flexible and taxable benefits package for employees.
7) Never knowingly undersold
The history of corporate concierge services is littered with the corpses of companies that did not understand the importance of a high street promise! A professional operation will have access to several thousand strategic partners, all quality assured, checked and vetted, many of whom give preferential rates, deals and have great access to unique opportunities but this will all come to nought if the user feels they are not getting the best price. Never, ever, top Load your prices.
8) Legal, ethical and moral
Forget the less salubrious side sometimes associated with hotels! A corporate concierge is all about providing a service that will do anything as long as it’s legal, ethical and morale and this will leave more than enough services remaining.
9) What’s the pick up?
Typically, between a third and a half of all eligible employees should enjoy taking advantage of your corporate concierge service. That could be access to simple requests such as flowers, tickets, gifts and services, including restaurants (often where access is restricted) and holiday bookings, right down to the hopefully-uncommon Ð we had one case of a diamond cross necklace, smashed during the break-up of a relationship, that needed to be replaced as the couple was happily back together again...! Whatever the nature of the request, however, the keys are innovation, efficiency and reliability. Get these right and your service will flourish, quickly becoming indispensable.
Martin Whitten is managing director of ISS arena21
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