From requests for flowers at 3am to finding a rubber dinghy, a hotel concierge's life is never dull, writes Steve Hart
Working as a concierge in a top hotel can be demanding and challenging. Helping guests enjoy their stay can lead to some interesting requests, as SkyCity Hotel's Ralph Luehrs can testify.
Luehrs arrived in Auckland from Germany 20 years ago to open a Travel Lodge near Auckland airport. Other jobs followed and then eight years ago he joined SkyCity Hotel as a concierge.
And while he has seen and heard it all, like any good concierge Luehrs is not about to give too much away. After all, his guests need to know they can trust him and his colleagues to be discreet and spare their blushes.
But Luehrs, who has just become a member of an prestigious international organisation for concierges called Les Clefs d'Or, says the job can be very busy at times, especially when guests require something in the middle of the night or need unusual items at short notice.
"Sometimes a guest will phone down at 3am, 4am or something asking for sweets, chocolates or flowers to be sent to their room," he says. "So that may mean us going out to find a flower seller or finding a store that's open and then delivering what the guest requires."
One time a corporate group asked staff to supply an inflatable rubber dinghy for a team-building event they were going to. The request came in before breakfast and they needed the inflatable by 9am.
"That was a bit stressful," says Luehrs. "Luckily my parents had one and so I drove to their house, grabbed the dinghy, a pump, and got it to the venue just in time - fully inflated. It felt a bit odd walking along the street with a dinghy on my back."
Such is the life of a concierge, where nothing is too much trouble.
"As soon as guests arrive, a concierge will help them by taking their bags out of the car, parking their car if they want us to and delivering their bags to their room," says Luehrs.
"Then we tell them about places to eat and are on hand to help them with anything they need - from places to visit to things to do - and we can book excursions for guests as well.
"People with families may be staying and they need good advice on what to see. As a concierge I need to be able to give them accurate information and help them enjoy their stay - not just at SkyCity Hotel - but help them with tourist information about all the different places they could see including destinations such as the Bay of Islands and Rotorua, for example."
And when guests arrive having lost their luggage, Luehrs and his colleagues - who work a 24/7 roster - will take over to track down their belongings and return them with the minimum of fuss.
"Sometimes guests leave things behind in our rooms when they check out and we will organise for their belongings to be couriered to wherever they may be."
Luehrs says he enjoys working the morning and afternoon shifts. But there is also the graveyard shift from 11pm to 7.30am. He says this is not as quiet and uneventful as people might think.
"People call down for all sorts of things," he says. "It can be quite challenging at times. But we have ways and means to help most of our guests."
And while the hard work, resourcefulness and dedication of a good concierge may go unnoticed by many guests, there is one organisation that does recognise them. The hotel concierge society Les Clefs d'Or has a presence in 39 countries and 3500 members.
Last month that figure increased by one when Luehrs successfully passed his entrance exam and interview in Auckland.
The SkyCity Hotel now has four Les Clefs d'Or members, but this is the first time a member has joined this elite group from within New Zealand. All other members, there are 25 in the country altogether, were abroad when they were accepted.
Luehrs says members of Les Clefs d'Or can be identified by a golden crossed key worn on the lapel. It is something he and other members wear with pride. He says the exam is mainly to assess knowledge of tourist activities and destinations. For example, if a guest wants to go scuba diving Luehrs should be able to rattle off numerous options and arrange it.
"So we need to know how far away places are, how long it takes to get there and act as a tourist guide, among many other things."
Despite studying and working hard to pass the interview and exam, Luehrs says he is "very honoured to be a member". "My award is recognised in New Zealand and worldwide," he says. "I am very proud to wear the golden key. It means I provide the best customer service."
Luehrs says becoming a member means he is now part of an exclusive team, where concierges around the world can help each other.
He says he is keen to join the executive committee of the local Les Clefs d'Or and is keen to do further training at SkyCity. He has his eye on reception and becoming head concierge.
"Perhaps my next step is assistant head concierge."
HOW TO BE A CONCIERGE
* Most concierges start out as porters and rise up the ranks.
* Concierges need to be discreet, open, courteous, empathetic and multilingual.
* They must possess the desire to serve.
* To resolve requests and issues quickly.
* They must have extensive knowledge of their own surroundings, their hotels, communities, cities and countries.
* They are "networking people" with links to others in their areas and with colleagues throughout the world.
Source / The Hotel Concierge Society
Steve Hart is a freelance writer. Contact via his website at www.stevehart.co.nz
