16 Hotel Concierge Skills for Your Career and Resume
Learn about the most important Hotel Concierge skills, how you can utilize them in the workplace, and what to list on your resume.
A hotel concierge is responsible for providing guests with information and assistance during their stay at a hotel. A concierge must have excellent customer service skills and knowledge of the hotel and its amenities, as well as the surrounding area. If you’re interested in becoming a hotel concierge, learning more about the skills required for this position can help you determine if it’s the right career for you.
Hotel Concierge Skills
Communication
Communication is the ability to convey information clearly and concisely. As a hotel concierge, you may need to communicate with guests in person or over the phone. You also might be responsible for communicating messages between departments within the hotel. For example, if a guest needs maintenance services, you might relay that message to the appropriate staff member.
Organization
Organization is the ability to keep track of multiple tasks and responsibilities. Hotel concierges often have a busy schedule, so it’s important for them to be organized. This ensures they can complete their work on time and maintain an efficient workflow. It also helps them stay focused when handling several requests at once. Being organized allows hotel concierges to prioritize their duties effectively and ensure all their projects are completed.
Customer Service
Customer service skills are important for a hotel concierge because they help you provide excellent customer experiences. You should be able to answer questions, solve problems and make guests feel welcome. Customer service skills can also include empathy, which is helpful when dealing with upset or frustrated customers.
Baggage Handling
A hotel concierge often handles baggage for guests, so it’s important to know how to handle luggage and other items. You may need to help guests with their bags when they check in or out of the hotel, move luggage between rooms or transport luggage from one location to another. It’s also helpful to be able to identify which pieces of luggage belong to which guest.
Problem Solving
Problem solving is the ability to identify and resolve issues. As a hotel concierge, you may encounter challenges that require problem-solving skills. For example, if a guest has an issue with their room or needs medical attention, you can use your problem-solving abilities to find a solution. You might also help guests overcome obstacles when planning activities in the area.
Room Service
Room service is a skill that can help you in your job as a hotel concierge. This involves taking orders from guests and serving them food or drinks. You may also be responsible for handling payment, so it’s important to know how to process transactions. Room service skills are especially useful if you work at a hotel with an on-site restaurant.
Attention to Detail
Attention to detail is a skill that can help you perform your job well. As a hotel concierge, it’s important to be thorough when performing tasks and addressing customer needs. For example, if a guest asks for restaurant recommendations in the area, you should research each place thoroughly before providing feedback so you can give them accurate information. This also applies to any requests guests may make of you—you should take care to fulfill their needs completely.
Guest Services
A hotel concierge is responsible for providing exceptional service to guests. They greet and welcome guests, answer questions about the property and surrounding area, make restaurant reservations, provide directions and offer other services that enhance a guest’s stay. Guest service skills include being friendly, attentive and helpful. It also involves knowing how to handle any situation that may arise during a guest’s stay.
Transportation Arrangements
Hotel concierges often arrange transportation for guests, including airport transfers and rides to the airport. They also help guests find local transportation options like buses or subways. This is an important skill because it ensures that guests have a safe way to get around when they’re in a new city. It’s also helpful if a guest needs to cancel their reservation because of transportation issues.
Local Area Knowledge
Local area knowledge is the ability to provide guests with information about nearby attractions, restaurants and other points of interest. A hotel concierge should be familiar with the surrounding area so they can recommend activities that are relevant to their guest’s interests. For example, if a guest mentions they enjoy hiking, you might suggest a trail in the area or offer directions to it.
Languages
A hotel concierge often works with guests from different countries and backgrounds. They need to be able to communicate in a variety of languages, including English, Spanish, French, German and Japanese. A good concierge is also familiar with the customs of various cultures so they can provide guests with information about local attractions or restaurants that are appropriate for their background.
Multi-tasking
Hotel concierges often have to multi-task, which means they need to be able to perform several tasks at once. For example, a hotel concierge may answer the phone while checking in guests and preparing room service orders. Being able to multitask can help you stay organized and ensure that all of your responsibilities are completed on time.
Ticket Sales
A hotel concierge often sells tickets for events, attractions and tours. They also sell event-related merchandise like t-shirts or hats. This is an important skill because it helps the concierge make money to support their job. It’s also a good idea for them to know how much each item costs so they can give accurate change.
VIP Services
VIP service is the ability to provide exceptional customer service to guests who are important or have special needs. For example, VIP customers may be celebrities, high-profile clients of a business or people with unique requests. Providing VIP service can help you build relationships and increase your reputation as an effective concierge. You can also use this skill when working with other employees to ensure everyone receives excellent treatment.
Restaurant Reservations
Hotel concierges often make restaurant reservations for guests. This involves researching the area to find restaurants that fit a guest’s needs and preferences, making phone calls or sending emails to secure tables and entering information into a database so the hotel can track future reservations.
To make restaurant reservations, you might need to research local cuisine, understand how to navigate online reservation systems and learn about common table etiquette in different cultures.
Event Planning
A hotel concierge often performs event planning duties, such as scheduling and coordinating meetings, conferences or other events. They also plan special events for guests, including weddings, birthdays and other celebrations. To be an effective event planner, a hotel concierge needs to know how to schedule rooms, arrange catering services and make arrangements with local businesses and venues.
How Can I Learn These Hotel Concierge Skills?
There are a few ways that you can learn the necessary skills to become a hotel concierge. Many of these skills, such as communication, customer service, and organization, can be learned through on-the-job training. However, if you want to get a head start on learning these skills, you can take classes or participate in training programs offered by hotels or other hospitality organizations. Additionally, studying a hospitality-related field such as hotel management can also give you the skills and knowledge you need to be successful in this role.