Concierge Services in apartment buildings can entail storing the mail of absent residents as well as dealing with any emergencies in their apartments. For this reason, the concierge also keeps a duplicate set of keys to each apartment. More generally, a concierge provides information to residents and guest as well as access to amenities, ensures that apartment rules and regulations are enforce, and if necessary, also acts as a liasion for residents and management, when management is available on site.

In hotels, concierge services include assisting guests with making restaurant reservations, suggesting popular night life spots, arranging for spa services, making transportation arrangements, purchasing tickets to special events, as well as arranging special tours and sightseeing programmes In several more exquisite hotels, a concierge may even be relied upon to deal with local merchants and service providers.

Although, the most common places where one will concierge services would be at hotels, of late recent times private concierge services have been popular and successful in providing services for business professionals or wealthy people that require assistance with their daily routine. The scope of concierge services has also evolved personal concierge services, entailing a wide range of services ranging from ordering concert tickets to arranging entire weddings. A personal concierge service provider may often work from home, operating either as a free lancer, or for an individual concierge company, conducting tasks for various customers. Such tasks can include secretarial services, organizing trips and vacations, managing events and entertaining guests, and even wrapping gifts.

Concierge services are also found in hospitals today that provide benefits to not only patients but also the hospital personnel. industry in which concierges are now often found is in hospitals. These not only serve patients but also staff too. This especially serves those employees who work long and late shifts.

In apartment buildings, concierge services range from cleaning services to decorating for events such as Christmas, Easter, and Halloween. Additionally, these services may also include the provision of safety, security, and escort services.

Concierge Services have surged considerably in the demand in the last two decades. They are an attractive marketing tool for many businesses as well as a benefit to several highly paid employees. In the UK, over the last 10 years, concierge has become a key marketing/loyalty tool in the banking sector and offered as a benefit on luxury credit cards.. This service offering is also known as lifestyle management. The number of independently owned concierge companies has skyrocketed as the start up costs and barriers to entry are minimal for many entrepreneurs. (www.wikipdia.com)

There are certain necessary attributes of a concierge, no matter where or what services he provides. These include good communication skills, etiquette, and excellent organization skills.

There exist today, several independent concierge service companies. Generally, these companies charge for their services on an hourly rate, and depending upon the nature and scope of the services, these charges vary considerably. Some companies send a flat monthly fee, depending upon the number of services requests received per month.

References.

http://www.answers.com/topic/concierge