As Malaysia moves forward into a cosmopolitan and ultra-modern future, we talk to the people whose job it is to be in the know and to know where to be, the key holders of the city; the Concierge.

In times gone by the concierge held a position of responsibility to the king, protecting him in his palace and holding the keys to the important rooms of the house. He was the most trusted of the palace and this position was very rarely passed out of the families into the hands of strangers.

Steeped in tradition, it is no wonder that the job is still very highly regarded and those in the role take pride in being the ‘go-to’ person and the person who holds the knowledge of the city in their heads and their hands. Expatriate Lifestyle finds a little more out about the secret-keepers of the city and what makes them tick.

Name: P.L Gunasinghe–Ivan
Age: 33 years old
Role: Chief Concierge at The Gardens Hotel & Residences

CONCIERGE ON:

Becoming a concierge

I entered the Hospitality industry by chance, after my SPM examinations when I had applied to join a reputable hotel in Johor Bahru as a waiter.

Before long I realised that I loved working in the vibrant hotel industry and made a decision to relocate to Kuala Lumpur to gain more experience in the capital. I grabbed the first appointment offered, which was as a telephone operator in a hotel in Petaling Jaya.

Within months, management transferred me to the Concierge Desk citing the reasons that I should be working in a guest contact area as I had shown good PR skills and had received positive comments from guests.

Grateful for the opportunity, I was determined to do my best in my new environment and discovered that I enjoyed the job tremendously. The rest is, as they say, history and today I am a member of The Society of the Golden Keys of Malaysia or also known as Les Clefs d’Or.

I joined The Gardens Hotel & Residences recently as the Chief Concierge and I bring with me some experience which I hope to share with my team. I am happy to be here and I am fully in favour of the Hotel’s “My Passion” programme which provides all associates the tools to deliver our brand promise of a totally fulfilling experience for all guests at all times.

Best and worst things about being a concierge

One of the best things about being a concierge is that you get the opportunity to interact with lots of people from different parts of the world. It is like experiencing the world without leaving your country, or watching a travel programme on television without leaving your home.

But the best thing of all about being a concierge is the satisfaction when the guest is happy; you just feel at the top of the world!

One of the worst things about being a concierge is feeling helpless and being unable to assist a guest with his request or failing to satisfy his requirements even though you had tried your best to handle the situation.

Strange or crazy requests

In this hotel, I have assisted a mother and daughter from Perth, acting like a personal tourist guide for the three days without physically escorting them. Although I volunteered to escort them and also offered to drive them around in KL over the weekend for sightseeing, they insisted that they wanted to find their own way but consulted with me over each destination they were heading to.

They wanted to visit a seaside and told me about it so I arranged for return transfers and made arrangements for a daytrip to Port Dickson. I then called up my friend who works in a reputable hotel in Port Dickson and asked for a favour to extend them usage of the hotel room in Port Dickson for a change/shower/refresh before heading back to Kuala Lumpur.

It was not a bizarre request but at the end of the day I felt good knowing that our guests had such a great time in Malaysia and went back with fond memories of warm Malaysian hospitality.

Best places to shop in and around KL

Mid Valley actually provides the best shopping variety in KL but if guests are looking for specialised products, for e.g. large garden pots, I would direct them to places like Sungai Buloh where they can find a large choice available, it depends on what they are looking for.

Concierges being the best secret-keepers and secrets of being a great concierge

It is true that we keep quite a few secrets and it is important that secrets stay as secrets for the guests’ sake. I don’t think that there are secrets to being a great concierge.

However, it is important that service provided is genuine and great service comes from the heart. We just have to be passionate about it.

Mostly it is the little things that count such as recognising and greeting guests with their names instead of addressing them with Sir/Madam/Mr/Ms, making conversation with them to make them feel at home, anticipating their needs such as offering transport arrangements to the airport and etc.

The ability to anticipate guests’ needs well comes from within and these skills are sharpened as you gain more experience. The natural passion to delight guests turns a guest’s experience at the Hotel from satisfying to totally fulfilling.

Name: Abdul Jaleel Kamal
Age: 30 years
Role: Chief Concierge at InterContinental Kuala Lumpur

CONCIERGE ON:

Becoming a concierge

I joined the hotel industry at the age of 19. I was recommended to join InterContinental Kuala Lumpur, formerly known as Hotel Nikko Kuala Lumpur by my aunty who worked here as a room attendant.

From 1999 to 31 January 2011, I was attached to Hotel Nikko Kuala Lumpur and from 1st February 2011 until today, I am the Chief Concierge of InterContinental Kuala Lumpur, the first InterContinental in Malaysia managed by InterContinental Hotels Group.

Best and worst things about being a concierge

The best part is we learn a lot about the interesting and different cultures, traditions and cuisines of our guests and my colleagues. Sharing my stories and inside local knowledge with our guests is unique as they are excited to know more than the normal information that they can get from any brochure.

There are no worst parts, only challenges and how we overcome these challenges. I have learnt to accept negative and positive feedback from guests.

The ‘In The Know’ programme at the InterContinental Kuala Lumpur

Being the first InterContinental managed by InterContinental Hotels Group in this mesmerising city, we are very passionate about delivering “In The Know” promises to our guests.

It is not just about luxury and class, it is about our concierge who will be happy to share his insider knowledge so our guests can enjoy truly authentic local experiences to make the most of their trips.

For instance, he will be able to tell a story about the fireflies in Kuala Selangor and why it is a must see or the little bird that can tell your fortune at Little India, unbelievable but true!

Recommending the best night markets in Kuala Lumpur

I will recommend my guests to go to Central Market, Danau Kota, China Town, Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman, Damansara and Bukit Bintang to experience the blend of the old and new, historical buildings and modern architecture, traditional to western culture, traditional souvenirs to fashionable gifts, local to international cuisine and conservative to contemporary.

This spellbinding city has so much to offer, it is Truly Asia. A tourist needs to discover the best kept secrets of this magnificent city.

Concierges being the best secret-keepers and secrets of being a great concierge

Ensure you have all the information that a guest needs. Discover before the guests discovers so you are ready to share your stories with them. Anticipate their needs and wants.

The first contact that a guest meets when they arrive at the hotel is the concierge, so you need to be prepared and carry a smile with you at all times. Have strong contacts, in other words, you need to be a ‘walking’ directory’.

Name: Mohan Dass
Age: 62
Role: Lobby Host at The Westin Langkawi Resort & Spa

CONCIERGE ON:

Becoming a concierge

In 1982 I joined the Langkawi Country Club as an Assistant Food & Beverage Supervisor. Serving for 12 years, I worked my way up to become an Assistant Food & Beverage Manager.

Langkawi Country Club was rebranded as Langkawi Island Resort. I continued on with them as the Assistant Food & Beverage Manager.

In 1995, Langkawi Island Resort was rebranded as Sheraton Perdana. Searching for a change, I applied to be the Chief Concierge at the Sheraton Perdana and here I served another twelve good years in the concierge department.

In 2006, Sheraton Perdana was rebranded as The Westin Langkawi Resort & Spa and I became the Lobby Host where I have now been for five years.

Inspiration behind becoming a lobby host

I took on the position because of my keen desire to interact with people. Being able to assist guests in their holiday plans gives me a sense of fulfillment. I am like the ‘go to’ person for our guests who seek recommendations for a memorable holiday.

Strange or crazy requests

The first thing that comes to mind is my encounter with a guest who insisted on having a taxi to go from Penang to Langkawi.

Switching off

I guess having spent many years in the industry, I have grown to learn how to control my emotions. The green surroundings of the resort often help to calm me down and during break times, hanging out with my colleagues sharing our day to day challenges and experiences often helps. Sometimes you realise you are not the only one with a bad day, others have faced worst.

Five best places to get hawker-style food in Langkawi

As we have a local Executive Chef in our resort, food served at our food and beverage venues has a touch of local fare, hence my first suggestion would be for guests to dine at any one of our venues from Seasonal Tastes, to Tide or any of our Special Venue Dinings with tailor made menus.

But of course, being an island, restaurants in Langkawi serve seafood in abundance. For a more local experience and ambience, the nearby Kuah town has hawker style restaurants that serve seafood and other delectable local cuisines.

Name: Baldev Singh
Age: 43
Role: Concierge at Grand Millennium Hotel

CONCIERGE ON:

Becoming a concierge

Seventeen years ago, I applied for a job in the hotel’s reception. It was routine for all reception staff to be rotated to concierge and back to reception every three months for different exposure.

After my first term as the hotel’s concierge, I immediately fell in love with the nature of the job. It made me feel good as I felt as if I was the centre of information for those who would like to know the city.

Best and worst things about being a concierge

The best thing about this job is having the knowledge of the city and Malaysia. It makes me feel good to be able to help guests and direct them to places they want to go.

I feel like I am Ambassador to both Kuala Lumpur city and Malaysia as I am introducing the city and the country to guests; and the feeling of being able to help, never fails to satisfy my day.

I will not say that there is nothing bad about this job, but there are times when guests request something beyond our abilities. That feels really bad, as if I am not doing my homework enough, but, we are learning every day so what is the harm in learning something new every day.

Strange or crazy requests

There are many bizarre things, I think I have a list of them, like getting a private jet to fly to islands and getting maids to take care of the guests’ needs, and some even requested for foreign worker supply.

But there was one occasion, where a guest requested flowers, chocolates and a special dinner venue for his proposal to his girlfriend. Everything was arranged for them and they came back a year later for their honeymoon and I felt extremely proud of myself as I was part of it.

On recommending malls and shopping areas

Usually, I will ask guests what they are looking for. For mid-range shopping, I will suggest they to go to Times Square and Sungei Wang, for higher-range shopping, I would suggest they go to KLCC, The Gardens, One Utama, for fabric purchases, to Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman and for souvenirs to Central Market and the Handicraft Centre in Jalan Conlay.

Getting tired of being polite and switching off

Hmm, honestly, no. It’s just the nature of the job, you’ll be instantly nice when you talk to people. It takes a great personality to be a concierge. A moody person can skip the hotel job as you have to face people all the time and it is too risky to be moody.

Concierges as the best secret-keepers and secrets of being a great concierge

The secret to be a great concierge is more on a personality, on the job knowledge training and the toknow-hunger-power. You will definitely gain more than lose while you are in this job and not forgetting a great team where you can go exploring together.

Name: Kessevan
Role: Concierge at The Ritz- Carlton, Kuala Lumpur

CONCIERGE ON:

Becoming a concierge

I started off as a bellman. After moving around the different departments I decided to stick to concierge, I just enjoyed it so much! I have been a concierge for 14 years.

Best and worst things about being a concierge

The best is knowing the city. To be a good concierge you have to know this city inside-out. You get to know everything from the best wan tan mee to the best private jet company.

I am quite an inquisitive person anyway and I like the fact that it is my job to know all the different sides to this city and country.

Malaysia is a tourist destination in itself and we at The Ritz-Carlton position service and guest satisfaction above all else.

We recommend establishments and locations based on personal experience as we know the quality, however, when things go wrong, then often it comes back to us as we recommended that place.

When we receive complaints we always contact the establishment, find out what happened and work with them to ensure it never happens again.

Getting tired of being polite and switching off

It is actually much easier being polite to someone than not! I know this is quite a ‘stock’ answer but it is true, a happy guest makes my life and job easier.

Of course there are instances where things go wrong—a guest has missed his/her flight or is late for a meeting—but the challenge of working things out and finding solutions to even the most challenging of problems can be very exciting and satisfying.

Strange or crazy requests

A former guest once asked me for a KTM railway poster from the 1970’s. He showed me a picture of him and his wife when they were on their honeymoon in Malaysia in 1972, standing in front of the old railway station with this large poster in the background. He wanted to give this poster to his wife for their anniversary.

This poster had stopped being printed decades ago. I checked with KTM, newspaper archives, everywhere. I then went personally to the old station offices, more out of desperation than anything, and showed them the picture. Blank faces all-round. Then a cleaner noticed it and said that she had seen something like that up in the storeroom. She showed me into the dark, stale dusty room and there it was!

Stuck onto the wall was an old KTM poster matching the one in the picture, it was a bit frayed at the edges and losing its colour but otherwise in good condition. They let me have it free of charge. I laminated and framed it and had it waiting in the guests’ room as they came back to the hotel one evening. The wife was so emotional she cried!