Les Clefs d’Or
Wherever you travel, there is often one person in the hotel that can help you find what you need, see the best sites, eat at the best restaurants and take the best advantage of your visit. That person is the concierge. But not every concierge is created equal.
This is where a Clefs d’Or concierge is unique. This global association of hotel concierges, Les Clefs d’Ors, promotes the highest professional standards and a broad opportunity for networking among its members. The association provides a certification program that requires potential candidates to have a minimum of five years in the workplace as a concierge as well as a one year apprenticeship.
Members are required to complete an oral and written test and then must be selected through a regional vote. Only when they’ve completed all these steps can they become a member of Les Clefs d’Or. But membership has its privileges.
Once a concierge has been selected to be a member of Les Clefs d’Or, he or she receives a badge with the organization’s symbol, a set of golden keys. That symbol is recognizable worldwide and instantly conveys that its wearer has attained a certain standard.
“The skills and qualifications acquired in becoming a member are transferrable,” explains Andy McIntosh, director of Les Clefs d’Or, Atlantic Region, and concierge at the Prince George Hotel in Halifax. “Once you’re in, you can take your qualification anywhere and there is no need to explain what you’re capable of. And travelers look for the keys when they come to a hotel. It’s a symbol of trust and experience.”
Here in Nova Scotia, McIntosh is working to build awareness of the organization and recruit members from hotels throughout the region.
“As a membership, we have more sway. I can call other hotels to leverage their connections, access their experience and get things done for guests. It’s a network of friends helping friends. You may not have the resources you need, but you have a list of local contacts who can help you arrange for flowers to be sent to a guest’s room, or get you a table at a popular local restaurant,” McIntosh explains enthusiastically.
McIntosh has been concierge at the Prince George Hotel for 20 years. He says there is a network of excellent hotels in Nova Scotia, and throughout the Atlantic region, that is encouraging its concierges to join the organization.
“It makes good business sense for the hotel to support their concierge to become part of Les Clefs d'Or. The concierge is the first person you speak with when you come in the door and usually the last person you see as you leave. The concierge role is extremely important for customer satisfaction. We can change how a person feels about their hotel stay.”
McIntosh underscores that for a concierge, there is a great deal of value in professional development and networking, as well as sharing information with colleagues.
“Each month, the Atlantic members get together to talk about new restaurants, new sites and new facilities,” he says. “We all have a great sense of what’s available in this region and we share that information openly to ensure visitors have the best experience possible.”
And that connection is not just in the region. McIntosh has access to a network of concierges across Canada and around the world. He takes every opportunity he can to promote Nova Scotia as a destination.
“I’m very proud of the beauty and hospitality in this region and I want people to know about it so they’ll send their clients here. I’m also keen to spread the word about Les Clefs d’Or activities in eastern Canada and to get ideas from other regions.”
As a concierge, you get all kinds of requests. McIntosh says some of the most unusual have been for pet sitters, exotic car rentals and to find settings for major celebrations, like engagements.
“We’ll take the request and do what we can. Everyone who works in this field has a passion for it, and we learn on the job. We’ll go to great lengths to find what the guest is looking for.”
One of the most popular requests is for a travel itinerary, focused on the most notable Nova Scotia sites. McIntosh says he’s always looking for new locations that showcase Nova Scotia’s beauty and unique landscape.
“We often send visitors to Lunenburg or Grand Pre, but lately we’ve also recommended day trips to Burnt Coat Head for a beautiful coastal walk, or Hall’s Harbour for quaint, scenic coastal views.”
He adds there is no shortage of beautiful scenery or interesting sites to recommend in Nova Scotia, but he tries to find new and interesting places all the time.
Regardless of the request, the aim of the concierge is to provide courteous service, valuable information and exceptional service, things that are not always available in today’s chain hotels.
“When people come to a hotel, we aim to provide that old school personal service,” McIntosh explains. “There are not a lot of full service hotels around these days. We’re trying to maintain that level of service because that’s our market. It’s all about ensuring the customer returns.”
McIntosh is looking to expand the Les Clefs d’Or membership to include Cape Breton, Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland and Labrador. He’s also interested in building connections with smaller hotels.
“We want to expand the regional network of concierges to include professionals from all types of hotels and regions,” he says. “The more perspectives we bring to the table, the more we can share information and provide continuity to visitors across the region. Les Clefs d’Or creates the network that can make this province, and this region, an even better place to visit, again and again.”
