Course Outcomes

This corporate concierge course will:

  • Prepare your staff to receive visitors formally and informally.
  • Help your team to make a great impression on clients, customers, and other visitors to your organization.
  • Outline the essential elements of planning a meeting.
  • Outline appropriate “on-stage” behavior versus activities better left to time away from the office.

Course Overview

For centuries, the pineapple has represented luxury and hospitality. In fact, in Colonial America, pineapples were rented by the day to families hosting guests. The intent of this action was to communicate to visitors that no expense was spared and they were the focus of the day. While participants won’t learn to cultivate fruit during this workshop, they will learn how to step up their workplace-entertaining game to make visiting VIPs feel valued.

Program Objectives

At this program’s conclusion, participants should be able to:

  • Identify opportunities to go the extra mile to make visitors feel welcome.
  • Explain the importance of a good first impression and how to make one.
  • Describe appropriate dress for those working behind the scenes.
  • Explain what to say and what not to say to corporate guests.
  • Demonstrate how to assemble a proper table setting, serve food, and clear a table.
  • Successfully handle unusual situations.

The following outline highlights some of the course’s key learning points. As part of your training program, we will modify content as needed to meet your business objectives. Upon request, we will provide you with a copy of the participant materials prior to the session(s).

Workshop Outline

Understanding the Job: The Concierge as Catalyst

This program kicks off with a robust discussion about the role of the concierge or concierge team and how these people set the stage for successful business interactions.  Participants will map a visitor’s journey and identify the opportunities where they can influence how guests feel about their organization.  

Red-Carpet Rollout: First Impressions Matter

Whether it’s making reservations, providing directions, taking a coat, offering water, or some other gesture of hospitality, first impressions are important.  During this part of the course, we will talk about details that make the difference to visitors and how to perform a host of tasks in a way that says “you’re important, and we’re glad you’re here.” 

Stop, Look, and Listen: Acting Your Best

Smiling, listening, and using “company manners” are some of the obvious actions hosts can take to put guests at ease.  Knowing what to say and what not to say is a more complex piece of the puzzle.  During this part of the course, we’ll review the idea of on-stage and off-stage behavior.  We’ll also talk about developing an appropriate self-introduction, responding to questions from visitors, and knowing what and how much to share.

From PowerPoint to Pretty Plates: Hosting Meetings for All Occasions

This part of the workshop reviews the importance of setting up meetings for a variety of functions, including small group meetings, sales calls, negotiations, and meals. Participants will learn which elements add to a meeting’s success and how to choose items that fit with the organization’s desired image. For example, does the organization use paper, plastic, or glass? Does it place pens and notebooks at each place when outside visitors attend? Does someone check to make sure that the tables are clean, the whiteboard is stocked with markers, and that requested equipment is in place and operational before each meeting? If desired, part of this segment can be devoted to drafting standard operating procedures for a variety of functions.

Lunch Is Served: Getting Business Meals Right

A bad lunch can sour an otherwise positive office visit.  During this seminar segment, we will examine the dos and don’ts of hosting successful business meals.  From addressing dietary restrictions to serving and removing food, this comprehensive module will prepare a concierge team to deliver a first-rate performance. 

Thank You for Visiting: Showing Guests to the Door

A member of the concierge team is often the last person with whom a guest interacts.  During this seminar segment, we will talk about this final opportunity to make a positive impression and how to take advantage of it.

The Well-Oiled Machine: Finding Your Team’s Rhythm

Whether you are a team of two or 20, working in sync is critical to taking care of guests and successfully representing your organization. This final portion of the program reviews the importance of teamwork and putting aside personality differences to get the job done.

At the program’s conclusion, participants will have an understanding of what it means to be a corporate host or hostess. From serving skills to staying calm in tense situations, those in attendance will come away from the session having a good sense of what it takes to produce a first-rate guest experience.