Supervise portering and concierge services

This standard is about supervising the portering and concierge service and is likely to be used by a supervisor responsible for the activities within the area of work on a daily basis under the direction of the relevant manager.
Concierge is the French term for 'porter', but the concierge department in larger hotels may cover a wider variety of roles such as enquiries, booking or baggage services to name just three.The portering and concierge team are often the first people guests meet when they arrive and so are one of the most important parts of that critical first impression. They are also often the very last staff a guest sees on departing and so again play a key part in the guest leaving satisfied with their stay.This standard includes wider aspects of the portering and concierge service preparation, supervision and review and therefore covers making sure that the portering and concierge service has all the necessary staff, equipment and supplies; making sure that procedures are in place for running the service and ensuring that staff are properly briefed, trained, overseen and supported.

When you have completed this standard you will be able to demonstrate your understanding of and ability to:

• Supervise portering and concierge services

1. Allocate staff and brief them on duties, relevant procedures and any variations relating to their work routines
2. Make sure staff have the skills, knowledge and resources they need when they  need them and encourage staff to ask questions if there is information that they do not understand
3. Ensure your staff follow the portering and concierge procedures, maintain the appearance of the lobby area, conduct and present themselves according to organisational requirements and standards
4. Lead staff to identify different customers and their real and perceived needs and communicate with customers in a manner that promotes a positive customer experience
5. Ensure the portering and concierge service complies with relevant legal requirements, industry regulations, professional codes and organisational policies
6. Inform your staff and customers about any changes to the service that may affect them
7. Monitor the quality of work and progress against plans and take effective action to manage problems that may disrupt the portering and concierge service when they occur, finding practical ways to overcome barriers
8. Control costs, make best use of available resources and proactively seek new sources of support when necessary
9. Monitor and review procedures to ensure the service meets the needs of customers
10. Collect and pass on feedback and recommend improvements to the relevant people according to your organisation's requirements
11. Give feedback to staff to help them improve their performance where appropriate
12. Use effective methods to gather, store and retrieve information, accurately complete the required records and report on performance to support the service according to your organisational procedures

1. Your organisation's policies and standards for customer service
2. How industry codes of practice and relevant legislation directly affects portering and concierge procedures including what legislation covers storing information about customers and staff
3. The limits of your authority when it comes to developing procedures and managing the service
4. Standards of conduct and personal presentation for staff
5. Why you should review your work procedures
6. How the organisation can meet new customer needs and expectations and how to make sure that standards of customer service are being maintained
7. The information you need to run the portering and concierge service and how to collect and check it
8. How you can allocate work to your members of staff to ensure standards of service are maintained and how and when to brief your staff
9. How to minimise the effects of problems which might occur with the service
10. How the portering service integrates with other departments
11. Why it is important to give people accurate information
12. Why it is important to give your staff information about changes to work routines and about problems, how to do so and what the limits of your authority are when staff do not follow procedures and when dealing with problems
13. Why it is essential to maintain confidentiality when dealing with information about staff and guests
14. How to make sure the portering and concierge service complies with relevant legislation and your organisation's procedures
15. The different ways of completing and storing records, computerised and paper-based, and the advantages and disadvantages of each
16. How to monitor the allocation and use of resources
17. Why relationships with your internal customers need to be monitored to ensure an efficient service is provided
18. Why feedback from customers and staff is essential in developing and improving services and contributing to the management of the organisation, what the organisational procedures are for recording and reporting feedback and how you should develop and present recommendations for  improvements
19. How to give feedback to team members

The following behaviours are provided as guidance to underpin effective performance of a hospitality supervisor

1. You actively keep knowledge up to date to be able to give customers useful and up to date information which enhances their stay
2. You make appropriate information and knowledge available promptly to those who need it and have a right to it
3. You pass on your knowledge and information to support the development of staff and colleagues
4. You model behaviour that shows respect, helpfulness and co- operation
5. You recognise recurring problems and promote changes to structures, systems and processes to resolve these

Effective methods to gather, store and retrieve information include cost- effective, time effective and ethical means.
Information includes from customers and staff

This unit is a sector specific unit and has particular links with the following units in the Hospitality Supervision & Leadership suite of standards:
HSL1-6, HSL14, HSL19, HSL23, HSL24