Concierges are in for a treat as industry experts and invited guests will share, inspire and give them tips on how to shine even brighter in the upcoming annual Concierge Conferences.

The annual South African Concierge Conferences themed: “Share, Inspire and Shine” will take place as follows: the 2nd Conference will be held on 31 August 2016 at The Oyster Box Hotel, Umhlanga Durban, the 2nd conference will take place on 7 September 2016 at Southern Sun The Cullinan Hotel in Cape Town and the 7th annual conference will return to Johannesburg on 28 September 2016 at The Saxon Boutique Hotel & Spa in Sandhurst.

“From humble beginnings, the annual event has become very popular with concierges, hotel guest relations and those in the hospitality industry as it provides a valuable platform to share experiences and new trends in the industry,” says Deon Prinsloo, Head Concierge at The Palazzo hotel.

He explains that the theme was aptly chosen to speak to the needs of concierges and at what point they find themselves in their careers, noting that in the past year, a number of concierges and guest relations have moved companies as a result. What worked in their previous jobs doesn’t necessarily work in the new jobs.
“We hope that concierges and delegates attending the conferences will share information, experiences and new developments in the industry as well as interesting facts to inspire others.”

The service industry is dynamic and ever changing in line with the needs of guests, which requires concierges to have the latest information at their fingertips. Testimonials from others in the industry about challenges and how they overcome them, talks by industry specialists and meeting colleagues from other hotels will leave some inspired to take their careers to new heights.

From previous conferences, we have heard how others have used the information and tips to improve on their service delivery, says Prinsloo.
“When one is equipped with knowledge, they are empowered to serve guests better, resulting in them being the go to person in the hotel.”
With 13 Golden Key members, South Africa is two members away from the required number of 15 Golden Key members to establish its own independent Les Clef d’Or chapter.

The Golden Key members include Lizelle De Haas-Koster, Radisson Blue (Sandton), Palvi Oddone Aquino, Suncoast Towers (Durban),Vinny Maharaj, Sandton Sun (Sandton), Billy Chetty, Da Vinci Hotel & Suites (Sandton), Ryan van Zyl, The Table Bay Hotel (Cape Town), Deon Prinsloo, Palazzo hotel (Fourways), Nardus Buys, Hilton (Cape Town), Masood Sadulla, Twelve Apostles Hotel (Camps Bay), Ryno Dippenaar, The Cape Sun (Cape Town), Nathan Cook, Hilton (Sandton) , Allister Van Rooyen, Conrad Pezula (Knysna), Hoon Kim, Cape Grace (Cape Town) and Wellington Nzuza, Hilton (Durban).
A very enthusiastic Kagisho Ditira of the Palazzo hotel has stepped up and helps Prinsloo with the organising of the conferences as well as organising the Joburg Concierge Forum outings.

“It is important that Concierges and Guest Relations empower those around them with wisdom and infuses them with passion thus enabling the seamless creation of memorable moments for guests,” says Prinsloo.
The conferences are free of charge and open to concierges, guest relations and those in the hospitality industry, however, booking is essential. To attend the conference, email Deon Prinsloo at deon.prinsloo@tsogosun.com by Friday, 25 August 2016.