Expert Reveals the Secrets of Travel Concierge Services
When most people want to plan a trip, they go online, hit a travel site, compare prices, research hotels, look for attractions and at some point, they make a bunch of air, car rental and hotel reservations and hope they typed in their credit card number right each time.
When celebrities and bigwigs want to travel to Los Angeles, they just make a phone call. And Jeannette Jones is who they call.
Jones, CEO of Purveyors of Time Concierge (www.purveyorsoftime.com), is the head of an LA-based soup-to-nuts travel concierge service that plans every part of their clients’ trips from the plane reservations to attraction tickets and even dinner reservations. Sure, it’s a high-end service, but even in the current economy, the rich and famous depend on people like Jones to make their travel pain-free and fun.
“Time is the new ‘black,’” Jones said, mocking the fashion industry’s constant search for what’s new and in style. “People of means recognize that while they may never run out of money, someday, they will run out of time. As a result, concierge services are one of the standard perks of having money. The one thing that is just starting to come to light, however, is the fact that some concierge services are within the financial reach of some of us who aren’t millionaires, so more upper-middle-class folks are starting to take advantage of them, too. In that sense, they can live just a little bit like the rich and famous.”
So, what does a concierge service really do? Well, darn near everything, according to Jones. The services handled by her company include:
Errand-Running Services
Animal Care Services
Private Chef Services
Chauffer Services
Maid, Butler, Majordomo, Nanny and Au Pair Services
Home Care Services While Out Of Town
Repairman/Delivery Man Waiting Services
Private Tours and Viewings
Theater and Performing Arts Tickets
Concert and Sporting Event Tickets
VIP Special Event Packages
Airport Meet and Greet Services
Private Yacht, Plane, or Helicopter Charter
“In most travel businesses, special requests are extras,” she added. “In our business, our primary offering is taking care of special requests. We’ve arranged for luxury travel for pets. We’ve done things as extravagant as helping to plan luxury surprise parties to stocking the fridge in the condo with premium beluga caviar before vacationers arrive. We specialize in providing whatever our clients can think of, within the law, that is. So if you’re wondering how trust fund children, celebrities, corporate bigwigs and old money travel, we’re the ones that make it all happen, from the time they leave their homes until they return.”