Conscientious concierge
My day starts in Surbiton, Surrey, when I wake up at 5.30am. Coffee gets me going and I usually have a bowl of cereal. Then it's just a 20-minute train journey in to Waterloo.
My shift starts any time between 7am and 8am. Even as I'm walking across Waterloo Bridge, I look to my left over at the Savoy and my mind is already engaged in the day ahead. I'm quite passionate about this job.
The day shapes up quickly and as different countries wake up across the world there is a stream of e-mails and faxes from different time zones. They are often from guests who are due to arrive in the next 24 hours and who may want to book theatre tickets or restaurants. I've even had a call from someone in her private jet over the Alps. She wanted a theatre booking. A few hours later, there she was in the hotel foyer.
Demanding guests
Of all the nationalities, the Americans are the most demanding and direct, but they also have a lot of life to them too. Anyway, a lot of our guests are very busy people and have a right to be demanding in a hotel like this.
This is such a vast and cosmopolitan city with amazing variety that you have to keep learning about what's going on. I normally take a day out a month to explore new places.
Between 8am and 9am I have to give immediate attention to organising couriers, checking the VIP list and the events list of what will be happening in the hotel that day.
There might be a prominent member of business or a politician or a celebrity arriving. It's my job to make the front of house staff aware of the details. I'm in charge of 25 staff in total and that covers the night staff and the hall porters.
Some time after 10am, I'll have a quick meeting with the front of house manager. This allows me to get up to date on what's going on.
I don't do this job for the gratuities. I'm doing it for the look on someone's face when you manage to solve their problem.
The Bishop of Chicago was staying here last year and I helped him out with something. When he left, I walked him to the front entrance. He said he could not give me any money but instead he gave me a blessing.
Lunch is some time after midday and often involves a sandwich and a stroll outside to Embankment Gardens, a small park between the hotel and the Thames.
Looking ahead
After 1pm, I'll check the e-mails and follow up on any other requests for future guests coming in later that day or the next day. There will often be staff appraisals to do and a lot of cross-checking for the coming 24 hours. That means ensuring that bookings for car hire or theatre tickets are in place.
As I'm fascinated by new technology, I might be looking at new software to help with our work. The IT side makes this job so different from how it was when I started in concierge work 16 years ago.
I'll usually finish at about 6pm as the pre-theatre people are coming in for their drinks. By then, the hotel's mood and tempo has started to change and relax. I'll normally be in bed for 10.30pm.
What really motivates me is being able to solve such a range of problems, please people and enhance the reputation of such a beautiful hotel. It's about being able to offer the guests something that they haven't had before. This job is a vocation, a calling.
FACTS:
The Savoy Hotel
The Strand, London
Tel: 020 7836 4343
E-mail: info@the-savoy.co.uk
Just a minute…
Who would you invite for dinner?
Lord Lucan or Pope Paul II.
What is your favourite restaurant?
Tamarind - an Indian restaurant in Mayfair.
What would you say to Tony Blair?
Always look on the bright side of life.
Interview by David Tarpey
Paul Pugh: looking for problems to solve
Source: Caterer & Hotelkeeper magazine, 19-25 April 2001
