"It has been rewarding working with the concierge team at the St. Regis Hotel, Houston, and seeing how they have embraced GoConcierge so strongly," says Adam Isrow, Executive Vice President of GoConcierge.net. "It has enabled them to work more efficiently and ultimately spend more time and attention on their guests."

Prior to GoConcierge�s installation, concierges at the hotel used a manual, binder-based system to track guest reservations and other tasks. Now, with GoConcierge in place, all that work is done online. GoConcierge�s Guest Task Calendar includes a task list that highlights open, pending and closed tasks. The system does not allow any task to fall through the cracks.

"Because the Guest Task Calendar is color-coded, I can quickly see how many completed and uncompleted tasks there are," says Edward Carrette, Director of Rooms at the 232-room hotel. "There is more consistency when interacting with a guest. Because the system is so streamlined, I know a task will be accomplished."

Because GoConcierge builds a history of guest tasks, concierges who use the system can quickly retrieve information requested by guests during previous stays�specific restaurant reservations, for example. Being able to retrieve that type of information quickly is important at the property which has a repeat guest rate of between 50 percent and 75 percent on an average day.

"GoConcierge has become a great activities database for our guests," Carrette says. 

Location database customized

In addition to the Guest Task Calendar, concierges at the hotel consistently use GoConcierge�s customized location database. It includes area restaurant and attraction information as well any other contact information the concierge team believes will be useful. Hot buttons on the GoConcierge screen link to information requested most often.

Point-to-point driving directions, maps and public transportation suggestions also can be generated quickly out of the system. Carrette says that prior to GoConcierge, his staff would have to photocopy maps or handwrite directions. Now, with just a few clicks, personalized directions and maps can be generated.

"GoConcierge enables us to look up information quickly and efficiently while maintaining eye contact with our guests," says Eric Smith, Director of Guest Services. "If one just types in the portion of a restaurant�s name, it will come up in GoConcierge."

Smith says he recently helped a gentleman who wanted tee times for three different courses.

"It was very easy to reference the tee times through GoConcierge," he says. "I was also able to quickly give him directions for travel to the courses and back to the hotel."

Through GoConcierge, staff at the St. Regis Hotel, Houston, also can generate confirmation letters and personalized itineraries. Each includes the hotel�s logo. 

"We are able to customize everything that a guest needs on the fly," Carrette says. "We are also able to update information within the location database immediately."

Packages tracked within GoConcierge

Hotel personnel also use GoConcierge to track packages for guests. The guest�s name, the package�s tracking number and where the package is being stored are all entered into GoConcierge. The concierge team controls the distribution of the packages.

"Because GoConcierge is Web-based, anyone in the hotel can check if a package has arrived for a particular guest," Carrette says.

Smith says the concierge team at the hotel uses the "Notes" section of GoConcierge to communicate with one another from one shift to the next. Sales and convention services teams soon will use GoConcierge to generate customized itineraries for their customers. 

"The greater the number of departments that have access to GoConcierge, the more opportunities there are to impress guests and the more productivity is enhanced," Isrow says. 

Reports generated out of GoConcierge show Carrette the restaurants guests are most often sent to by concierge staff. 

"If we run into an issue with a restaurant, we are able to tell them how many guests we have sent there," Carrette says. "When they know we are tracking this type of information, they are much likelier to address a concern."

Carrette says he highly recommends GoConcierge.

"Everybody is impressed with it," he says. "It is very easy to learn and user-friendly."

"It has been exciting to see how many team members from various departments have embraced the system and benefited from GoConcierge," Isrow says. "We are proud to know that GoConcierge has enabled them to achieve the high service standards they strive for and to maintain their Five Diamond excellence. Ultimately, it is their guests who benefit in the end."

GoConcierge.net will be exhibiting at booth 1038 at HITEC. The event will be held at the Los Angeles Convention Center from June 21 to 23. 

About the St. Regis Hotel, Houston:

Nestled between the world-class shopping and entertainment of The Galleria and the residential setting of River Oaks, the St. Regis Hotel, Houston, is just minutes from downtown and Greenway Plaza business districts and the Houston Medical Center. The hotel, a recipient of the AAA Five Diamond award for the last three years, features 232 guest rooms and suites. The property also includes the Remington Restaurant and Bar, the Tea Lounge and more than 12,000 square feet of meeting space. For more information, go to www.starwoodhotels.com/stregis/index.html or call (713) 840-7600.

About GoConcierge.net:

GoConcierge is a Web-based task-tracking and database solution for concierges and other departments including guest services, front desk, shipping and receiving, and restaurants. It is used by hotels across America, Mexico and in London and Montreal. Customers include properties from major companies including Fairmont, Hilton, Hyatt, Interstate, Kimpton, Mandarin Oriental, Marriott, Omni, Peninsula, Ritz-Carlton, Rosewood and Starwood.

GoConcierge has been adopted by hotels and resorts throughout America and Mexico, some of which include The Peninsula Beverly Hills, the Waldorf Astoria (New York), Bacara Resort (Santa Barbara, Calif.), Boca Raton Resort (Boca Raton, Fla.), Hilton Sacramento (Calif.), Hilton San Francisco, Hilton Los Cabos (Mexico), Omni San Francisco, Hyatt Regency Huntington Hotel & Spa (Calif.), the Hotel Monaco (San Francisco), The Ritz-Carlton (Dearborn, Mich.), Le Merigot JW Marriott Beach Hotel (Santa Monica, Calif.), Westin St. Francis (San Francisco), Doubletree Sonoma (Calif.), Hilton Short Hills (N.J.) and W hotels.

For more information about GoConcierge.net, go to www.goconcierge.net/home or call (310) 966-2371.