At Your Service

Danielle Sonnenberg

Don't have time to get those concert tickets, book your luxury vacation, get your mail FedExed or plan your kid's birthday party?

Then simply call up a concierge service, which will do all that and more.

"We're not just a concierge -- we do life management," says Sarah LaBier, president of Warren Tricomi Reserve, a newly launched high-end concierge service in New York City.

LaBier, 28, teamed up with Joel Warren and Edward Tricomi of the exclusive Warren Tricomi Salon to form the exclusive service company.

The business slogan? "We're not going to walk your dog, but we will find someone who will."

The firm promises to go above and beyond to get what the client wants.

One particularly difficult request involved securing limited-edition Louis Vuitton handbags. Not only did Warren Tricomi Reserve locate the bags within hours, but it snagged them for the retail price. This was impressive, especially considering that fashionistas will wait months to get these purses at premium prices.

Another special request was to fill a client's fridge with his favorite treats so he could return from a long trip and not have to make a trip to the supermarket.

The holidays can be an incredibly busy time of year; having a concierge can make life simpler. LaBier has helped customers select gifts, and even tracked down the ultimate New Year's party.

Concierge services can also provide exclusive invites to fashion shows, tickets for sold-out sporting events, access to chartered yachts and decadent meals from personal chefs.

Warren Tricomi Reserve's services are $6,000 a year for singles, $8,000 for couples, and include unlimited requests.

There is also the option of $25 a-la-carte service for the well-connected client who doesn't need his or her entire life managed. These requests can include last-minute dinner reservations at the hottest new restaurant, plush car service or exquisite bouquets of flowers.

"It's all about personal relationships," explains LaBier. She has many relationships with vendors, such as high-end florists, from which she passes along the discounts to her clients. "Half the reason we have the access we do is because of the people we know," she continues.

Black Card Benefits

Many are familiar with the American Express Centurion Card, more popularly known as the black card.

The card requires the client to spend a minimum of $250,000 a year and has an annual fee of $2,500. This provides a card holder his or her own personal concierge and unlimited access to reservations at the most exclusive luxury hotels and restaurants.

New York City resident Mike Woods, a black-card holder, even got his concierge to plan his entire wedding in Paris.

To view Danielle Sonnenberg's video take of today's Top 1% segment, click here.

Woods and his fiancee spent only about three hours speaking to the doctor, as Woods refers to his concierge. The doctor then arranged everything from the photographer and hairstylists to the flights and reception. "I'm sure he has done at least 20-30 hours of work," says Woods, who has been working with the same concierge for about two years.

"The knowledge base that the doctor has is extensive, regardless of the city or country I go to. I am treated better when [he] makes the reservations," Woods points out.

Mothers Know Best

If it's all the family details that cause stress, try Momcierge. This specialized company can assist with planning kids' parties, find a car service with child car seats and buy the perfect sixth-birthday gift.

Momcierge was started by moms Hilary Valentine and Alyssa Sadoff, both 42, after doing extensive research -- they found most concierge services were solely business-focused.

"Sometimes, people need a mom; a mom can make everything easier," says Sadoff.

One odd request was from a client's son, who assembled toiletry kits he distributed to the homeless and needed some ideas on how to incorporate his passion into the centerpiece for his bar mitzvah. Originally, his mother had purchased small silver trees and hung shampoo bottles and toothpaste from them, which just didn't look right on the tables.

The moms were hired to create a "prototype" for the centerpieces. They decided on cookies made in the shape of toothbrushes, toothpaste, soap and shampoo. All the cookies were then assembled into cookie bouquets, which looked (and tasted) fantastic on the table from all sides.

Another Momcierge client lives overseas and wanted the experts to help her daughter pick out clothing for a job interview.

The company officially launched at the end of September; membership is $150 for a year of unlimited requests. There is also the option to try the service for $50 an hour, to give new customers an idea of what to expect.

Close Call

There are some benefits to have your concierge located nearby, as well.

"One of our clients needed a reservation at Le Bernadine, an exclusive French restaurant in New York," says Ellis O'Connor, general manager of the Gramercy Park Hotel. The client couldn't secure a table with his black card, but when one of the concierges at the hotel called the restaurant, the client was immediately given a reservation.

Having your concierge near you is also great in case of emergencies. When a guest realized he left his passport in a magazine in the airport, the concierge went immediately to retrieve it. Though it took two hours, the concierge did manage to safely return the guest's passport, says O'Connor.

"We recognize the role of the concierge has become so much more important," O'Connor adds. Gramercy Park Hotel is currently expanding its concierge space, which will consist of a separate large sitting suite, in complete privacy, as opposed to the corner of the hotel lobby it now occupies. The space will be completed by March.

"Nothing is too much for [our] guests. They should be allowed complete flexibility," says O'Connor.

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