About the expert
Mary Serocki is a concierge service representative at the Textron Aviation service facility in Milwaukee. With 15 years of experience serving aircraft customers, she has also received hospitality training from the elite Ritz-Carlton team, a brand recognized as one of the greatest concierge service providers in the world.
What is the most common question your customers ask you about concierge services?
“The requests we receive most often are for our teams to arrange rental cars, hotel reservations and dinner plans. No matter a customer’s needs or preferences, we can provide transportation, lodging and entertainment to meet them. Because of this, we have established relationships with a variety of area service providers and can coordinate with local hotels, restaurants and venues to make special accommodations for our guests.”
What should your customers know about concierge services?
“We’re always listening for ways to make someone’s stay, no matter how short, more enjoyable. Just last week a customer flew in on an airliner to pick up his jet. He mentioned to one of the avionics techs his trip into Milwaukee wasn’t as enjoyable as it had been in the past because his favorite cinnamon roll stop in the airport had closed. I knew there was another store open in a city a half hour away, so a team member went and picked up a roll for him. He was delighted when we surprised him with the pastry he’d been looking forward to. Without the tech’s keen ear for concierge, that would have slipped, and the customer wouldn’t have even known.”
“But the instance I hold closest to my heart is that of a pilot who flies a Citation® Sovereign® we service. His son was being deployed overseas the next day, so the pilot and his family came to Milwaukee for a family farewell dinner. When the pilot left the service facility, we made arrangements with the restaurant to take care of the meal. We were grateful to be presented with such a unique opportunity.”
What are the hallmarks of an industry-leading concierge experience?
“Truly great concierge service is anticipating a customer’s needs and then exceeding expectations. It makes efficient use of the customers’ time, and it’s effortless. For example, at the Milwaukee facility, we book hotel rooms, make dinner reservations and schedule car service in the days and weeks before their visits. We exceed those expectations by also having additional cars on hand and knowing which hotels and restaurants are immediately available for anyone who stops in unexpectedly. Industry-leading concierge professionals go beyond knowing a person’s name and tail number. They know what’s important to customers—monumental and mundane—and recognize those moments in meaningful ways.”