OPINION
Marcelo A. Rivero
/CEO of Star Services Events & Public Relations /Founder of The Luxury Concierge Network
Luxury Condo Concierges: Gatekeepers of Opportunities
FEB-MAR 2014
As a former concierge of one of the premier residential communities in Miami, I had the opportunity to cater to a very discerning and affluent clientele by handling lifestyle and sometimes personal matters to make their lives easier.
Such experience gave me a unique perspective of the relationship between the consumers of luxury products and services, and those who cater to them.
A few years passed and I founded Star Services, a boutique events and public relations agency, and eventually resigned from my position as a concierge to work full time in my company. One of the many things I learned those years is that many (if not most) of luxury brands do not see the concierge professionals as the gatekeepers to entire communities of potential clients. Since most of those companies didn’t have an established strategy or effective program in place targeting concierges of luxury condominiums, I decided to create one.
Thus, The Luxury Concierge Network was born. After spending 2 years building relationships with concierges from some of the most exclusive condominiums in Miami, while approaching and pitching new concept to poten-
"Concierges of upscale residential communities represent a wealth of opportunities" tial clients, I learned that most luxury brands focus on that personal touch, the one-on-one connection with their consumers. While I had a solid platform of effective marketing and branding tools in place, I was missing that
special component. Soon enough, with the support of some of my concierge friends I was launching the “Luxury Lifestyle Showcase”, a series of events exclusive for residents of luxury condominiums where brands have direct visibility to their audience –an opportunity to meet, mingle and socialize with potential clients, in the comfort of their home.
Concierges of upscale residential communities represent a wealth of opportunities for those who learn how to work with them, appreciate them, and respect them as the professionals that they are. The trust that they build from their clients is a very valuable asset, and becoming a preferred brand or vendor of any of these concierges should be part of every marketing and branding strategy. As new luxury condominiums open up, and we expand our network, we will continue catering to these elite concierges, and connecting them with some of the best brands and services in town