Concierges are hotel, apartment or office building employees who typically assist guests with personal services. Responsibilities may include taking messages, dispensing advice on transportation or local sites of interest, and monitoring guest requests for maintenance and assistance. Becoming a concierge typically requires a high school diploma and some previous work experience. To become successful in this field, concierges should possess a penchant for working with people and multitasking.

Customer Service Ability

As an employee in guest services, concierges must be prepared to meet guests' needs. A service-oriented personality is essential, as they need to anticipate guests’ desires and concerns. Customer service responsibilities include making dining reservations and travel arrangements, running errands and providing information about the local area. Concierges may also be expected to fulfill unusual guest requests, such as searching for hard-to-find items or booking exotic services, like a hot-air balloon ride, according to ONetOnline.org.

Verbal and Written Communication

Concierges should possess above-average communication skills. Their attitude, speaking and listening skills will be a reflection on their employers. They must be able to convey information effectively and with care, whether they're offering recommendations on nearby restaurants or trying to solve guest problems. They’ll also need to relay requests from guests to other staff members.

Time Management/Planning

Any given day working in a hotel will likely be different from the next. Concierges handle a number of standard tasks, but will likely have to deal with different guests, who come with their own set of unique needs. As such, they should be skilled in time management and planning. They need to be available to all guests for questions and concerns during their shifts, while also carrying out the requests of other guests. For example, a concierge might need to arrange for the replacement of a traveler’s missing items, while someone else is asking for a delivery to her room. Being able to juggle these requests efficiently is a testament to a concierge’s multitasking ability.

Clerical Knowledge

Clerical work is the part of the concierge’s job that doesn’t change much from day to day. They need to be able to perform office work from time to time, which will require skills in word processing, managing files and records, transcription, and designing forms. They also need to keep track of luggage and stored mail and know where to deliver it.