Be Nice To Your Concierge

If you live in a condo, there’s one person you probably see on a regular basis. That person is your concierge and they can have a big impact on your day-to-day condo living. There are many reasons to be kind to your concierge, if for no other reason than they literally know where you live.

First of all, your concierge is a shift worker. When you see them, it is often at the beginning or the end of their day. If you’re nice to them as you’re coming and going, you have the chance to help your concierge start or end their day on a happy note.

There’s a few things to keep in mind regarding your concierge. They handle countless packages for the entire building. They also know a lot more than you think they do. Your concierge is constantly looking at cameras of the building and amenities and are watching you and your neighbours.

They are also often the ones that let in tradespeople like HVAC or plumbers, or the fire alarm testers. Keep in mind also that some people treat them like doormats and they have people knock on the window to get their attention to open the door every 15 minutes.

If you’re nice to your concierge, and they like you, they might be more likely to bend the rules or go a little above and beyond for you. For example:

• They might go and knock on the door of a loud party near your unit
• They might turn a blind eye to that little accident that your or a friend’s dog caused
• They might not enforce the monthly maximum visitor parking pass limit
• They might give you a warning call when your mom, dad, or ex is coming up
• They can get you the moving elevator in a pinch for things like furniture deliveries
• They are the gatekeeper of all amenities. They can put you in priority for booking the theatre room for the Super Bowl or Stanley Cup or the party room for New Year’s Eve.
• When you decide to sell your condo, they might share a lot more information with you about the buyers, when they visited, how long they were there, and if they said anything on their way out

Remember, your concierge is just doing their job and following the rules. If you have to be angry about something, be angry at the rules and not the messenger. Next time you see your concierge, give them a smile or ask how their day has been. Consider giving them a holiday gift, or buy them a coffee if they do something extra to help you out.