If you frequently travel, then a credit card that offers complimentary concierge services can save you from a lot of difficulties. Besides travel assistance, concierge services also provide assistance with personal business such as travel reservations, booking appointments, etc. This facility is mostly offered with premium credit cards. Also, you should not choose a credit card solely for concierge services. In this article, we will talk more about what concierge is and how it can help you.
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What are Concierge Services?
Concierge services offered with credit cards take care of all your premium requirements. A concierge is a group of employees that provide assistance with certain requirements which can range from booking tours, holiday packages, a round of golf, business services, event planning, pet care assistance, etc. However, not all credit cards offer such kinds of services, only premium or super-premium credit cards come with concierge services.
Types of Concierge Services
Concierge services are provided to make your routine tasks easier. The services may vary from provider to provider, but mostly these services cover travel assistance, bookings and reservations assistance, grocery delivery, etc. However, some credit card providers also offer additional perks under concierge services. Below mentioned are some of the common concierge services that are usually offered with credit cards:
- Travel Services: It covers your queries regarding hotel reservations, airline bookings, cruise reservations, etc.
- Golfing Services: It includes all the golfing needs a customer might have including referral to golf courses and golf lessons
- Wine & Dine Services: Concierge services can also be used to go to wine tasting events, make dinner reservations, or book caterers, or even provide information on vineyards around the world
- Arts & Culture Information: You can also collect such information through concierge services. They can refer you to tour agents or provide information on museums or theatres in the area.
- Shopping Services: It can range from flower or gift delivery assistance to referrals to art and antique dealers in a city or country
- Business Services: It includes translation services, courier services, conference services and messenger services
- Event Planning: The concierge team can refer you to an event planner
- Miscellaneous Services: It includes everyday tasks like grocery delivery, pet care assistance, laundry pick-up and drop-off, massage, aromatherapy services, etc.
Benefits of Concierge Services
Here are some of the benefits of concierge services:
Saves Time: One of the best advantages of concierge services is that it allows you to save time as you do not have to research anything. You just have to make a call and the concierge cell will assist you regarding your queries.
Exclusive Privileges: Some credit card providers offer exclusive privileges and benefits to their users. Priority reservations, upgrades at top luxury hotels, and complimentary drinks are some of the privileges that are offered under concierge services.
Exclusive Access: Apart from exclusive privileges, you can also get exclusive access to some of the top restaurants, music concerts, theatres, premiers, charity balls and other events. You can also get VIP entry and hospitality access with concierge services.
Emergency Assistance: Concierge services provide emergency assistance for unfortunate incidents like loss of baggage, medical emergency, missed flight and much more.
Should You Get a Credit Card only for Concierge Services?
Concierge services can help you in many ways, from day-to-day task to medical emergency, everything is just a call away. However, you must remember that these services are offered only with premium or super-premium credit cards, which come with a high annual fee. Before applying for any of them, you must analyze whether the other benefits provided by the credit card are of any use to you or not. Besides this, such credit cards are offered only to people with good credit score. Therefore, it is important to have a good credit score (preferably above 750) to avail such benefits.
Overall, if you are looking for a premium credit card and want to avail other premium benefits along with concierge services, then you can opt for one. But, you should not choose a credit card only for concierge services as such cards come with a high annual fee.
Things to Keep in Mind While Choosing a Credit Card for Concierge Services
Concierge services can be very helpful if you are short on time as you have to make a call regarding all your queries and the team will handle your request. However, there are a few things that you should keep in mind while dealing with concierge services:
- It might seem that the concierge services are like a genie that can make any wish come true for a price but still, they are bound by law. Hence, only requests that are legal will be considered.
- Sometimes, maybe things you want like a dinner reservation or concert tickets might be sold out and the concierge might not be able to provide them to you
- Concierge service might connect you with a professional instead of taking on the entire responsibility. For example, they might refer an event planner to you instead of planning and executing the whole thing themselves.
Top Credit Cards for Concierge Services
Some of the popular credit cards that provide great concierge services are mentioned in the table below:
Credit Card | Annual Fee | Concierge Services Provided |
SBI Card Elite | Rs. 4,999 | Concierge services for flower delivery, gift delivery, customized holiday packages, bookings, hotel reservations and more |
IndusInd Bank Legend Credit Card | Rs. 9,999 (Joining Fee) | Legend concierge services for pre-trip assistance, hotel reservation, flowers & gifts, flight booking and more |
HDFC Bank Diners Club Black Credit Card | Rs. 10,000 | Exclusive 24×7 concierge services for bookings, reservations and more |
Citibank Prestige Credit Card | Rs. 20,000 | 24×7 services by Citi Prestige Concierge team for hotel reservations, golf enquires, reward points and more |
Axis Bank Reserve Credit Card | Rs. 50,000 | 24×7 concierge services for travel assistance, golfing services, shopping services and more |
Concierge services are proven to be of great help for those who value their time or are frequently in need of such services. However, if the service is not a make-or-break deal for you, then the additional cost of maintaining a premium credit card can be a real financial burden. So, it is up to you to decide whether or not you want a premium card with concierge services.