Everyone can use a little help now and again. The residents of community associations, associations or homeowners’ associations are no exception. There are tons of tasks that just cannot be left up to the board or residents who are busy people themselves, juggling multiple roles and responsibilities of their own. 

To lighten the proverbial load, many associations turn to a concierge service. These come in various shapes and sizes; some provide 24/7 on-site help, while others may be part-time or operate only during regular business hours. But the commonality between all of these models is that a person will be at the property for a designated time period during the day, available to aid residents with tasks ranging from the simple to the complex, while also providing a sense of security and authority to the building at large. Even if a resident does not utilize the full range of concierge services, he or she may still take comfort from the sight of a familiar face upon their return home, and the knowledge that someone is looking after the building while they’re gone.

Assigning Value

A concierge service is certainly not a necessity for every association. While an urban high-rise may certainly stand to benefit, a smaller association may find it too costly per unit, or too underutilized to make financial sense. And in a more sprawling community or a townhome layout, residents may not even realize that the concierge is there. It’s important to assess the pros and cons before entering into any long-term (or even short-term) commitment.

“There’s a high cost associated with the concierge service,” concedes Abdullah Fersen, CEO of Newgent Association management in Yonkers, New York. But should your association have the budget, he says the benefits are “limitless.” 

“A concierge pays close attention to the day-to-day details,” Fersen elaborates. “They handle orders and deliveries on behalf of owners and shareholders with personal care, and serve as a constant reminder to residents that business is going on per usual.”

Kerry R. Patterson, a senior property and association management professional with Maloney Properties, Inc., in Wellesley, Massachusetts, suggests that of the various residential configurations, high-rise or mid-rise properties are best equipped to make use of a concierge service. “Garden-style and similar-type associations don’t seem to get much benefit from it,” Patterson says. “The lobby aspect is important. I’ve had associations without lobbies try to incorporate a concierge, and people don’t pass through or acknowledge the service. It’s not as useful.”

That said, a concierge can still appeal to a wide array of differently sized associations. “I had a high-end building that only had 63 units, and they paid for an elite concierge service,” notes Patterson. “And then I have buildings with 400-or-so units, and they need one, as they’re so large. It really comes down to what kind of service they want; if they’re aiming for luxury, then they want that concierge. If they don’t have the requisite budget or are just not trying to evoke that upscale ambiance, a concierge probably wouldn’t fit their needs, especially if the extensive cost is broken down between only a few units.”

In some areas, such as Chicago, concierges may work double-duty and share the responsibilities of a secondary role. “Most of the concierge service personnel here are also the security guards,” says Keith Hales, President of Hales Association management in Chicago. “They can also be an on-site engineer, or even an association manager.

“From a perception standpoint, there is clearly value in knowing that a person is monitoring an existing camera system, helping with packages or baggage, serving as a liaison for maintenance requests, or monitoring who comes in and out of the building,” Hales continues. “Again, the number of units and the demographics of a building’s residents typically determine whether the concierge is worth the additional cost. We often see this type of personnel incorporated at buildings with 60-or-more units.”

Task Master

It’s important before hiring a concierge to methodically outline what is to be expected from such a service, and to hire a vendor that agrees to those chosen parameters. It’s equally essential to inform residents as to what a concierge should and should not be expected to do, lest one party try to take undue advantage of the other.

“The role of the concierge should be to address the resident inquiries, as well as to add a higher level of proactive maintenance and security to the building,” explains Hales. “We often run into many residents making excessive demands that fall outside of a concierge’s role in the building. In those cases, we do our best to guide those residents into serving a more productive role within the building, such as joining a group or running for the board.”

Additionally, the concierge may be in charge of monitoring who and what comes in and out of the building while they’re on the clock. “Generally, the concierge is charged with greeting visitors and possessing full knowledge of the property, residents, and emergency procedures,” says Bruce Young, General Manager of Smoke Rise Club, a private lake community in Kinnelon, New Jersey. “But some associations have their concierge accept packages from UPS, FedEx, and the like. Others still have them direct valet parking.”

In denser areas such as New York City, the concierge may take on any number of odd jobs on behalf of residents, notes Fersen. “They might order delivery from the restaurant down the block, or check a gym’s schedule for various classes,” he says. “And while a concierge would obviously prefer not to deal with a difficult resident, they are well-trained to handle type-A personalities. It’s worth remembering that they cannot read minds; the more details a resident provides, the easier it will be for the concierge to perform a specific task.”

It must be noted that, in some areas and associations, the concierge is decidedly not a security guard. “People try to use the ‘security’ verbiage, but, in my associations, I steer away from that, as it can lead to liability issues,” warns Patterson. “Unless there’s a specific statement stating such, the concierge is not security, they’re a courtesy officer. They’re there to assist with packages and information, and to monitor the building, but not to secure it, so to speak.”

Another avenue via which problems can arise is when residents expect a concierge to police their neighbors. “I’ve had situations where a resident asks the concierge to tell someone else to stop doing something, and it’s a fine line,” says Patterson. “Having a concierge address a resident and say ‘Please remember: pets are not allowed off-leash on the property,’ is one thing, but having them go and say ‘You’re doing this wrong’ or ‘Your children can’t be here’ becomes a different scenario. That needs to be noted and addressed by management, not by the concierge. And it varies by association where that line is drawn.”

Further Liability

For the protection of the association, a board should review any additional liability issues that come with the hiring of a concierge service, and actively enforce the parameters that govern a concierge’s duties. 

When trust is abused, whether the abuser is a resident or an employee, the risk to an association is massive. Karen Brown, community manager of Fleur de Lis Homeowners Association with FirstService Residential in Reno, Nevada, recounts a particularly negative experience:

“We were quite shocked and concerned when we found out the ‘services’ being provided by concierge staff to our residents. Residents would leave cash at the front desk so the concierge could pay for an expected delivery or pickup. Concierge staff would go into units and change smoke detector batteries. Residents would leave very expensive clothing with the front desk for pickup by a dry cleaning company. They’d use the concierge as a personal secretary – even have them dog-sit. All of these are liabilities, and we discontinued the service to protect the association.”

The overstepping wasn’t just limited to residents entrusting valuables or access to their homes; some owners seemed to think of the association employees as their personal staff of servants. “We had a gentleman say that he expected staff to stand up and come to attention to greet him whenever he entered the room,” Brown continues. “I told him that this wasn’t a boutique San Francisco hotel, a la the Sir Francis Drake. It’s a Reno HOA, and staff is not expected to snap for attention for anyone.”

“Diligent guidance and management of the individual are keys to creating a positive experience when implementing a concierge program,” says Hales. “The board should definitely consider the liability concern of having someone at the building who does not meet expectations. We have seen cases where a person may not be following their job duties and, as a result, creates a false sense of security within a building. We would also recommend having this person work for a third-party company rather than as an employee of the association, in order to avoid employment service issues.”

And, finally, Patterson urges boards to ensure that the concierge service has the proper instruments and liability coverage. “That should all be noted in the contract, of course.”

Once all of the requisite boxes are checked, an association of appropriate size and necessity can proceed and work that concierge into the mix. Residents tend to enjoy that friendly face greeting them when they come and go from the homestead.   

Mike Odenthal is a staff writer/reporter with The Nevada Cooperator.