Concierge vs Security Guard: Differences and Similarities

In recent years, many hotels and resorts included security guards and concierges to their personnel. Hotel guests usually see this hotel staff in lobbies and around the reception. Still, many are unaware of the differences between these two and the particular services they provide. On the other hand, for business owners, it’s important to distinguish these two professions to comprehend which one better suits their needs or if they require both services.

Although concierge and security guard share some similarities and duties, they are very different. Security guard patrol can help you determine which services will better meet your needs by revealing the preferences and responsibilities of these two kinds of facilities.

What does a concierge do?

The fundament of the concierge role is to assist hotel clients. Concierges are trained to take care of different aspects of the hotel and resort business, mainly focusing on clients. Their duties might be household management, booking restaurants, travel planning, and other customer services. However, there are many other tasks that the concierge can take care of to deliver excellent customer service to clients.

Concierges services, besides providing the assistance needed for the clients, also support the work of business personnel as they ease their jobs by taking some tasks upon themselves.

The nature of the concierge job requires excellent skills in communication and approach. Concierges are, therefore, often individuals with outgoing personalities that are comfortable interacting with strangers. Additionally, their job requires a friendly personality, as well as being confident, pleasant, and comfortable to engage with a crowd of people.

The duties of concierges differ depending on the type of service the company provides to guests. However, the concierge’s job usually includes providing guests with relevant information regarding the hotel, its surroundings, available tours or excursions, various bookings, and other info that might be valuable for guests. Besides the information linked to guests staying, the concierge also provides hotel clients with other assistance, such as delivering various needed items to guests’ rooms, answering questions, or helping them find the best gym or cleaning service.

The multitasking of concierges reflects in the diversity of assignments they provide. Although we already have mentioned numerous assistance concierges issue, their customer service also includes:

Arranging transportation.
Accepting deliveries.
Greeting guests and visitors.
Reserving tickets to various events.
Even taking care of pets.

As the presence of a concierge donates to the feeling of exclusivity, many residential buildings higher a building concierge to assist in building residents and their visitors. However, many building tenants and visitors feel uncomfortable passing the concierge when entering a building. That can be a con of having a concierge in a building, especially if the one is not professionally trained to provide discretion and not to interrupt the guest with unnecessary questions and skepticism. On the other hand, having a building concierge provides certain kinds of security services as they are trained to respond to emergencies and control building entry.

Having a concierge in a building satisfies BOMA (building owners managers association) standards, which ensure residents’ quality and security of living.

The aspect of concierge security includes welcoming residents, employees, and guests. That implies following building or hotel protocols. Protocols include:

Checking employees’ IDs at the entrance and monitoring unwelcome guests.
Patrolling the property.
Inspecting a parking lot.

Concierge security services are significantly reduced compared to security guards, but they do provide certain building protection for facilities and businesses that don’t face high-security risks.

Unlike armed security guards, the concierge security officer’s job includes monitoring advanced security cameras, alerting the authorities, and forbidding entrance. They do not carry security patrol equipment, such as firearms, and are usually not professionals trained to provide physical responses to incidents. However, a concierge security guard’s resume should include a training certification confirming their ability to provide efficient service and knowledge to deal with various situations.

Most business owners don’t know what type of security will be most proficient for their needs and therefore don’t know what to look for when hiring a security company. Some buildings or hotels are sufficient with safety that the concierge can provide, and others require a higher level of security. Our agency is experienced in this field and provides adequately trained consigners and security officers to deliver professional and tailored service for our clients.

Duties of a security guard

The security guard’s job is to provide security for property and people. Security guards are focused less on interaction and assistance than on providing protection. Their primary job is to provide professional security services.

A security guard has to monitor property and people entrances and protect property from damage and vandalism. Unlike a concierge security officer, security guards are trained to respond to various incidents.

The general tasks of security guards include:

securing entrances and exits in buildings,
checking IDs,
monitoring authorized areas for possible intruders,
surveilling for suspicious activities,
reporting and responding to incidents,
and patrolling the property.

Besides these general duties, security guards provide various additional services that depend on a client’s needs.

To secure the safety of large properties and complexes, security guards provide patrolling services. Depending on the level of risks expected, security guard patrol can carry various communication and detection gadgets and firearms.

Unlike concierge security officers, security guards are usually equipped with various tools. Such equipment might include batons, teasers, pepper sprays, and even firearms.

When it comes to armed security services, they are usually required for businesses that operate daily with large money amounts, luxury objects, or for individuals that face high safety risks.

Personal bodyguard services are usually hired to ensure the safety of individuals who face increased safety risks, such as VIPs, important business people, high government officials, and others.

Concierge vs Security guard: What are the differences?

Comparing concierge security officers and security guards, the main difference is in the range of security services they provide. While security guards also offer armed patrol services, concierges are not equipped or trained for situations with high safety risks.

Security guards can work as a concierge, contrary to concierges not trained to work as security guards.

On the other hand, these two professionals often work together in providing comprehensive service, complementing each other.

In the case of concierge vs security guard, the winner depends on a client’s needs. If the client requires high security, hiring security guards would be an adequate solution. However, if the client’s needs are focused on providing good customer service and assistance to their guests, and their security risks are considered low, having a concierge is a type of service that will satisfy their requirements.

Additionally, many business owners want to produce an impressive service for their guests. For this reason, they tend to hire both security guards and concierges. This approach ensures that their guest feel more secure and relieved knowing that there is a security officer on site while enjoying the assistance of a concierge to manage all their tasks.

Final thoughts

Hopefully, we helped you understand the differences and advantages of concierge vs security guard. To determine which service is adequate for your business, you must comprehend the level of assistance and security you require. But you can also contact us to discuss with our professionals your business preferences for establishing an efficient system to ensure the right volume of security and assistance for your clients.