New demands made on luxury concierge services | Economic Times

Whether arranging a Michelinstar meal on an iceberg or planning a private trip to exotic destinations, luxury concierge services manage to make the impossible a reality for its HNI customers. But these requests existed in the pre-pandemic era. Since the second wave of Covid-19 hit, the nature of the demands have changed — ranging from a private jet for quick access to medical help, a personalised app to share one’s health parameters with doctors, getting celebrity yoga instructors, to even preparing a will. “Health is the new luxury for HNIs,” said Mishti Bose, founder of New Delhi-based Quintessentially India. “Since April, shopping for designer clothes, footwear, watches, exotic travel and dining has been replaced by spending on medical equipment for home use, air ambulances and home gyms. The rich have also replaced commercial f lights with charter planes for domestic travel.” As you wishBanks such as American Express Banking Corp have noted a shift towards emergency, health-related queries and household essentials. “Prior to the second wave, we also witnessed pent-up travel demand,” said Manoj Adlakha, senior vice-president and CEO of American Express (India). “Most cardmembers preferred to drive but we also saw charter requests pick up. Luxury hotels were preferred due to safety concerns.” These days, extravagant requests such as yacht charters and lavish parties have been replaced with wellness and private nature treks, said Dhan Chitnis and Prasheen Lodia of Goa-based luxury concierge service Yours. App-solutley SafeWhile a majority of Indians took to online shopping last year, the uberrich steered clear of apps. “The well-heeled don’t want to shuffle a million apps,” said Dipali Sikand, founder of Bengaluru-based LesConcierges and ClubConcierge. “Home is the focus now. They want us to get everyday essentials, groceries and vegetables. They want their turmeric from Meghalaya and cinnamon from Kerala instead of a local store. They want online medical consultations but only with doctors in the US and UK. Many tidied their legal papers and even wrote their will recently,” added Sikand. Staying ahead While it has been a challenge meeting these luxurious needs, concierge companies are not complaining. “The requirement for personal concierge will increase as an executive assistant and other personal assistants will find it difficult to deliver in the current circumstances,” said Amit Makker, group head, luxury travel services at Unbound Meetings and Incentives.