What Exactly is a Canine Concierge?

Posted by Billy Francis

Whether you’re traveling with a Boxer on a budget or a boujee Beagle, BringFido’s Canine Concierge Team can help you plan your trip and make sure there are no surprises at check-in. But being a pet travel expert involves more than just making hotel reservations for customers. For a behind-the-scenes peek at the job of a Canine Concierge, we interviewed Brandon, one of BringFido’s longest-tenured team members, and asked him about the work he does.

Note: If you think you have what it takes to do the job yourself, applications are currently being accepted to join the BringFido team as a Canine Concierge.

What is a Canine Concierge?

BringFido lists the most accurate, up-to-date and comprehensive pet-friendly travel information available anywhere, and our Canine Concierge team members are experts at navigating the website to find hotels and vacation rentals that meet the needs of our customers and their furry friends. Not only can our dedicated mutt maestros help you plan your next road trip, they’re also on hand to recommend pet-friendly restaurants, activities, events and services along your route. Plus, if you encounter any problems along the way, our concierge support team is just a phone call away and ready to assist.

After a guest makes a pet-friendly room reservation on the BringFido website or mobile app, our Canine Concierge team springs into action. They proactively reach out to the hotel front desk to let them know that you will be traveling with a pet and pass along any special requests. If there’s ever a problem with the booking, a member of our team helps fix it before the guest’s arrival, ensuring there are no surprises at the time of check-in.

Q&A With a Canine Concierge

For a behind-the-scenes look at the Canine Concierge position, we asked veteran concierge, Brandon, who recently celebrated his 11-year anniversary at BringFido, about his experience working as a Canine Concierge:

Q: What do you love most about being a BringFido Canine Concierge?

A: Personally, I love making sure our guests are taken care of before they arrive at their destination. We do our best to ensure there are no surprises when you get to the hotel. It's also really fun and interesting to communicate with all of our pet-friendly partner properties in different countries all over the world! Getting to help people plan their trips and hearing their stories along the way is awesome, too.

Q: What is a typical day like for members of the concierge team?

A: Every day is different for the Canine Concierge Team. Our job is to make sure your travel with Fido goes smoothly. Whether that is assisting guests with multiple pets find a hotel to accommodate their pack, aiding travelers on a cross-country move, or helping people find a pet-friendly spot late at night or during emergencies, we’re here to help! We answer emails, change dates on reservations, make new reservations and help people when mistakes have been made. We also talk to a lot of hotels and update pet policies along the way to keep BringFido’s website up-to-date for your next booking.

Q: Tell me about one of the more unique requests you’ve received from a BringFido customer.

A: We do have some interesting requests that come through from time to time. A guest recently asked me to help her find a pet-friendly limo service to pick up her cats at the airport and drop them off at a hotel ahead of her own arrival into the city. I never found out if the guest ended up booking the service, but I was able to find several possible options to accommodate this customer’s particular needs.

Q: Any other memorable moments you’d like to share with our members?

A: One of our other team members, Nicole, once helped out a guest in California who needed a place to stay with her very large cat, which turned out to be a tiger. And, yes, after much research, she was able to find a hotel that would accept this customer’s most unusual pet.

Q: What advice would you give to someone looking to travel with a pet for the first time?

A: Traveling with pets can be a bit hairy at times. Make sure you always read those pet policies. Some hotels only allow a certain number of pets, within a certain weight limit, and possibly only in certain room types. We will advise you if that's a concern, but if you're booking for a same-day arrival it's always a good idea to call us first (877-411-3436) and we'll ensure everything is in order when you arrive at your destination.

Q: Do any hotels stand out to you as being particularly easy to work with? Do you have some favorites?

A: Our favorites are obviously the most pet-friendly properties! As far as chains go, customers can’t go wrong with Kimpton Hotels. Many Aloft properties are also very pet friendly. All Hilton properties recently started allowing pets, as well, so customers have many good choices these days. Regardless of the brand, it’s always a good idea to check out the BringFido reviews for the specific hotels you are considering.

Would you like being a Canine Concierge? Leave a comment or tweet us @BringFido!

Banner photo by iStock/monkeybusinessimages.