Arranging the Pieces
With Jade Soto-Martinez, Concierge
JADE SOTO-MARTINEZ, CONCIERGE
Concierge—the term has changed somewhat over time, but the overall mission remains the same: to help create the best possible experience for every guest during their stay at our hotel. Here at The Broadmoor, Jade Soto-Martinez helps to plan, organize and coordinate the pieces of a guest’s visit—much like piecing together a puzzle—making sure our visitors focus on relaxing and enjoying their stay to the fullest.
Welcome, Jade! Tell us your job title, and describe what you do at The Broadmoor?
I am a Concierge here at The Broadmoor and at Emerald Valley Ranch, and I like to describe myself as the “key holder of all information.” Each guest is like a puzzle piece, and I help put the pieces together to help make their stay at the resort perfect. Oftentimes, I am one of the first persons from the resort that a guest interacts with, especially if they call and we talk on the phone to start pre-planning activities while they’re here, etc. It’s at that point that the standard is set for them.
What inspired you to work in this industry?
I’ve worked at The Broadmoor for about 3 years now, beginning in high school. My family has been in the hospitality industry for generations, so I was kind of brought up into this. My mom actually prompted me to apply here, because it’s such a big property with lots of opportunities - and everyone knows The Broadmoor!
What is your favorite part of your position?
As a Concierge, I really get to interact with the guests and get to know them, and I really enjoy that. Connecting with our guests is my favorite part of the job, and I really feel that there is a reason that you meet certain people in your life. Maybe it’s to get guidance or advice from them...or learn a lesson. You never know.
What is a “typical” day like for you?
Well, at the resort, I get into the office (usually the morning shift, so it’s before the phones start to go crazy) and check the voicemails, then see what’s been done by other team members or what needs to be completed from the night before. I also go through e-mails and see what specific tasks I can take care of first. I work with the Front Desk to connect with guests who might have a need or request that can specifically be met by the Concierge team. We also do “call backs” to guests and part of that is remembering to be conscious of time zones. Every guest call is different...and it really is like a big puzzle most days. But the most important thing is that every single interaction with a guest creates a memory. It can be a good memory or a bad memory depending on that exchange, so you have to always be aware of that. I am a firm believer that if an interaction with a guest doesn’t start out good, it can always be turned around and made into a positive one.
At the Ranch, the day starts off with a 35-minute shuttle drive up to the property. It’s actually a good thing, because it reminds you of what the guest is feeling as they drive up. Is it a smooth ride, do they get carsick, how is the elevation going to affect them, etc. Once we arrive, I greet the Chefs and jump right in with helping with the breakfast service, if need be. Then I help with getting luggage sorted and loaded onto the shuttles for guests who are leaving. The really neat thing about being up there is that you really do have many opportunities to build a connection with the guests due to the variety of tasks. After departures, I can get to my desk and check e-mails, make calls, etc. But I really do anything a guest requests while I am around...helping with Guides, getting snacks for them, jumping into lunch service—I’m really a jack-of-all-trades. The only thing I won’t do...because I can’t do it... is fish! I’m horrible at fly fishing!
What challenges do you encounter in your role?
I think one of the main challenges is making sure that communication is good across all teams working with a guest. Oftentimes being a Concierge is like being a middle man between the guest and any and all of the other departments involved in making plans for them. You have to really make sure that everyone is informed and on the same page; to add to that, a guest can change their mind about something in a split second. If you don’t keep up with all of the changes going on, things can get confusing. You have to be super-organized, too. Some guests like to plan far in advance of their stay, while others are more relaxed about it. This poses unique challenges, too.
You don’t strike me as someone who has a least-favorite task associated with the job, but if you did...?
I don’t like having to tell a guest “no” and then not being able to find a proper alternative that satisfies them. And that applies to working at The Broadmoor, as well as the Ranch. We are sometimes a little more restricted with the activities we offer because we are up on a mountain. It’s easier to connect a guest with an alternative option down at the resort because things are more convenient and closer to together.
Can you give me an example of how you were able to take a situation where you couldn’t accommodate a guest’s wishes, but turned that around?
I had a guest up at the Ranch who wanted to have special pastries for a specific celebration for her and her daughter, but the pastry chefs down at Main couldn’t do it because the request was made outside of their required time frame. So our amazing chef up at the Ranch, Suzanna, came up with the brilliant idea of bringing her own baking utensils to use on site. She made Raspberry Chocolate cupcakes, with little Happy Birthday decorations placed on them, and we had candles. Before I left at the end of my shift for the day, I made sure to relay that these were to be served at dinner, and I told everyone on the staff to wish them a Happy Birthday. The guests being honored were just ecstatic. Little things like that can make a huge difference - and sometimes things even turn out better than expected!
So clearly you interact and collaborate with other departments across campus...how do you navigate that part of your role?
So when up at the Ranch, a lot of arranging is done by phone and e-mail, and I communicate a lot with the Amenities department and the Front Desk. Located on our Main campus, the Garage is also a big one, because I am constantly communicating with them about guests leaving or arriving, vehicles and capacity, etc. “My crew”, as I like to refer to them, are so important up on the mountain. I am constantly communicating, about what cabins need to be cleaned (with Housekeeping.) But we all need to be aware of all of the guests needs up there at all times.
Down at Main, I also have to integrate a lot with the Garage due to the Cadillac Ride & Drive opportunity offered to guests. I also work with many different vendors who offer outside activities to guests. But the Chefs... oh, they are the heart of a guest’s stay here oftentimes. I work very closely with them, too. Special food requests or restrictions, allergy alerts, etc., have to be relayed specifically to them.
Can you tell us what the most common question you receive as a Concierge is?
Well, every single guest, no matter who they are or what property they are staying at, always asks me what I recommend, or for my personal input regarding dining and activities. And it doesn’t matter if a guest is staying with us for the very first time, or if they are a repeat visitor who wants to try something different - you always want to make the guest feel like you have that personal connection with them, no matter what you’re recommending.
So based on the seasonal component of EVR, how and when do you transition down to the resort, and what does that look like?
Up at EVR, our season ends before Winter ever begins...so usually at the end of October. When I begin my transition down to Concierge at the resort, it really starts with me mentally preparing myself. Because down here, there’s a lot more people, departments, things to worry about, etc. Things move very fast, and sometimes it takes a little while to get back into the swing of things or to remember so many moving parts. I also have to catch up on anything that has changed down here, because things are constantly changing. I mean, one week can literally be different from another. Up at EVR, things don’t change as much, and we are very secluded, so I’m not always aware of what’s going on down at the resort.
On the flip side, when it comes time for the Ranch to open back up in the Spring, my transition starts by basically giving my two-weeks notice down here at the resort. I also have to ensure that any open arrangements I have with guests are completed, or, handed off to another team member who can handle requests for them down the line. The team down here in Concierge is amazing and I trust them so much. It really helps. I never doubt that things will get done. Once back up at the Ranch, things are fairly straightforward and there isn’t a lot of change.
Do you mind flipping between the two properties ever?
Oh my gosh, no! I actually love it. I feel like I am very lucky because throughout the year, I get the best of both worlds. I get to be up at the Ranch during the Summer months, and I prefer to be outside. I hate being indoors. It’s so beautiful up there. But when I am down at the resort, it’s during the fun time...the holidays like Thanksgiving and Christmas in the Winter. I am involved in fun seasonal activities, like helping with holiday activities like the gingerbread houses for the little ones, etc. It’s actually a really good balance for me.
How did the opportunity to work at both locations actually come about?
Before the pandemic, I was actually a part of the Dining Reservations team. When the hotel reopened, that department was dissolved and rolled into the new Central Reservations group. As part of this new team, I had the chance to expand my knowledge and get to know more people at the resort, including Shauna Benson who headed up Concierge. They were all so helpful to me and were really passionate about what they were doing for the resort. Through Shauna, I met and became really close with the person who was the Concierge up at Emerald Valley at the time. I wasn’t really aware of or too knowledgeable about the Wilderness Properties, but becoming friends with that person allowed me to learn more. When the opportunity came up to join the team at the Ranch as another Concierge, I wanted to explore that. I was at a point where I wanted a change; I was looking for something different.
I was initially nervous about having that much personal interaction with guests and being out in the wilderness, but Craig (former manager at EVR) really set me up for success. He had me out in heels, walking around the Ranch on a really hot day when I interviewed. He made a really great first impression on me, and I really just couldn’t say no to him. I wanted to prove to him (and Shauna Benson) that I could do the job. And, now, I love the property as much as he did.