A few weeks after joining the YourHostHelper concierge franchise, it's Lionel Gillot's turn to take part in the interview game. Based on Reunion Island and offering our seasonal rental management services in Saint-Gilles, Saint-Paul and Saint-Pierre, Lionel explains his career and his daily life as an agency manager in Reunion, enjoy reading!
Good morning ! To start, could you introduce yourself in a few words?
Hello, my name is Lionel, I manage the 3 sites Saint-Gilles, Saint-Paul and Saint Pierre is the head office. After training in university law and a master's degree in communication, I first worked in insurance as an employee, then as a business manager in real estate and in a communication agency. My taste for human proximity led me into the world of concierge services. I also work in real estate.
The values that are dear to me are proximity, availability, listening and sharing.
What motivated you to get involved in the management of vacation rentals?
Personally, I managed 3 villas in Grand-Bois at the southern exit of Saint-Pierre and owned by my brother.
The adventure started here!
To offer these families little moments of happiness, disconnection breaks that have brought me a lot. Sometimes incredible human encounters and sharing too. Welcoming travelers arriving at their resort is essential. You have to bring them serenity and joy while they are packing their bags, be authentic and communicate empathy.
Why did you choose Saint-Pierre to set up your business?
I naturally chose the city of Saint-Pierre because I live there and I know the city and its surroundings very well. Strategically it is the city best placed for departures on a walk, at least for the little walkers that we are. The climate is pleasant and the animation almost continues. Unmissable: the Saturday morning market and its colorful stalls. Nice restaurants, not expensive… The city center of Saint Pierre is a must, always very lively! Even if the souvenir shops do not represent the majority, there are countless small shops in the maze of alleys. There are also plenty of small restaurants, some of which don't look like much, but where you eat very well! The marina of Saint Pierre is a pleasant place, especially at sunset. You can walk there by going around the dike, to have a beautiful view of the beach on one side, and the ocean on the other. I love the Holy Land. Right next to the port is the superb beach of Saint Pierre. Even if the lagoon is not very large, it has the merit of securing swimmers, who will be able to admire quite remarkable seabeds. Further down the coast, 10 minutes from Saint Pierre, Grande Anse beach is also one of the most beautiful on the island.
For a person who likes to dance, walk, move around, shop, enjoy the flea markets and enjoy the boulevard, Saint-Pierre is the liveliest and most lively city you cannot miss every evening and weekend.
What places would you recommend to a traveler wishing to explore this city?
I recommend the restaurants, because we have many and excellent ones. Go and visit the Café Grillé estate, the Saturday morning market ranked 3rd most beautiful market in France where you can find all the specialties of Reunion, but also a little from Mauritius and Madagascar. , The Rum saga, the beaches.
The “capital” of the south welcomes seaside and festive tourism thanks to its port, its beach and its lagoon. The seafront and the central district are very lively: restaurants, casinos and nightclubs rub shoulders there. The influence of the Compagnie des Indes, then of the sugar era are evident in the architecture of the old quarters. It has a wide seafront welcoming seaside and festive tourism. Indeed, it is the only town in Reunion with a beach and a lagoon. To discover the South is to appreciate its art of living and its warm welcome. It is to be moved by stunning panoramas and a rich heritage. Fascinating volcano, spectacular circus, and sublime wild coasts... The South is a concentrate of Reunion that overwhelms the senses!
What benefits do you find in working in rental management?
Put my dynamism and my taste for detail at the service of people wishing to make their property available to travelers. Offer a tailor-made service for them and contribute to their well-being during their stay. And above all, to offer peace of mind to owners and profitability. - What are the essential qualities in your profession? Altruistic, I naturally seek the well-being of the people around me. Available and attentive, I am committed to satisfying and offering high quality service. Friendly, I combine rigor with the simple pleasure of meeting people.
Why did you choose to join the YourHostHelper brand license?
The brand license, unlike the franchise, offers more freedom and autonomy in the management of the business. YourHostHelper is the only brand with 5 stars thanks to its constant search for the best possible service.
The transmission of the know-how of the franchise is essential unlike the trademark license; The obligation of training and assistance: The franchisor must accompany the franchisee, while the licensor only rents its brand to the licensee. Thanks to digitalization and our channel manager, I can develop efficiently, improve my profitability. Because to develop it is necessary to crush the costs to improve the profitability. The automation of tasks thanks to digital allows us to increase revenue because we have the tools for it and the processes are fast.
Can you describe for us the daily life in your job?
It is a service profession that reconciles human art and digital technology.
I serve both the host (who is the owner) but also the traveler. Two targets with very different needs. So every day, I cultivate the human. Indeed, in the relational, what is important and we admit it little: it is the recognition in the other. A give and take interaction. Give and receive. Moreover, in the service professions, we cannot omit the importance of pleasing people. But also to receive in return a positive opinion, a recommendation. Multi-faceted, we have to please, surprise and exceed expectations to stand out. Create link. Avoid conflicts inherent in interpersonal relationships. In particular, when it is difficult to align our respective needs. Or our communication. The art of perfectionism is the art of “doing it even better”. The art of the Airbnb concierge is to provide impeccable accommodation, whose cleanliness criteria are worthy of those expected in the hotel world. But beware, a traveler has his own cleanliness requirements. De facto, achieving a certain degree of perfectionism makes it possible to exceed customer expectations in most cases.
What can we wish you the best in this new adventure?
The satisfaction of my owner clients who trust me. We love the owner and we want to please him. As we often say, the owner entrusts us with the keys to his “house”. A place that he has invested emotionally, financially. But also the satisfaction of travelers by providing them with a unique experience. It's a point of honor.
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We would like to thank Lionel for taking part in the interview game and hope that these few questions will have allowed you to get to know him better and to have a small overview of the daily life in the YourHostHelper concierge agencies. We invite you to find Lionel in his 3 YourHostHelper agencies: Concierge Saint-Gilles, Concierge Saint-Paul et Concierge Saint-Pierre.
