On an average working day, Karim El Teir might be arranging a luxury chauffeur airport pick-up for a high-profile client, or booking sold-out front-row seats to the West End’s most sought-after shows.
Yet despite his enviable book of contacts and ability to seemingly conjure up special experiences out of thin air, Karim is not a five-star hotel concierge.
Instead, he is one of Grosvenor Casinos’ talented Customer Relations Managers, looking after the most discerning visitors from around the world during their trips to the capital.
Yet while the task list varies wildly, one element remains consistent: the requirement to deliver an impeccable, seamless service for Grosvenor Casinos’ elite clientele.
For many international clients, coming to London isn’t just about visiting a casino – it is about experiencing everything the UK capital has to offer, with every small detail taken care of.
At The Barracuda, tucked just off a leafy square in London’s Marylebone, Karim’s phone lights up constantly during peak periods, with a repertoire of requests in Arabic and English that transcend the ordinary.
Highlighting the focus on personal relationships, he explains: “Imagine you come in once a year and we remember your name and all the things that are important to you. Those things are important to us too.
“It’s one of the best things about The Barracuda – the team are like family. Usually, when I call customers to check in on them, they end up asking about how we are doing.”
Jerry Lewis, the General Manager of The Barracuda and a stalwart of London’s gaming scene with more than three decades of experience, highlights the importance of maintaining personal relationships with the casino’s customers – especially the higher end clientele.
He says: “Any problems and challenges they have, Karim is here to sort it, fix it, help them. They know that even if he can’t, we’ve tried.”
Drawing from his rich experience, he believes in fostering a culture that resonates with warmth and familiarity, especially crucial for the Middle Eastern clients who form a significant portion of the clientele.
For Jerry, that luxury isn’t just defined by opulence but more by personal recognition and a genuine welcome.
Over at The Park Tower in Knightsbridge, a jewel in Grosvenor Casinos’ crown, Nikki Barrett – who has spent more than two decades with the company across a range of casinos – elaborates on the brand’s ‘halo offering’.
She says: “Customers want to be recognized, remembered and treated really well – just like family.”
And that recognition isn’t just about knowing the customer’s name. It’s about knowing their preferences, their idiosyncrasies, and their expectations.
Whether it’s arranging a private game for discerning individuals seeking privacy or ensuring the entry experience is warm, inviting, and relaxing. The emphasis is always on getting the small details right along with the big picture.
“It’s like a concierge service for customers coming over here,” says Nikki, “If our customers want to use a bit more of a private area or arrange something special, we try to cater for their entire trip.”
Nikki reminisces about her interactions with a particular patron – just one of many repeat customers over the years.
She says: “We recently had a customer of ours, and I hadn’t seen him for a long time. Then we realized we’d known each other for 15 years across different places and venues.”
This encapsulates the depth of relationships nurtured over time, which transcends mere business – it is not just the ambience or the gaming that lures these elite patrons to Grosvenor Casinos.
To further enhance the experience, Grosvenor Casinos has increased hiring of multi-lingual Customer Relations Managers and tweaked its dining offering to include more international dishes.
Yet the true ‘secret sauce’ is in the attention to detail, personalisation, and above all, genuine care for customers.
In the world of luxury service, where the stakes are high, and the expectations even higher, the likes of Karim, Jerry, and Nikki are crafting memorable experiences, one client at a time.
