This year New Generation have launched their Ski Concierge Service, headed up in Courchevel 1850 by Andrea Vitton. We sat down for a chocolat chaud with Andrea to find out more about the man behind the logo, and what makes Ski Concierge Service so special.
Ski Concierge Service
How is Ski Concierge Service different from Ski School?
Every instructor wants their client to get the most out of their holiday and ski time and of course I’m no different. However, the Ski Concierge Service can also help out with other parts of your holiday too – if you need help choosing the right skis from the hire shop, booking the best table at the restaurant for lunch, organising other events in your trip like luge or husky sledging.
What can I expect from Ski Concierge Service?
We have a customer services team (based in the UK and in resort) who can help you with your booking before you come out to the mountains. When you arrive I would meet you (and your PA or concierge if you wanted) at your chalet/hotel before we head out to ski. This is when I like to have a relaxed chat about your goals for your holiday, your experiences and expectations and anything else you, your friends and family feel is important.
I’ll pull together a few suggestions for the following day and then once we know each other a bit better we’ll be able to tailor together the activities that you enjoy the most, taking into account all the different variables of your group; fitness, technical level, to time available. The main thing to remember is that anything is possible, whether it’s a mission day, 9 to 5 on as many runs as we can, to a helicopter off-piste adventure, to a relaxed start at 10.30 and the best gourmet food and drink the mountain has to offer. I love it all!
Now, if you asked me about my favourite day it would be to burn lots of calories in the morning, and then reclaim them again on a fantastic meal! Skiing after lunch should be a fun way home.
What’s your experience looking after clients on the mountains?
I became a ski instructor in the early 90’s and started teaching beginners and kids. I soon realized that I was getting more inspiration by teaching and guiding adults, understanding their psychological and being able to tailor my approach every time. By managing ski schools for a few years I have refined my customer service knowledge and little secrets to make clients happy on holiday. One of my main thoughts though is safety all the time, so recently I became an emergency first response teacher. This means I can handle medical emergency situation just as well as any paramedic (hopefully we won’t have to find out!).
Why do you love your job?
Because it gives me the chance to share with my clients all the knowledge that I have gathered, collected and experienced in over 20 years of teaching skiing and guiding skiers all over resorts in Italy and France. I still and always will think that it’s a lot of fun, and I’d always be happy making a living in the winter season helping people to enjoy their holiday in the mountains.
I particularly love being in Courchevel. When I moved here I found absolutely everything I needed to satisfy all the different expectations of my “VIP clients” – in one place! The slopes are probably the best in the world for any level, the hotels are minimum 4 stars, and there are more Michelin stars restaurants per square mile than anywhere else in the world.
This story basically sums up why I love my job:
Some years ago during a meal in a restaurant in London with one of my British clients, the conversation turned to why they keep on skiing with with me all day after so many years? He explained why mentioning things that didn’t have much to do with skiing but had a lot to do with life. And then in the end after a pause he said “Oh! Of course he’s still teaching us the best skiing techniques to enjoy the runs.”
That was probably the best feedback I’ve ever had.
