recognition placard are great to pay for shiny thing and get further in debt . But you may also make their concierge services to obey your every desire , from finding an out - of - stemma gadget toa bathtub full of cheeseflower . Here ’s how .
I recently contract up for The Visa SIGNATURE Chase Freedom batting order , for one reason : it has a concierge serve . [ Tim musical note : In fact , all of the “ Visa Signature ” placard have this concierge service , among other benefits ]
A credit card concierge service is much like a hotel concierge service , except you do n’t have to tip . A concierge is your own personal assistant , someone who will do anything you need them to do : make dinner reservation , book a trip to Hawaii , or shop for negligees for your grandmother .
We ’re so used to being treated badly by credit card companies that it ’s almost impossible to consider that they are serving you . But that ’s how it works : they ’re your practical assistants , quick to serve you with anything .
Anything ?
I wanted to test the limits of my Visa Chase Freedom concierge service , so I spend a week making implausibly farcical requests , to see how they ’d hold up …
Test #1: Giant Tub of Nacho Cheese
I made my first call to the Visa Chase Freedom concierge service by calling the cost - free numeral on the back of my card . I was connect to a concierge named David , who I pictured wearing a small bellman chapeau , like a hotel concierge , though I think they just wear a telephone headset today .
David speak English , which was a nice change from my usual call to Visa . “ I ’m journey to Austin next hebdomad , and I desire a big bath of nacho tall mallow . Make that a HUGE tub , ” I told him . “ Enough to replete a punch bowlful . ”
“ Does it need to be in a tub ? ” he asked , guide the request with the seriousness of someone who worked for me .
“ Can , jar , tub , I do n’t care , ” I said . “ I just want liquid tall mallow , and a fortune of it . ”
“ Would you care us to get back to you by speech sound or electronic mail ? ”
“ Phone , please . I do n’t require there to be any miscommunication about my cheese . ”
“ Is it okay if we have this information to you by 2:00 pm tomorrow ? ” he asked .
“ That would be hunky-dory , ” I responded , “ as long as I get my cheese intel . ”
“ You ’ll get it , sir , ” he assured me . “ Thank you for calling Visa Signature concierge service . ”
Here ’s how the service works : your request is delegate a “ case phone number , ” which blend in into an enormous pond of concierge requests . These requests get outsourced to overseas workers who track down the information and enter it into their arrangement . Then you either get Es - mailed , or an English - talk worker telephone you back the next daytime with what they ’ve ground .
“ I have your selective information , ” say a young woman named Jenny who called me the following day . “ There is a supermarket in business district Austin named Fiesta that sell big cans of nacho cheese . ” She gave me the address , phone bit , and the price of the cheeseflower .
I went to Austin the undermentioned workweek , where I went to Fiesta , and I in reality found the cheeseflower exactly as she had described .
I was floored . This religious service was a pipe dream come true . Just cerebrate of the preposterous errand I could transport them on next !
When I hear that the Visa Chase Freedom card came with a concierge service that would do anything I desire , I had to put them to the mental testing . Do n’t we all require to make our credit poster caller work for us for a change ?
Test #2: Crossword Puzzle
“ I ’m really stuck on 62 across , ” I complained to Maurice , the concierge who helped me the following night . I come in to discover that I would get a different concierge every time I called , but they were all quite helpful , with none of the position that you normally get from customer table service reps .
“ What crossword puzzle are you doing , sir ? ”
“ It ’s the USA Today puzzle , ” I said . “ The clue is BLUE GROTTO LOCALE . I have no idea what that means . ”
“ Blue Grotto locale , ” he iterate , writing it down .
“ The only Grotto I sleep together is at the Playboy Mansion , ” I told him . “ But this is 11 letters , and get down with I. ”
“ Okay , ” he said . “ You want to hang on ? ”
“ certain , ” I said . He put me on hold for about two minutes - the same amount of time it unremarkably read me to get through to someone at Visa - and came back with the answer .
“ You ready ? ” he order .
“ What , you already got it ? ”
“ The answer is ISLE OF CAPRI , ” he pronounce . “ 11 letters , starts with I. ”
11 letter , start with “ I ” .
“ That ’s incredible ! ” I exclaim . “ Are you like an retard savant of puzzles ? ”
“ You just bechance to get someone who likes crosswords , ” he enunciate , modestly .
“ I will call you every time I need a clue in the hereafter ! ”
“ Uh … okay ! ” he said , as bright as he could .
How many times have you been at a restaurant , arguing with your acquaintance about which President was the fattest , or whether Kevin Bacon has ever done a nude scene ? Now you do n’t need to pull out your smartphone and Google it , you’re able to just call Visa and have them look it up for you .
Having a Visa worker do your bidding : much classier than an iPhone .
Test #3: Daily Affirmations
“ I digest from low ego - esteem , ” I tell Jamie , my new concierge . “ My psychologist recommend that I give myself a daily assertion . You know , something like , ‘ I ’m upright enough , I ’m overbold enough , and doggone it , people like me . ' ”
“ Okay , ” aver Jamie , not certain where this was head .
“ But that ’s a lot of work , so I ’m hop you Guy can do it for me . Just call and give me a daily avouchment . ”
“ You want us to call and tell you you ’re a good individual ? ”
“ That ’s right . I have in mind , if you guess so . I ’m not so indisputable myself . ”
“ If you could contain for one moment , I can crack on this for you , ” Jamie said .
Keep reprise this , and you may one day be Senator of Minnesota .
I bit my lip to keep from cracking up as she become to check with a executive program . She came back with sorry word . “ I ’m afraid we ca n’t do this for you , ” she said , “ but we can look up service that would do this for you . ”
“ What ? ” I involve . “ Why ? Am I not dependable enough ? Oh , I knew it . ”
“ I ’m sorry , we ’re just not allowed to do anything of a medical or emotional nature . ”
“ You ca n’t state me I ’m good enough because I ’m not , ” I moaned . “ Which is precisely what I think ! ”
“ Sir , ” she say patiently , “ I ’d be glad to look up other services that can send you these affirmations , and due east - mail you that information . ”
“ Could you at least attach a little positive line to the e - mail ? ” I begged . “ Just like , ‘ Thanks for being you ? ' ”
“ Let me gibe with a supervisor , ” she said , a little less patiently this clip .
I pushed hard on the affirmation , and she ask a supervisory program three time before I yield . Apparently Visa Signature could n’t do quite anything , but I have to admit she did eventually do through on her promise , post me this via e - mail :
Visa Signature Concierge
Dear John Hargrave ,
Thank you for using Visa Signature ® Concierge . The information you
requested is provided below .
Motivational Message Service
Please take down : Please find below one option for a party that
is able to render phone , textbook , and email reminding you of “ what a good
person you are . ”
society : MedVoice Inc.
contact lens : Renee Dotson
Phone : 800/720 - 1151
Cost : $ 89.25 per month for unlimited messages .
I determine to let Visa have this one shot , since they did technically meet my request , which was to rule someone who could place me dearest distinction . But now it was fourth dimension for a real challenge .
I had apply for a Visa Chase Freedom card , just so I could try if their concierge service would accomplish my every desire . So far they had done an amazing job , but now I was about to cross the final frontier .
Test #4: Space Travel
“ I ’d care to book a misstep to space , ” I said .
There was a pause . “ You need us to send you to quad , ” said Courtney , my fresh concierge / hard worker .
“ That ’s correct . ”
Cost : $ 200,000 , plus a $ 15 fee for extra bags .
“ Well , I have heard there are companionship who can send you to blank space . ”
“ Money is no object , ” I said , “ but I am on a budget . ”
“ So you want details on pricing ? ”
“ Pricing , the waitlist , when I could trip , everything , ” I say . “ Also , medical restrictions . I have a weak short temper . ”
“ I infer you do n’t need restaurant recommendation to go with that trip , ” she cracked . Humor ! I drop in honey with the Visa Signature concierge service at that mo .
“ That ’s a great point ! ” I said . “ What do they attend to on these flights ? I want to bonk what I ’m going to get to corrode in space . ”
“ belike that spaceman glass cream , ” she said .
“ YES ! Tang ! ”
“ We ’ll get this for you by 2:00 postmortem tomorrow , ” she say .
Their sentence quotation mark vary , depending on how difficult they think the petition will be , and plausibly how many salary slaves are available to look up your asking in the Philippines . But my requests were generally answered in less than 24 hours .
Possibly the cool name of any company , ever .
The next afternoon , I got my response via e - mail , delineate not one but TWO space change of location companies ( Virgin Galactic and Space Adventures ) , with aesculapian limitation ( none that they could find ) , and meal option ( peanuts or pretzels ) .
Another psychometric test passed . There was only one more affair to find out : could the Visa Signature concierge service investigate themselves ?
Test #5: Writing this article
“ I ’m a writer on deadline , ” I told Bruce , my fresh concierge / manservant , “ and I need to obtain out a little more about this Visa Signature concierge service of process . Are you familiar with this inspection and repair ? ”
“ I ’ve get a line of it , yes , ” he say .
“ Here ’s what I require to know : is there anything you wo n’t do ? Like , I assume you wo n’t help me recover a declaration killer , or overthrow a governing . But what else ? Where do you guys describe the line ? ”
There was a long pause . “ May I place you on hold while I check on this for you ? ”
“ You betcha . ”
He amount back a few minutes later , go a little bit shaken . “ Okay , we can get you a list like that , but we ’ll require about three days to put that together . ”
“ Oooh . That ’s not going to work . I need to deliver this clause tomorrow . ”
“ That ’s the best we can do , sir . ”
“ That ’s weird , ” I said . “ You should n’t have to research this one at all . Ca n’t you just register it from your breeding manual or something ? ”
“ I ’m sorry , sir . ”
“ But my deadline really is tomorrow . I ca n’t wind up the piece without it . I ’m run to have to say Visa Signature concierge armed service could n’t surrender the concluding affair I asked for . ”
“ We can deliver it , ” he repeat patiently , “ just not until Monday . ”
“ But the reader will never find out the resolution , ” I pressed .
“ I apologize to your readers . ” Bruce was polite to the last .
“ All aright , ” I said . “ They forgive you . Monday it is , then . ”
All in all , I was fantastically impressed with the Visa Signature concierge service . It be nothing beyond the annual scorecard fee , and it ’s helpful for so many occasion . There ’s almost no limitation to the thing the concierges can do for you , except for … well , you hump . Help you finish the closing of your article .
Some things I guess you just have to do yourself .
Afterword from Tim : Several concierge service providers were genial enough to provide their thoughts , and one was kind enough to number some of the cannot - do ’s . Here are a few :
1 . We can not get you an interview to cultivate for a sports team .
2 . We do not have special access to secret governance composition .
3 . We do not have discounts for venue , eating place , or services not included on the website http://www.visa.com/signature .
4 . If a hotel is completely sell out and booked , we can not earmark a room there ; however we ’d be happy to check other hotels nearby .
5 . We can not search your school day theme , or do your job for you .
6 . We ca n’t run personal errands or call your friends for you .
7 . We ca n’t design your marriage ceremony , but we can help you encounter a wedding deviser .
8 . As far as what ’s considered unethical behavior , consider this an representative : If child whoredom is legal somewhere , we wo n’t avail you find one ; however if you ’re in Nevada and want to make an appointment for a rendezvous at the Bunny Ranch , we ’d be glad to help oneself you check rates and availability .
come home to view9 . We do n’t have access to your credit rating card report information or reward program .
Sir John Hargrave — who officially changed his name to “ Sir ” after the Queen of England denied his orison to knight him — is the author ofthis article , as well as the booksSir John Hargrave ’s Mischief Maker ’s ManualandPrank the Monkey . you could follow his put-on atZug.com , the comedy and prank internet site he set up with Genevieve Martineau in 1995 .
Timothy Ferriss , nominate as one of Fast Company ’s “ Most Innovative Business People of 2007 , ” is an angel investor ( StumbleUpon , Digg , Twitter , etc . ) and author of the # 1 New York Times , Wall Street Journal , and BusinessWeek bestseller , The 4 - Hour Workweek , which has been sold into 35 languages . you may follow his blog atThe Blog of Tim Ferriss , experiment in Lifestyle Design
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