What our Concierge service really does, and why it matters

When things start to change

Most people who contact Good Company are not in crisis. But something has shifted. A partner’s memory is getting worse. Someone has just come home from hospital and there is no care in place. A son or daughter is worried about their mum but lives far away and does not know where to start. Often, people are carrying a lot on their own and feel like they are the only ones trying to make sense of it all.

They do not always have the right words. They just know things are getting harder.

This is where Concierge begins.

A relationship, not a referral

Concierge is our member support and relationship service. It is often the first step into Good Company.

We begin with a conversation. Not a form or a checklist, just time to talk and understand someone’s life story, what is important to them, what would they like to continue to do and what is stopping them?  What are they trying to hold together?

From there, we build a relationship that continues as things change. We stay alongside each person and help with what is needed - whether that is emotional support, practical help or simply knowing someone is there.

One of our Concierge team members put it simply:

“Concierge is about getting to know people and building trust. It’s being there until they don’t need you any longer but in the knowledge that if something happens, you’re there.”

That kind of steady, ongoing support is what makes Concierge different. It is not about fixing everything. It is about showing up and staying with someone when it really matters.

What makes it different

People come to Concierge for many reasons. They may have been told about us by a GP, social prescriber or friend. They might have seen a leaflet or heard about a club, but what they really want is someone to talk to who understands what they are facing.

The first conversation often leads to a discovery session, where we take time to learn what is happening in someone’s life, what support they already have and what they might need - from help to navigate the system, meeting people in similar situations, finding purpose, access financial and legal support, meet new people, take up new hobbies or emotional support to get over a hump.

What makes Concierge different is that we do not step away once that conversation ends. We stay with people over time. We check in. We remember what is going on. We notice when something shifts and we respond. It is not about ticking boxes. It is about offering steady, one-to-one support through moments that can feel confusing or overwhelming.

Concierge helps people feel more in control, more connected and less alone. That is what makes it matter. Take M, for example. She came to Good Company after a difficult year in which she had been diagnosed with breast cancer and her husband had been diagnosed with dementia. Things became harder at home and she was trying to manage on her own. The team did not just point her toward services. They listened, helped her visit care homes, noticed when something was wrong, and stayed by her side through the hardest moments. They were there when she needed to say goodbye and continue to meet whilst she is finding herself again.

“Someone from Good Company phoned me just for a chat. There were no forms, no pressure. It was the first time in a long while I felt like someone actually wanted to understand what was going on.” (M, carer)

Why do we call it Concierge?

The word concierge was chosen for a reason. In places like hotels or hospitals, a concierge is someone you can turn to for help and is always proactive. Someone who knows what is available and how to get things done or knows someone who they can ask. 

That is the spirit we wanted to capture - a service that is warm, personal and focused on making things easier for people when they need it most. This is not a one-off conversation. It is a relationship based on trust, care and continuity.

The power of connection

We know none of us have the answers but through our Concierge service, Good Company carefully connects small groups of people who are facing similar challenges to meet on a regular basis to provide friendship, advice and support knowing nothing needs an explanation. It is what it is and we’re all in it together. 

We also discovered that many carers struggle to attend groups as they cannot leave their partner at home alone or cannot afford to pay for a carer.  As a result, we have been piloting a hobby circle so husbands can enjoy playing snooker and darts in the next room whilst their wives connect and share so they can continue to enjoy doing the hobbies they’ve always enjoyed in good company.