Joey Woo is probably someone you’ll spend a lot of time chatting with if you book a holiday through The Luxe Nomad. As the Head of Concierge, she and her team are always there for you to take care of your bookings and activities. Here, Joey tells us about the challenges of her role and some of the more interesting requests she’s received.
Where are you from?
I’m born and raised in Johor Bahru, a small Malaysian city right across from Singapore. Since my return from Australia, where I lived for seven years, I have been working and living in Kuala Lumpur.
What is your professional background?
*Drumroll….* Accounting and Finance (please don’t leave this article).
What is your current role?
I’m the Head of Concierge at The Luxe Nomad.
Read also: International Women’s Day: Keish Sagandoy, Trip Curator
What do you love or find challenging about your role?
Love: That feeling when a client is completely satisfied with what we’ve done for them.
Challenges: Last minute, near-impossible requests! (However, when those are achieved it leads to customer satisfaction. It is either a euphoric or a vicious cycle, depending on how you see it!)
What advice would you give to someone looking to work in a role similar to yours?
Empathy is your armour. Being able to think quickly is incredibly important because as much as you plan for a trip, there are just things that you absolutely cannot anticipate ahead of time.
As Head of Concierge, you must get a lot of interesting requests. Can you tell us a few?
My favourite has got to be a nasi lemak birthday cake that needed to be served on a yacht in Phuket! There was also a grand piano rental! I’m only five months into my job, so you’ll need to ask me again next International Women’s Day for more!
You must be speaking with clients all the time! How do you balance work and play?
I’m on my phone all the time, so there really isn’t such a thing as a separation between work and play, especially during emergencies! In all honesty, I struggle to be an extroverted workaholic.
It’s a work-in-progress, but I am trying to be mindful of the very limited time that I have with my loved ones. So, I like to sneak in a couple of brunches and getaways. Overall, I just try my best to disconnect once in a while.
Read also: International Women’s Day: Aom Promchuay, Guest Experience Assistant
Are there any particular women who inspire you and why?
My late grandmother. She grew up during the Japanese Occupation in the 40s. During that time she had to mask her identity as a young girl for fear of capture. Grandma led a life well-lived, from painstakingly raising seven children while my grandfather was out working as a school headmaster in a small village, to seeing the world with my grandfather until their ripe old age. It’s her resilience and silent appreciation of the little things in life that I hope to emulate as a woman navigating adulthood.
What is your favourite travel destination?
Andalusia, Spain. Just the culture, food, history – I have not been anywhere else quite like it yet!
What are three things you can’t travel without?
My phone, my passport and my shampoo (embarrassing to admit).
