Concierge services are services that are usually provided on prestige credit cards and are not usually associated with debit cards. However a small number of debit cards that have limited concierge services available.

Concierge services are like personal assistants.  The do many of the small but time consuming chores that can fill up everyday life, either personal chores such as sending flowers and presents to relatives or business tasks such as arranging meetings or booking travel tickets.  There are also a number of less usual requests such as buying the same clothes as a film star or getting tickets for an officially sold out concert.

Unlike a traditional PA or Personal Assistant they are not dedicated to a single person, but have a number of people who they work for.  Many card holders who use concierge services have testified to their usefulness and this has driven the demand for this type of service.

However these benefits have usually been available only on credit cards, and usually the expensive prestige cards.  There are many cards, such as gold cards, that although classed as prestige cards do not have access to concierge services.  This is due to the fact that the concierge services are relatively expensive to operate.

Some debit cards do now offer concierge services.  So called prestige, or premier, debit cards are starting to be offered.  These have grown up with full service transaction accounts that aim to have a personal touch with current account banking, in return for a higher monthly fee.

One of the cards to be offered in this way is the HSBC Premier Visa Platinum Debit Card. This debit is offered in Australia by the international bank HSBC together with VISA.  It is designed to have many of the features that a prestige credit or charge card would have, and that includes concierge services.  It is designed to look like an invitation only “black card”, although it is not invitation only.

Like other prestige cards it comes together with a full service transaction account, in this case the HSBC Premier Cash Management Account, although it can be linked to a second account as well.

Debit cards with concierge services do not tend to have high annual fees compared to other debit cards, but as they are linked to full service transaction accounts the money is made through the relatively high fees for the transaction account.  As well as concierge services many of these cards will also offer other premier services such as extended warranty, guaranteed pricing, purchase protection and international travel insurance.