Bellagio’s chief concierge Tina Matson has been taking care of the most important people—hotel guests and Vegas visitors—for more than nine years. “I love seeing guests’ eyes light up when you’re able to provide them with what they thought was unattainable,” she says. Whether you’re hosting visitors of your own, recommending a restaurant to a friend or just trying to please the VIP of your life, Matson’s methods will come in handy.

Ask questions and build trust. “You have to ask probing questions and build trust in a relationship immediately. Work on breaking that ice. I ask where they’re coming from, if they’ve been here before, what they are looking for and what they are interested in. When I can suggest a certain restaurant or show based on my own personal experiences and what they’ve told me, you can kind of connect emotionally.”

Speak their language. “Tap into their speed. If you’re not communicating the way they like, they’ll tune you out and move on to the next source.”

Be sincere. “If I haven’t done something, I’m never going to say I have. If I tried to sell you on something I haven’t experienced, you would know it in a heartbeat.”

Connections mean convenience. “Let’s say we’re talking about a nightclub, which in my opinion can be some of the most intimidating experiences. They’re going to walk up to the front door and see a ton of people waiting. What’s the next step? We provide an itinerary, a road map for their stay. I can say, ‘Go see Steven, he’ll be waiting for you, this is his cell phone, text him and he’ll come find you.’ Now we have an actual employee, one of us searching for the guest instead of the other way around.”