I think one has to set expectations - I've seen all the marketing spin for most of these concierge companies (AmEx, TENuk, Quintessentially etc) and have to just sit and laugh. Some events are exclusive and are not for people to buy into or attend - seriously what do you expect for the annual fee. Is £650 really going to get you a connection to attending the Oscars? No.

TENuk are indeed inept - I have yet to hear a good word about them, they 'supply' concierge service to certain employees at my workplace and they are useless. They can't even master the basics.

I have no experience of Quintessentially, but it all seems a bit up itself and hype in my opinion.

At least the AmEx concierge comes as one of the 'benefits' of membership, its not the only one. You have to remember that the service is only as good as the people that man it - unless you get a really good person that has some brains and common sense, you will be disappointed. AmEx have surprised me at times at their ability to actually do something well - they usually can get things done, but sometimes at a cost - tickets can be obtained for concerts but at a cost from brokers, you can sometimes take face value and multiply it several times. Simple things they are okay with so booking tables, theatre tickets, ordering flowers etc... Give them something more challenging and you may encounter some stupidity. I've asked for them to research something and I get a mail back with some Google links. But then at other times they have been really good - I got lost driving in London once going to an event, and the concierge was fab and she found a map online and spent 30 minutes on the phone talking me through the directions. She passed my simple test of whether staff give a toss or not, the phone line dropped at one point, and she called me straight back. I didn't have to phone back - she was genuinely helpful.

So basically it depends on who you speak to.

Thanks,
Richard