rustybear3

Just curious, does anyone use the concierge service and other than directions, what do you use it for and how often? I have it for a year on my 2019, but other than directions, how beneficial can it be?

JTK44

Just my $.02:

I have had my 2016 E 350 for nearly three years: Did I even know I have concierge service???



Pretty much tells you how many times I have used it (zero) and what I think of it - not worth anything.

Cao Black

See attached.

Concierge_Fact_Sheet_3-19-12_tcm141-1313.pdf

ygmn

I consider it for Lazy peeps as everything they can do I can do from my phone for free since work pays for phone.

ua549

I've used it while on an unexpected emergency trip to the boonies to find accommodations.

rbrylaw

Had my car one month today. I have one year of complimentary Concierge Services. Times used thus far? Zero. Chances of continuing the service past the one year trial. None. Zip. Nadda.

nycebo

@rbrylaw This!

rustybear3

Just for fun, since I had it and it's free for the year, so I tried to use it to locate a local chain restaurant. I got a young lady, who then asked how I got this number. I told her I just pushed the button for concierge service. She preceded to ask my name and what I wanted. I told her. She then told me, she had to transfer me to a concierge operator. I then got another person, who identified themselves as "concierge". That person told me to hold on....then... nothing but a disconnect.

I tried a couple more times since then, but get nothing but the dialing tone....never connects! Has never worked since!

rbrylaw

LOL......I bet you can't wait to pay for that when the year of free no-serivce runs out, right???!!!

rustybear3

Oh yeah...I'll be the first in line with cash in hand....

mobster600

its so you can order your Grey Poupon by phone concierge LOL

rustybear3

Never knew anyone who used that stuff as well...lol

ua549

That is my favorite condiment. I go through a jar of Grey Poupon every week.
That said, the concierge service is a great service when one is in an unfamiliar area because Google sucks and presents its advertisers before any meaningful results. I tried a search for "fine dining" in zip code 34698. Though there are several fine dining establishments in the zip code, Google search only returned one of them.

rustybear3

Nothing wrong with google maps. I just do a Siri search on Apple Play on restaurants in the area, and it gives me plenty of options....and it's free. I tried your zip which is Dunedin FL and it gave me 14 restaurants in the area...and that's with a marginal signal. I get that some are willing to pay for the convenience. But IMO, there aren't many benefits to justify the cost. Plus, like I said earlier, I've yet to get them to answer their phone.

rustybear3

Delete duplicate post

ua549

Try searching for fine dining restaurants. Your list contained just one fine dining listing. If I was in an unfamiliar area, I wouldn't know that but a concierge would have that information.

rustybear3

I searched fine dining in Dunein on google and it listed 9 fine dining restaurants in a matter of seconds including Black Pearl of Dunein, Bon Appetit restaurant, Casa Ludovico fine Italian Dining, Villa Bellini Restaurant, and others....expensive and highly rated ...with numerous reviews for me to go over if I want. Of course what a Concierge thinks is fine dining is purely subjective. For myself, I like the options laid out for me to read and decide for myself. For that rare occasion (if ever) that I'm in totally unfamiliar area, Google is more than sufficient. Obviously, you love the Concierge "thing" and are willing to pay for it....of course I wouldn't know; they still haven't answered their phone.

I had a similar system on Cadillac and found it lacking as well. For the few times I used it for (it had a free service too for a limited time) for downloading directions to a simple chain restaurant in the area, the person gave me directions that were 344 miles away.

ua549

I avoid Google whenever possible due to privacy issues. They collect, retain and sell every bit of data that enters their domain. They are a real NSA from Hell. I don't actually use or pay for MB concierge services because such services are free with my Amex and Visa cards.

rustybear3

Then you better dump your computer, just about every server and search engine retains, collects and sells data that enters their domain. You do realize we were talking about the MB concierge service...right?

By the way, nothing is free; you're paying for it one way or another through fees and what not.

ua549

My credit cards have no cost and actually pay me 2% for every dollar spent ($6k plus per month). My Amex Platinum card has a $550 membership fee, but I get that back plus a few hundred dollars more as a cash bonus on the cruises I take every few months. In addition there are no spending limits.

I use the free TOR browser and DuckDuckGo search engine that maintains my privacy. My personal information that is public is quite limited due to the nature of my career (now retired). That said I have used the MB service during the free trial period. It is not as good as the Amex service.

rustybear3

Tor is slower than crap to use, and if you do use it why worry about google? That's the point of TOR. From there, instead of the query going directly to Google’s servers, it goes through other random computers or nodes. Also, with Duck,Duck Go search engine, anyone with access to your computer can view your searches, in plain-text in your browsing history. So it's not completely private...plus I'm not that paranoid. But hey...I'm all for privacy.

No thanks, I'll save the $550 on that expensive AMEX card and forgo the concierge service. I don't have the kind of money you have for cruises and such every couple months. For you it works; for me, it wouldn't. My ME connect app is more than adequate for the services I need. I was just curious to know, other than directions, do others use the concierge service on a regular basis for other things.

ua549

The current TOR network is substantially faster than a couple of months ago. My internet is faster than my home wifi so it is all relative. All of my computer browsing is done in a VM session so that when I'm done there is nothing left for others to find. I'm not paranoid, but my career required attention to security first and foremost.

rustybear3

I get it. We all have our priorities.