Paris in the spring is absolutely perfect.  The trees begin to bud, promising blooms and fruit in short order. The city becomes even more electric, abuzz with Parisians and tourists. The light becomes even more special.

You really shouldn’t miss Paris in the spring. And, honestly, if you become the newest member of the Haven in Paris team, you don’t have to. We’re looking for a special someone in North America to join our company, spend some time  in Paris this spring, and visit from time to time going forward as our next Customer Service Specialist. We have some high expectations for the role, but we’re sure the benefits – working from home in the US; trips to Paris, Provence and Italy; liaisons with authentic macarons; amazing food; visits with some of the most luxurious flats in Paris – will be worth all the hard work.

Haven in Paris, a boutique luxury vacation rental agency (and creator of this very blog), is looking for a smart, self-motivated, and customer-oriented Customer Service Specialist to join our luxury apartment rental team, handling high-volume sales inquiries and ensuring the client rental experience is smooth and stress-free!

The successful candidate must be energetic, creative, and resourceful; and must enjoy working in a highly entrepreneurial, fluid, and sales-driven environment. The position requires sales, communication, and organization skills, as well as a gift for developing relationships online.

Can you work full-time from your North American home and keep up with our fast-paced environment? Are you a native English speaker? Can you speak and read French well? Then, we encourage you to apply.

Check out the rest of our list of responsibilities and skills needed below. If you’re a perfect fit, just email your resume and cover letter to careers@haveninparis.com. We so look forward to meeting you! (Please note that while we’d love to respond to every applicant, we’ll only be able to respond to suitable candidates. Thank you for your understanding and patience.)

Customer Service Specialist

Responsibilities:

• Moderate and monitor sales inquiries submitted to the Haven in Paris site, with the goal of achieving full occupancy for our roster of luxury apartments.
• Handle the response and booking process to customers’ inquiries in conjunction with our current team.
• Answer questions and solve issues from property owners, service professionals, and our apartment rental clients.
• Participate, as needed, in Haven in Paris’ social media outreach, which is a key sales acquisition tool.

Skills needed:

• Experience in e-mail communications in an online sales, customer service, or community department. Effective communication skills with customers, including excellent writing skills.
• Ability to approach problematic situations with common sense and calm.
• Ability to learn Internet-based tools quickly.
• Excel skills very useful.
• Fluent in reading and writing of French.
• Schedule flexibility is key, as this position will require some evening and weekend hours.

Again, if you’re a perfect fit, just email your resume and cover letter to careers@haveninparis.com. We so look forward to meeting you!

Written by Maggie Battista for the HiP Paris blog. Looking for a fabulous vacation rental in Paris, Provence, or Tuscany? Check out Haven in Paris.

With hotel rates on the rise, more and more travelers are learning that short-term apartment rentals are an ideal way to enjoy a foreign location. For those who seek the true insider travel experience, there is no better way to feel like a local than to rent an apartment where you can cook, entertain, and truly settle into the neighborhood. The benefits of renting an apartment are many, but for those who are not used to vacationing this way, the decision to rent an apartment can be daunting. It doesn’t have to be if you keep a few simple rules in mind.

The elegant dining room and kitchen at Roi Doré.
 

• Where to begin? A quick Google search will reveal numerous websites where you can browse properties that are being rented directly by owners or by real estate rental agents. The variety of options is enough to make your head spin, but we recommend you start out with haveninparis.com (for obvious reasons) and VRBO.com.
• Prioritize. Once you’ve gotten a feel for the properties that are available to you, make a list of your priorities. Different travelers have different needs, and being clear about your expectations will help you to have the best possible experience. So, what’s most important: Location? Price? Amenities? Extra services? A view?
• Contrast and compare. Once you’ve determined what your travel priorities are and what you’re looking for, take the time to contrast and compare different properties. If a given rental price seems wildly high or low, take note. If it seems too good to be true, it just might be. And if the price of a property seems too high, there may be room for negotiation (especially during low-season).

The Living Room at Rue du Four.
 

• Clearly communicate your needs. Once you have begun contacting owners and agents, be very clear about your travel expectations and needs. Make sure to note if you have a maximum budget, if your dates are flexible, how many people you are traveling with (and their ages), whether you need an elevator, a parking space, an extra bed, etc. Making sure your needs are known early on will help to ensure that you end up with a rental that best meets your expectations.
• Establish the level of customer service you seek. Some companies, like Haven in Paris, offer a level of customer service comparable to high-end hotels; others do not. Some travelers are happy to arrive, pick up a key, and then be left completely on their own. Others prefer to have a local contact and staff to count on if they have any questions or problems during their stay. Make sure you know what you’re getting before you commit to a rental.

The bedroom at Rameau.
 

The living room at Michel le Comte.

Written by Tory Hoen for the HiP Paris Blog. Looking for a fabulous vacation rental in Paris, Provence, or Tuscany? Check out Haven in Paris.