For John Paul McGuirk, looking after Harvey Nichols' most important customers involves more than just a tour through the racks, as Jon Perks discovered.

When John Paul McGuirk took on his role of looking after Harvey Nichols’ most elite clients, it’s fair to say a knowledge of baking was not on the job spec.

But 15 months on from arriving at The Mailbox store, ordering cakes is one of the many daily tasks he’s found himself performing.

While the job is principally all about selling high end designer clothes and accessories from the likes of Dolce & Gabbana, J Lindberg and Gucci, elements of John Paul’s job are more akin to that of a hotel concierge – from making restaurant recommendations and reservations for his clients (many of whom are Premier League footballers) to ordering flowers for their wives or girlfriends – and helping out with last minute emergencies:

“The latest is we’ve been sorting birthday cakes, which is nothing I can make myself, I’ve had to go elsewhere,” says John Paul – ‘JP’ or just ‘J’ to his customers.

“The last three weeks we’ve had three different birthday cakes; I’m obviously in the wrong business!”

On the contrary; spend five minutes in the new private shopping area at Harvey Nichols – the store this week celebrates a decade in the city – and you soon see why John Paul is very much the man for the job.

Former Villa stars Zat Knight and Nigel Reo-Coker – now Bolton teammates – have both dropped in for a chat and a cup of tea.

Both know exactly why they’re regulars in Harvey Nicks’ private shopping area: “It’s a very, very easy experience, especially with the fast pace of life nowadays,” says Nigel. “Everything now moves at 100mph in today’s society, it just makes the whole shopping experience so much easier and more helpful to have someone that you know on a personal level that can help you and you can see things and say ‘can you get this in for me?’, instead of having to go and look for it and source yourself.

“Not that we’re lazy,” he stresses with a smile. “We have very busy and hectic schedules and tend to forget certain things and occasions and you can come in here and have a more intimate, personal relationship with them, it makes it easier for them to understand your style.

“If a piece of clothing comes in that they know you might like, JP’ll ring and say ‘this has come in and I’ll send you a picture of it, would you be interested?’

“It’s a comfort level; when I came here four years ago, I didn’t know too many people, and I use to come in here quite a bit after training just to relax, have a cup of coffee and biscuits.

“You get to know the staff and feel welcome to come in when you want, even if you’re not here to do any actual shopping,” he adds. “That’s why I prefer to come here rather than even the Harvey Nichols in London – it’s all about how they make you feel, it’s the whole interaction thing, and if I recommend friends or family and they come in and ask for JP, I know they’ll be well looked after exactly the same as I am treated.”

John Paul will happily take calls out of hours, asking him to book restaurants or buy flowers, seek out that exclusive piece of clothing or just for a chat; he admits it’s all just part of the ‘above and beyond’ service that comes when customers are parting with serious money for their designer labels:

“It’s not so much about just selling product on the shop floor – it’s about looking after your customer, and if you do theyll be loyal to you and give repeat business,” says John Paul, who joined Harvey Nichols from Serene Order in Solihull.