The Concierge and the Busy Professional

I would like to take credit for this fabulous post ... but I cannot.

This comes to us from Macy Scharfstein's "Wealth Management Tips Newsletter".

Thanks Macy!

If the demands of your personal life are eating into your professional life, you may find that a concierge service can save your valuable time and wipe pesky errands off your to-do list. Whether you need to organize an event or pick up dry cleaning, concierge services are prepared to handle requests that can optimize the hours in your day.

What concierge services include:
Concierge work and services will vary by the company that you choose, but almost all are aimed at assisting high-net-worth individuals with the chores that eat into their busy schedules. These might include:

1) Home care
Most concierges will offer snow removal, landscaping services, cleaning and house-sitting. Some offer unique packages, such as home organization, storage and even feng shui consulting.

2) Errands
Picking up dry cleaning, grocery shopping, writing thank-you notes, shopping for birthday or Christmas gifts, returning purchases to the store, filling prescriptions or even waiting on the line when you need to contact the phone or gas company, can eat up your valuable time. Concierge services routinely manage these requests for busy clients.

3) Family services
For back-to-school shopping, care packages for out-of-town students or finding a summer camp for your kids, a concierge can help you keep up with your family’s needs.
Event planning. A concierge can ensure that permits, licenses, catering, venue arrangements and invitations are all covered so that you can enjoy your own event.


Choosing a concierge service:
Almost any service you find will promise the moon – and stating that no job is too small or too complex is a matter of course. Be careful, however, that the service you are researching is one that you can rely on.

Any service that is willing to enter your home – for larger jobs or for small ones, like filling your freezer with ice before a party or feeding your cat while you are on vacation – must be reputable, insured and bonded. Ask to see those credentials, and request references even for minor jobs.

The range of services available may vary depending on your location. If you live in a rural area, there may be a travel premium for someone to come to your house.


What to expect from your concierge service:
Most concierge services will assign a single account manager who can arrange the services you require. Depending on the kinds of services you would be asking for, you can provide a list of family birthdays, anniversaries and other important dates for them to keep at hand. This will help them to get to know family’s needs and to provide another helpful service: date reminders. You can decide at the time of each event whether you need assistance planning an event, buying and delivering a gift or arranging something more special.

Be realistic in your requests. For any amount of money, a person cannot pick up your dog from the groomer on the other side of town and bring it to your office in five minutes. As well, you should expect to pay the hourly or package rate plus a premium for rush requests or requests outside of the service’s business hours.


Finding a concierge service:
Many concierge services are not advertised to the general public. To find the service that’s right for you, look local: An internet search for your area may yield options, however you may find better results by asking colleagues in your circle if they use a service that they are pleased with, and contact them to learn more about their services and fees. Tarra is someone I recommend: www.takeiteasytoronto.ca