According to Merriam-Webster, a concierge is "An attendant at the entrance of a building...who oversees people coming or going, handles mail, and acts as a janitor or porter." In other words, this can be interpreted as a personal assistant.I know, I know, when you think of a concierge, you generally think of a well-dressed gentleman at a fancy hotel granting all your wishes. Well, times have changed! The concierge industry is growing in the private sector. People are finding that their time is valuable, and they want to spend it doing things they enjoy with their loved ones. Independent concierge businesses have brought this service to the general public so that everyone can benefit from their services. You can now find concierge services in corporations, hospitals, malls, colleges, apartment buildings, etc.Concierge services are also being added to many corporations as part of the benefits package. These services help increase the productivity of employees by handling their errands, thereby giving them more time at their desks with less distractions. This service has been shown to decrease the number of sick days because of the amount of stress lifted from the shoulders of the individual.Here is a listing of some of the services offered by concierges around the country to the private and the corporate world:Personal shopping/returnsVisiting hospitalized patients and delivering foods, flowers, etc.Dry cleaning errandsGrocery store errandsPost office errandsPharmacy errandsObtaining tickets to concerts/eventsRestaurant recommendations and reservationsHouse sittingMeeting/party planningBusiness referral servicePersonal chef servicesSenior carePet servicesTransportation servicesWait service for techniciansAddress/mail holiday cardsDMV errandsMeal deliveryBabysitter referralsHoliday decoratingHaving keys madeGift wrappingNew mom serviceHousecleaning servicesPersonalized gift basketsScheduling appointments (vet, dentist, spa, doctor, salon)So picture this, you are at work. You have a peaceful lunchtime hour and a great meal with a few coworkers. You are strangely not distracted during the day thinking of all the things you have to get done after work. You leave work after a productive day and pick up your children. You then proceed to take them to their activities and then straight home, without having to stop at the grocery store and stand in line. You spend a peaceful evening with your loving family, relaxing and go to bed feeling stress free, knowing your errands were taken care of for you.Now, isn't that better than what you are doing now?You deserve to take care of yourself and put your family at the top of the list, not at the bottom of a list of errands. You are important to many, so take care of yourself. Michele Vandiford is a homeschooling, work-at-home mom of 3. She is the president of Another Pair of Hands Concierge&Errand; Service. Her focus is helping people have the time to spend with their loved ones by allowing her service to take care of all the time-consuming errands of life and by implementing time-saving strategies. Visithttp://www.conciergeathand.comto receive a gift that will help you get and stay organized.
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