Canadian Concierge Association

Personal Concierge to the rescue!

2011-11-02T15:53:00.005-04:00

This is a well written story from one of our members Sheri from Get It Together. It is indicative of the value of work that home organizers and concierge services provide their clientele

Well, as many of you know we have been working on a hoarding home for quite some time now. Here’s a quick review:

We were called in July to help with the downsizing and de-cluterring of a home.
The home owners moved into a retirement home and no one was living in the home.
The home was filled from top to bottom
The daughter of the couple (I’ll call her Jane from hereon in) was in charge of deciding what was going to be saved, given away, etc.
Jane had confessed to us that she is a third generation hoarder (her mom and grandmother are/were also hoarders)

When we started this project in July, the house looked similar to what you might see on the TV show Hoarders. Luckily, there were no animals in the home and there was no rotting food. There was just a lot of stuff! As we did a walk-through of the home, we were taken downstairs to the walkout basement. We stopped at the bottom of the stairs as there was no place to go further. What we saw were boxes upon boxes (some full and some empty) as well as many loose items and a ton of furniture.

We started on the basement working through the many boxes. The first day was great as there were a lot of empty boxes that were hauled out to the garage. That freed up some space for us and allowed us to truly see what we were dealing with. Jane wanted to take time to go through every box and decide what to do with what was in each box. It became clear very soon that we were not going to meet our two-week deadline. Going through the memorabilia that was found was very time consuming and emotional. Not only was it time consuming, it was stressful for Jane to decide what to do with the items. Should they be given away? Should they be kept and if so, where would they go? Could they be re-sold? Just so many questions and not enough answers! Jane was very hesitant to make decisions.

After two weeks of going through the basement, we had gotten through half of the items and the process of sorting into ‘keep’, ‘recycle’, ‘donation’, ‘charity’ was taking it’s toll on Jane. Jane started to go through boxes that we had already decided on and it felt like we were taking steps back. It was then we decided to have a time-out from this project. Jane needed a break from decision making and needed some time to wrap her head around all that had to be done. I needed a break as I was getting frustrated at seeing Jane go through boxes we had already decided on.

I kept in contact with Jane to see how it was going and if she was making some headway. We were eventually called back when Jane’s husband stepped in. After all, he too was going through all of this and seeing his wife spend countless hours away from their family.

We came back and quickly came up with a timeline. The house needed to get on the market to list yet it needed to be emptied and Jane was emotionally drained. Although I never, ever suggest renting storage units for hoarders, it is exactly what we suggested. We needed to have the home emptied and Jane needed time to make solid decisions on items in the home. Due to the large amount of items, we did the following:

one storage unit for all the boxes that Jane wanted to go through with a fine tooth comb. This included boxes upon boxes of old family letters, old family photos, memorabilia from her grandmother and great grandmother, etc.
one storage unit for the antique dining room set as well as for all the fine china, crystal, etc. Jane is deciding if she wants to switch out her dining room suite for the antique one.
one storage unit for all the items that are being donated to Heritage Park and the Glenbow Museum. Both Heritage Park and the Glenbow Museum were unable to get to the house within our timeline.

The plan for the storage units is to dwindle down to one storage unit (the one with the boxes) and eventually have no storage units.

There were many deliveries the week we cleaned out the house. There were deliveries to the storage units, to the auction house as well as various charities and donation sites. There were also deliveries to recycling and finally a small delivery to the landfill. We then had various service providers come in to do the rest. We had a team of cleaners come in and scrub the home from top to bottom, we had the carpets professional cleaned, and we had the windows professionally washed. Walking through the clean, empty home gave me a feeling of relief. Relief that this project was finally over and relief that Jane could take a much needed rest!

When I tallied up the invoice, I was shocked at the cost of this project. Including our work from July, the total bill (including all service providers) came to just over seventeen thousand dollars! Yes, that is not a type-o. It cost just over seventeen thousand dollars from start to finish on this particular hoarding home. All money aside, what really stays with me is the emotional cost this project had on Jane. Having pressure on her to make the right decision on what to keep, making sure she didn’t get rid of anything, yet trying to figure out where to put it all was very taxing on her. The countless sleepless night, the inability to make a decision, was very costly on Jane’s health.

In one of my email conversations with Jane, she was saying how she sees herself as a hoarder and wonders how to move forward. I was telling her a story of a family in our community. Here is an excerpt from my conversation:

You can’t change the past, but you can direct your future. You mentioned below that it makes you look at your life differently. I bet this situation has made you think about things and about your own situation. In the end, as sad as it may sound, it is just ‘stuff’ and ‘things’. We recently had a family in our community lose their home to a house fire and they lost everything. Everything that is, except their family. When people were helping them out they kept on saying, ‘…but none of us were hurt so everything else can just be replaced.” Hard to replace 100 year old items, but impossible to replace a loved one. That made me really think about what is important.

When I look through my home I think what I would grab if we had a fire. Would it be my laptop? My computer? My iPad? My favorite pair of boots? Nope! I would grab my husband and my kids. The rest is just stuff!

I came across the following quote that I often think of – especially with Jane. I believe it truly fits with this project:

“Some of us think holding on makes us strong, but sometimes it is letting go.” — Herman Hesse

Sheri Bruneau

Get It Together Inc.

www.get-it-together.ca

Updated Membership CCD List

2011-05-27T12:01:00.009-04:00

Directory Listings
Personal Concierge, Personal Assistants and Errand Services

British Columbia

Bizzy Butler Catering Concierge Services http://www.bizzybutler.com

Mary Ann Westendorf
Maple Ridge / Vancouver

Complete Care Concierge http://www.completecareconciergeservices.com

Paytra Jacobsen
Vernon

Done Deeds Errand Services http://www.donedeedserrandservices.com

Sharon Tucker
Vancouver

Jupiter Concierge http://www.jupiterconcierge.com

Sean Colbourne
New West/Vancouver

Quality Time Concierge http://www.qualitytimeconcierge.com

Shelley Mosley
Kelowna

Tri-Cities Concierge http://www.tri-citiesconcierge.com

Kirsten Johnston
Coquitlam/Port Moody

Urban Rush Concierge http://www.urbanrushconcierge.com

Judith Rowley
Vancouver

Alberta

Get it Together Inc. http://www.get-it-together.ca

Sheri Bruneau
Calgary

Lethbridge Concierge http://www.lethbridgeconcierge.com

June & Rob
Lethbridge

The Butler Did It - 780-455-5228

Marianne Brown
Jasper

VIP Concierge & Errand Services http://www.vipedmonton.net

Lisa Brick
Edmonton

Manitoba

Concierge One http://www.conciergeone.com

Heather Hlady
Winnipeg

Ontario

Balance InStyle http://www.balanceinstyle.com

Amanda O’Reilly
Ottawa

Butler Girl http://www.butlergirl.com

Kathy Russell
Newmarket

Carrara Concierge http://www.carraraconcierge.com

Linda McAnuff
Toronto

Concierge by Request http://www.conciergebyrequest.com

Aline Goulet
Toronto

Exceed Personal & Property Services http://www.exceedservices.ca

Elana Gorman
Toronto

On Call Concierge http://oncallconcierge.googlepages.com

Charyl Brooker
St. Catherine’s

Key to Health Concierge Ltd. http://www.keytohealthconcierge.ca

Rory G. Harrison
Ottawa

Luxe Concierge & Event Planning http://www.luxeservices.ca

Jennifer Pessoa
Cambridge/Kitchener/Waterloo

Luxurious Concierge http://www.luxuriousconcierge.com

Janik Aubry
Ottawa

Take It Easy Personal Concierge Inc. http://www.takeiteasytoronto.ca

Tarra Stubbins
Toronto

Time to Spare http://www.timetospare.ca

Deborah Twomey Brown
Toronto

Wishes Concierge http://www.wishesconcierge.com

Marni Heather
Barrie

What an honour ...

2011-05-09T10:09:00.003-04:00

Amanda is one of the co-founders of the CCD as well as founder of InStyle & Co which consists of three separate entities;Balance InStyle, Weddings InStyle & Events InStyle . May 1st, 2011 she was awarded the Ottawa Business Journal Forty Under 40 Award.

OBJ Article highlights the 2011 recipients and the criteria used to reach their decision.

“This year’s list of 40 recipients proves Ottawa has the talent, creativity and the ‘jazz’ that goes along with moving a city forward into a vibrant place to work and live. The city is alive and well,” said Michael Burnatowski, OCRI Entrepreneurship Centre manager and one of the panel of judges determining the awards. The committee included Mr. Burnatowski, University of Ottawa Telfer EMBA director Terry Kulka, Ottawa Chamber of Commerce executive director Erin Kelly, CellWand Communications CEO Nick Quain, OBJ editor Peter Kovessy and OBJ publisher Michael Curran, who also chaired the process. The judges collectively spent around 100 hours reviewing and ranking each of the submissions. All nominations were assessed according to a 40-point system: 20 points for business achievement, 10 points for expertise and 10 points for community involvement. “I really like the way the award itself is structured. It is a balanced scorecard, with a slight tilt to business achievements. It is a great way to think about what it takes to be a business leader in the city. It’s not just about business expertise – it is about being a part of the community,” said Mr. Kulka.

Amanda has a lot in common with her clients and understands the need to have things done quickly and without compromise. “To do” lists are a constant in people’s lives; it seems that as quickly as one list is checked off, another list is started. “Understanding our clients’ individual needs, building long-term, trusting relationships, and valuing client confidentiality are the standard at InStyle.

Balance InStyle opened its doors in 2006 and was the first in Ottawa to provide lifestyle management solutions from leisure to luxury all the way down to the routine and mundane. In 2007 Balance InStyle opened it’s second location in Naples Florida catering to snowbirds.

Also in 2007, Amanda co-founded the Canadian Concierge Association to offer support and advice to those wishing to start their own Concierge Business after learning the ropes the hard way.

After running her business out of her home for the first few years Amanda decided it was time to take her game to the next level and took up residence at 107 Murray Street in the heart of the Byward Market.

In 2009 Weddings InStyle was created to offer couples opting for an intimate glamorous affair an alternative. "Budgets might be tight these days, but that doesn’t mean that style and romance are going away."

Civil weddings or bigger than “BIG” Sex in the City weddings were the options at hand, before Weddings InStyle. There were no turnkey full service options available in the downtown core that could accommodate 2–90 guests without compromise. In 2010 Amanda also became a licensed wedding officiant thus having the privileged to also perform ceremonies.

Events InStyle completes the trio. Offering premier event planning solutions that are a reflection of personal style that are customized to meet individual needs.

Amanda is so passionate about her business and her clients and this is evident in everything that she puts her InStyle signature to.

Amanda and her team give back on a regular basis through the generosity of their clients. When re-organizing, purging or staging client homes, they often come across unwanted clothing, toys, and household items which they in turn donate directly to various women & children based shelters.

In 2005 Amanda co-founded the 100 Man Run and has helped raise over $100,000 for The Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation a cause which is near and dear to her heart.

Amanda maintains that this award is a collaborative effort and is very thankful for her team, her vendors, friends and family who never lost faith in her vision, passion and determination to bring something new and InStyle to Ottawa.

Welcome our newest member!

2011-05-02T10:06:00.001-04:00

We would like to extend a warm welcome to Tarra Stubbins of Take It Easy Personal Concierge Inc.

"We are a fully bonded, insured and licensed concierge company. We take care of personal and professional tasks that busy individuals and families have no time to complete.We are a company that can be relied upon to do what needs to be done".

Tarra Stubbins

President

Take It Easy Personal Concierge Inc.

Certified Lifestyle Managers & Professional Organizers

www.takeiteasytoronto.ca

Email: service@takeiteasytoronto.ca

Office: 416-578-2890

"Bringing Time Back to Life"

2011-04-19T17:36:00.006-04:00

Living and Working by a Code of Ethics!

Canadian Concierge Directory Code of Ethics

We will demonstrate the highest personal standards of moral responsibility, honesty and integrity when acting in our professional capacity.

We will disclose prices and offer quotations for service when required.

We will always respect the privacy and confidentiality of our customers.

We will comply with all the applicable local and national laws and will abide by the highest ethical, moral and legal standards.

We will perform our work diligently, impartially and responsibly, to the best of our ability.

We will commit to the promotion of our industry through our personal and professional example and mentoring

It is my humble opinion that caring for and looking after people is one of life’s most inspiring professions.

Concierge Industry clients entrust their homes, friends and families into our care. Quoting fairly and keeping our word is paramount in business and in daily life. Clients need to trust their service providers. Honesty is everything. We need to do everything in our power not to disappoint or breach that trust. Protecting our client’s privacy and confidentiality is a crucial component in our business.

Working diligently and knowing that we are doing the very best we can do for a client, friend or loved one allows us to sleep peacefully at night and hold our heads high during the day.

Paying it forward is gratifying and helping fellow concierge business owners is a win-win engagement! Karma has a way of working in circles and the rewards are endless.

Please welcome our New Members!

Carrara Concierge

Address:12 Castlegrove Blvd; Unit 7

Toronto, Ontario M3A 1K8

Website: www.carraraconcierge.com

Email: info@carraraconcierge.com

Phone: 647-963-8900

Owner: Linda McAnuff

Linda McAnuff’s experience as a personal assistant to business owners and to the C.E.O. of a prominent not-for-profit organization has inspired her to create Carrara Concierge. Linda’s strong organizational skills, innate creativity and excellent customer service orientation have enabled her to create a client-centered business that reflects her values.

Gayle Anderson – Co-Founder & Consultant

Gayle Anderson has spent twenty years in management for the hospitality industry and ten years in concierge and project management services. Clients and associates alike appreciate Gayle’s excellent communication and strategic management skills. Integrity, strong work ethic and efficiency are the values that Gayle brings to

Carrara Concierge manages all your home and lifestyle requirements from home maintenance, event coordination, gift sourcing, errand services and much more. Our services save you time – your most precious resource. Stay focused where you excel, and let Carrara Concierge take care of the rest.

Lethbridge Concierge Service Ltd. have updated their Website!

Please open the link and review June and Rob’s diversified services and new transport vehicles:

http://www.lethbridgeconcierge.com/

Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada

Phone: 403 - 892 - 7116

Email: info@lethbridgeconcierge.com

Welcome our newest members!

2011-03-05T17:46:00.008-05:00

Many of us find that our company focus evolves from our original business plan. Kathy Russell is no exception. Kathy has changed her corporate name and website to represent the evolution of her company. You go, Butler Girl! Butler Girl

Company: Butler Girl (formerly Eloquent Events & Concierge Services)

Contact:Kathy Russell, Owner/President

Email: kathy@butlergirl.com

Website: www.butlergirl.com

Address: 525 Keith Avenue

Newmarket, Ontario

L3X 1V4, Canada

Phone: 1-905-715-1766

Butler Girl is a multi-service company. Offering event/wedding planning, running all types of errands, home services and office services. Butler Girl is very client focused and will do whatever it takes to make the client happy. Kathy Russell is the owner and founder of Butler Girl. Her mission is "Just ask, it can be done! Kathy is extremely well organized, thrives on multi-tasking and planning everything she has to do. Her services are met with a smile, and a "how can we help" attitude. No matter if the task is big or small, she does it all with such passion. Kathy loves helping people so they have the free time to do the things they love to do. She has an experienced team who work with her

on a number of events and tasks that need to be done. Kathy is certified in Event Management from Ryerson University and has received her Wedding Coordinator Certification. Kathy is also certified in Social Responsibility from the University of Toronto and is currently completing her certification in Concierge Services. She is very passionate about giving back in the community where she can. She gives generously to Sick Kids Hospital and volunteers weekly at Southlake Regional Health Centre.

Company : Complete Care Concierge Services

Contact: Paytra Jacobsen, Owner/President

Address: 25 - 5920 Heritage Dr.

Vernon, British Columbia V1H 1Z6

Phone: 1.778.475.5556

Email : info@completecareconciergeservices.com

Website: www.completecareconciergeservices.com

Complete Care Concierge Services is a licensed, insured and bonded home management company specializing in the care and security of homes for vacationers, seasonal and fulltime residents. We offer a home watch program to ensure the security of the home, while additional services such as cleaning services, departure arrival services, yard maintenance and even fridge stocking allows our clients a carefree getaway and return. Complete Care Concierge Services also provides a large array of additional services to help our clients regain balance in their lives.

Paytra is the Founder and President of Complete Care Concierge Services in Vernon, BC. Starting Complete Care Concierge Services was a natural for Paytra. It provides a service that is greatly needed while using her natural organizational abilities, along with her out-going personality and love for helping others. Paytra has a solid administrative background and strong Business Development Skills. She obtained these skills while working as a Business Development Manager for a prominent financial institution and from having owned and operated her own business. Paytra knows that success comes from hard work and making customer service a number 1 priority.

Company: Urban Rush Concierge

Contact: Judith Rowley

Address: 3510 Turner Street, Vancouver British Columbia V5K2H9

Email: judith@urbanrushconcierge.com

Email:michelle@urbanrushconcierge.com

Cell: Judith Rowley 778-998-7295

Cell : Michelle Jacobsen 604-612-6670

Website: www.urbanrushconcierge.com

Business highlights: Urban Rush Concierge is your very own personal assistant serving Vancouver and the entire lower mainland. We offer trustworthy, professional and efficient lifestyle management services so that you have more free personal time and peace of mind. We can organize, de-clutter, clean, cook, run errands, do chores, shop, plan and set up events. The possibilities are endless. Please take a look at our rates and services page for a complete list.

Michelle Jacobsen has 17 years as an executive assistant with a background in the film industry. Michelle enjoys assisting people to help achieve their goals. Judith Rowley has 15 years experience in customer service and over 10 years experience as a personal assistant with a background in the music industry. Judith prides herself on her organization skills and enjoys helping people.

Welcome to our newest members!

2011-01-27T14:19:00.003-05:00

Welcome Our newest Canadian Concierge Directory Members!

Get It Together Inc.

Sheri Bruneau, BEd.

Professional Organizer

403.813.0067

get-it-together@telus.net

Sheri Bruneau is the founder and President of Get It Together Inc. Sheri has

worked on organizational issues with both corporate and residential

organizing. While working with clients, Sheri is quick to assess the

situation and give practical suggestions, advice and ideas. Sheri believes

that she has the necessary skills to help guide her clients through their

personal journey of organizing their lives - whether it be through

organizing personal space issues, time management or paper issues.

Sheri's background is in education and was an elementary school teacher for

seventeen years. She has demonstrated leadership and compassion, while

maintaining an outgoing and enthusiastic personality. Sheri believes that

having an educational background has helped her connect with all of her

clients. She believes that her teaching background has given her an upper

hand with her business and working with people. Just like in teaching, there

are some people who need an extra push, while there are others that need a

gentle nudge. Sheri believes that she is good at reading people and using a

variety of strategies to make an impact. She also believes that everyone is

in control of his or her destiny. Some people just need some help to see

that and believe it.

Get It Together Inc. has added a new service. Adding the Concierge Service

is one that Sheri is very excited about! Anyone who knows Sheri knows that

she is the one to get the work done. If there is a 'to do' list, you can

always count on Sheri to get the work done!

Sheri was raised in Calgary, Alberta. Sheri currently lives with her 2

teenagers and her wonderful husband in Calgary.

Sheri is a proud member of POC (Professional Organizers of Canada). Name: Luxe Concierge & Event Planning

Jennifer is still in the process of getting Luxe up and running, however she is reachable by email and by phone should you know of someone in the Cambridge/Kitchener area that requires servicing!

Luxe Concierge Services

Jennifer Pessoa

Cambridge/Kitchener/Waterloo

jennifer@luxeservices.ca

Phone: (519)222-2495

www.luxeservices.ca

As always, we hope this finds you well and with LOTS of TIME on your side!

We welcome suggestions and submissions for future posts.

5 key lessons for entrepreneurs

2011-01-03T13:09:00.002-05:00

With 2011 upon us, It is not only crazy how time flies, but amazing how much you can learn about being an entrepreneur while in the midst of it. One of the realities of running your own business is that the learning curve never ends. To keep your business vibrant and moving forward, it is important to be open to new developments, trends and tools that drive productivity, efficiency and profits. Here, in no particular order, are five key lessons learned about being an entrepreneur in 2010:

It’s all right to pass on business
Be realistic about what you can and can’t do. While you may be tempted to accept business that stretches your skills and capabilities, doing so can often lead to trouble when the customer’s expectations are not met, even if you’ve had the best of intentions. Rather than take on business that is outside of your scope, it is smarter to decline or refer a potential customer to someone who has better-suited skills.

Don’t rest on your laurels
Never stop selling your products or services. Even when business is good and customers are happy, the selling process never stops. It has to be a steady and constant process. Otherwise, you risk waking up one day to discover the sales pipeline is empty.

Be nice to your books, and they’ll be nice to you
Don’t underestimate the importance of having well-organized financial records. One of the big mistakes many entrepreneurs make is to focus all of their time and effort on getting and doing business, and spend too little time on making sure the books receive enough attention to support the business. When year-end comes around, having a pile of invoices and receipts can lead to a lot of headaches and time spent scrambling to get organized.

Build and nurture your network
It is important to establish an ecosystem of suppliers and partners. When you run a small business, it is impossible to do everything yourself. This includes meeting the needs of customers or clients, who need a variety of products and services. Creating a strong ecosystem makes it possible to meet the needs of your customers and, at the same time, support other entrepreneurs.

There is such a thing as work/life balance

Although it can be challenging, it is important to strive for work-life balance. Run your business rather than let it run you.
Be disciplined about how much time you devote to the business, and work on making sure your efforts are as productive as possible. At the same time, recognize the importance of family, friends and pursuing outside interests.
These are just a handful of the lessons from what has turned into a crash course in business. It is also important to recognize that the learning doesn’t end; it keeps on going as your business grows and evolves.

Much success to you all in 2011!

Special to The Globe and Mail

Mark Evans is a principal with ME Consulting, a content and social media strategic and tactical consultancy that creates and delivers ‘stories’ for companies looking to capture the attention of customers, bloggers, the media, business partners, employees and investors.

A Warm Welcome to our newest member!

2010-11-11T14:21:00.001-05:00

Please welcome our newest member!

Rory Harrison is the founder and president of Key to Health Concierge
Limited. He was previous owner of More Time 4U Concierge & Errands Services
in Ottawa since Aug 2005. Early this year he has changed his corporate
branding name to "Key to Health Concierge" to reflect a healthier lifestyle
by using Concierge services.
We are here to help our busy & aging population to enjoy more of the good
things in life... Live.Love.laugh.Play" by taking over their everyday tasks,
errands and transportation requirements. He will soon be incorporating
within his portfolio of services, living benefits, a medical equipment
locator, private & public healthcare repository and corporate concierge
services. He has over 25 years of combined work experience dealing directly
in "Service" industries in many capacities, including Hotels,
Property/Casualty/Living benefits Insurance, Hi-Tech and the Oil patch. He
has held various positions servicing the public in the hotel industry in the
front desk, banquets & doorman, as well as management, advisor, broker & DB
administrator. He has completed various diplomas and certificates at
Algonquin College and continuously acquiring education credits.

You may reach Rory at 613-424-TIME (8463).

Serving the Nation's Capital and surrounding areas.
www.keytohealthconcierge.ca
info@keytohealthconcierge.ca

Welcome to our newest Members!

2010-10-07T09:06:00.002-04:00

Networking is important aspect for any business. We at the CCD like to network within our own directory and introduce our members to each other, with the hopes that when your clients need assistance in other provinces that you will turn to our directory and fellow members.

After all, isn't that what this is all about?

Of course you already know us. My name is Amanda O'Reilly and I own Balance InStyle which services the greater Ottawa area, and my partner Mary Ann Westendorf owns The Bizzy Butler which services Vancouver and surrounding areas.

Now let's meet our newest members .

Shelley Mosley is the founder and president of Quality Time Concierge. Shelley has over thirty years work experience in Kelowna. Many of those years have been spent in the Hospitality and Foodservice Industry. Decorating has always been a passion for Shelley and after acquiring a diploma in Business and a Certificate in Interior Design, she worked for Norwalk, the Furniture Idea and Jordans Interiors. Quality Time Concierge finds time by providing diverse, professional and personal services for their varied clientele.

Kelowna Office: 250-215-5899
info@qualitytimeconcierge.com
www.qualitytimeconcierge.com

Janik Aubry is the owner of Luxurious Concierge which is located in Ottawa, Ontario.

Janik has many years of experience as a wedding/event planner and as a floral designer. Previous co-owner of Signature Weddings& Flowers. Janik wanted to offer new services to her clientele. She has expanded Signature's horizons to the concierge service, offering many more services. Also, giving Signature a makeover with it's new name: Luxurious Concierge. She has a strong team behind her. Researches have lead her to work with the best suppliers in Ottawa! Therefore, you will have more time on your hands if you utilize Luxurious Concierge services, since the work as already been done & tested for you!

Also, if you don't know how to pronounce her name, call her Niki!
www.luxuriousconcierge.com
info@luxuriousconcierge.com

We look forward to learning more about our members. So if you have news we can use or would like to share some great stories with us please email us @ canadianconcierge@shaw.ca

Corporate Concierge Services : Rising Business

2010-07-07T13:44:00.000-04:00

Few would argue that time is one of the most precious commodities we seem to be losing. Making a living consumes the bulk of our days, leaving less time to enjoy the fruits of our labor. This complicates life, causing stress and lowering the quality of life.
These time constraints carry over into other areas of our lives, particularly our personal time for leisure and family. Extended hours are common in most professions, reducing personal time to pursue activities that enrich our lives. The good news is that there are emerging social movements to help us "take back our time." Corporations fully recognize the importance of employee recruitment and retention, and are employing initiatives that focus more on balancing work and life. To compete for the best employees, employers must implement employee services programs. Employees are more likely than ever to consider a benefits package just as heavily as salary when looking at a job change. These initiatives range from corporate concierge services to workplace flexibility options or increased compensation. From the corporate perspective, concierge services are seen as a work-life benefit in helping individuals more effectively manage their time and work.
More significantly, studies have shown that concierge services render invaluable benefits to the employers as well as the employees. It provides corporations a variety of professional and personal assistance options that can be made accessible to employees through their employee assistance program or human resource division. These stress-reducing services have been proven to:

1. Help employees achieve optimum productivity
2. Increase efficiency and reduce absenteeism
3. Upgrade benefit packages for attracting new employees, while complementing compensation packages
4. Provide fresh, affordable ways to enhance employee loyalty

By offering a menu of services valuable to employees, corporate concierges can alleviate personal stressors that make working 40+ hours a week physically and mentally exhausting. Employees like not having to use PTO (personal time off) that can be applied towards their vacation. Concierge services, consequently, add value to the corporation, thereby improving employee retention and recruitment!