This week I thought I’d share this article by Katherine Giovanni with you….

Why should you hire a concierge?  I can think of a hundred reasons actually. Here are just a few …

People around the world are trying to squeeze thirty-six hours into a twenty-four-hour day, and when you do that you don’t do it very well. If you continue to do it on a regular basis, then eventually your body will resent it and you’ll get sick. Concierge are here to give you your health back. They’re here to give you the extra hours that you have been craving and will do what has to be done, so that you can do want to do like spending more time with your children or spending a few extra hours at work.

Companies around the world are also getting into the act. They are not only starting to use concierge, but they are making them a part of their corporate benefit packages. They are reasoning correctly that the less time people spend running personal errands during the workday, the more time they can spend at their desks and, subsequently, with their families at night.

Still not sure you need a concierge?  Here are a few more reasons why you need to hire us …

• The average U.S. worker admits to frittering away more than 2.09 hours a day, not counting lunch, on personal business. This costs companies an estimated $759 billion a year.” – Salary.com and AOL Survey.
• The average worker skips 24 minutes of his or her lunch break every day, the equivalent of approximately two weeks more holiday per year (figures from Data Monitor).
• Since 1969, family time for a working couple has shrunk an average of 22 hours a week. U.S. Government
• Workplace stress is costing the Australian economy $14.81 billion a year. Medibank-commissioned research
• Stress related presenteeism and absenteeism are directly costing Australian employers $10.11 billion a year. Medibank-commissioned research
• According to the Health and Safety Executive, 6.5 million sick days are taken every year as a result of stress — costing £7m per week and £1.4m per working day.
• Approximately 13.7 million working days are lost each year in the UK as a result of work-related illness at a cost of £28.3 billion per year – National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence.

When looking at these statistics, it is easy to see why time has become the commodity of the century and will be even more so in the decades to come. The popularity of concierge services stems from the fact that people are stressed out, overworked, and need help dealing with life so they can spend their free time nurturing themselves and their families. As good workers become harder to find, businesses are looking for concierge services to offer as perks to keep valuable employees happy.

That being said, below is a list of 20 ways you can use a concierge (the real list of what a concierge can do for you is endless)…

1. Obtaining tickets to concerts, special events and sporting events
2. Transportation Services – train, plane or automobiles … concierge can get it!
3. Travel and Vacation Planning
4. Business Referral Service – need a landscaper or a plumber?
5. Restaurant Recommendations and/or Reservations
6. Pet services
7. Internet Research – need research done and you don’t have the time to do it?
8. Personalized shopping and delivery
9. Dry cleaning pick-up and/or delivery
10. Grocery shopping
11. Senior care
12. Picking up or returning a gift
13. Bill paying
14. Auto Maintenance
15. Home Organization
16. Delivering a Meal – breakfast, lunch or dinner
17. Prescription Pick-up and delivery
18. Repair and Service Calls
19. Sick Care – sick in bed? Call a concierge and they’ll do your errands, arrange for dinner to be delivered and can be on hand to help your family out

So get your life back!  Hire a concierge to do what has to be done so that you can do what you’ve always wanted to do.

About the Author: Katharine Giovanni is an award-winning author and the world’s leading concierge trainer and consultant as well as a Certified Concierge Specialist (CCS) and Speaker. She is one of the founders of Triangle Concierge and is the Chairman of the Board and Founder of the International Concierge and Lifestyle Management Association (ICLMA) as well as the author of several business books including her award-winning book Going Above and Beyond and The Concierge Manual.

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

On the 19th August I was lucky enough to be featured in the Melbourne Herald Sun. The article caught the eye of the producers of radio station 3AW and I gave my first interview with Ross and John at 6am that morning. They are both fun loving blokes so I proceeded to laugh my way through that one! Next a call came through asking if I had time to be interviewed by Denis Walter at noon – of course I had time! This interview was a little more informative than the first one (I am certainly not at my best at 6am…)

So please click on the link and enjoy!

Each Generation seems to create subcultures of their own and sometimes it can be hard to relate to their wants and needs, especially when buying a gift.

Other generations grow up experiencing things that we have only heard of or are just beginning to understand.  Although we might not join in their passion for all things electronic and technological, we do want to give them something that they will appreciate and enjoy.

These days most music is downloaded via the internet, and an iTunes voucher or a credit at any similar online music and application store has replaced the record voucher we used to give.

Gen Y also seem to be more aware of their health and diet so a subscription or vouchers for home delivered organic produce or natural personal care product ranges are often well received.

There is a definite trend to move away from wine or confectionary related gifts, with more of a focus on vouchers for massage and alternative therapies and anything that promotes a cleaner, healthier lifestyle.

With more television cooking shows than ever, including reality shows like Master Chef, young people are encouraged to experiment more with their cooking.  Recipe books by celebrity chefs or spice and gourmet food baskets will tantalise their tastebuds.

Still on the cooking theme, good quality cookware or kitchen appliances or any nifty new kitchen gadget that you come across will also work, as would a bench-top herb garden or bean sprouting kit.

Books are still a popular choice for gifts, and there are many choices depending on the individual interests of the person you are buying for.

If you need a hand with gift shopping, call me.  Shopping with other people’s money is always a joy for this personal concierge!

Why is it so hard to ask for help?  I often wonder about that, especially as it is my job to give people help when they need it.

I decided to ask that question and see what I could find out.  These were some of the answers I got.

“I feel like a failure if I have to get someone to come and help me.”

“Everyone else seems to manage so I should be able to.”

“No one will understand what I need.”

“I guess it could be pride?”

“I’d rather give than take.”

“It feels like I’m giving up on myself.”

“Why should someone else have to do it just because I can’t?”

“I don’t want people to know that I am struggling”

Isn’t that a sad collection of answers?  Why are we so much more concerned about what others think than we are about our own needs?  Do you realise that by not asking for help you are only digging yourself further and further into a hole?  You just won’t get anywhere or, if you do, it will take you ages.

If there is one thing that successful people have in common, it’s the ability to recognise when they need help and to ask for it.  They understand that it’s an opportunity to learn something new and to grow.

Heavens, if Branson can ask for help, can’t you?

The best way to ask is to be direct and specific.  That takes your emotion out of the situation and it becomes a very business-like process.  If it makes you feel more comfortable, offer your help on a project of theirs in exchange.

Day 2 Day Personal Concierge was created so that I can help shoulder your load.  There is no shame in asking for my help.  It’s a practical decision that lets you achieve far more than you would have done while you struggle with what is holding you back.

Don’t sit there and worry.  Just pick up the phone and call me. Together we will get you moving forward.

Organisation is the key to confidence and competence.  When you are disorganised and can’t work out your priorities it is easy to feel overwhelmed.  Some days are just too daunting to bother getting out of bed for, aren’t they?  It is also easy to forget something that could potentially be disastrous- your partner’s birthday springs to mind!  When you know what you need to get done each day, life is so much easier.  The best way to organise yourself is with a To-Do List.

A To-Do list allows you to think and plan clearly so that you can get everything done that you need to and all your obligations are met.  Additionally, it let’s you prioritise your tasks in order of importance, ensuring that you get the most important tasks finished first.  If you can keep everything under control it will do wonders for your stress levels.   Checking off the completed tasks as you go gives you a sense of achievement and builds your self esteem, especially if you are using it in the work place.

A To-Do list will evolve as you work allowing you to incorporate new jobs and slot them in according to their level of priority.  If you grade your tasks in order of importance from A (being extremely important) right down to F (being of very little importance) you will be able to tell at a glance what needs to be done first.  You will be far more organised, less stressed and totally in control of things.  There are lots of templates available on the internet you might like to use.  A little adaptation will make them suitable for your purposes.

If your life is a little out of control, try a To-Do list.  It sounds simple because it is but it’s also very effective.

When you have completed your To-Do list, give me, your personal concierge, a call and I will help you with it.