Monday, June 25, 2012

Questions you should be asking your concierge provider

While a day consists of 24 hours, sometimes our busy schedules make it seem like there are severely fewer hours in the day to get the important things done.  Trying to balance work, family, and leisure time can often be a struggle for the common business person working 40+ hours a week.  That being said, Concierge services are becoming a more efficient way for families, businessmen, businesswomen, and anyone in between to complete errands without having to leave the family or risk a low in production.  The only thing often holding people back from utilizing such helpful services from concierge providers is this reoccurring question:  How can I allow a stranger to complete some tasks that sometimes can be personal?
To help answer this question, it may be of interest to you to ask questions before turning away concierge services without thought.  The following is a list of questions you should consider asking the next time you interview a concierge service provider who you are trusting to help you get caught up on your day. 

Are your employees fully insured and bonded?
As a rule, all employees should be fully insured and bonded.  By hiring an insured and bonded concierge/errand service, you are protecting yourself from loss, as well as choosing a service that is responsible and professional.  Make sure to ask not only about liability insurance, but also, messenger insurance which covers your items while they are being transported between locations.

Are your employees fully trained?  What kind of training do they go through?
Before fully committing to a concierge, look for answers to this question that is along the lines of the following keywords: Time Management, Business Etiquette, Confidentiality, Professionalism, and Utmost Quality Service.  You should make it a priority to find concierge providers that offer trustworthy, professional service.  

Can your employees help us with notary matters?
It can be to your benefit to choose a service with licensed notaries.  This way, they have the ability to validate and witness financial and legal documents that you may have.  

What can I expect from your company in regards to my confidentiality?
A professional concierge service requires all of their employees to undergo extensive confidentiality training.  With this training, you can rely on your concierge service providers to keep your information under lock and key, keeping it safely away from anyone that does not need to know your personal information.  In addition, all employees are required to sign a confidentiality agreement in order to minimize the exposure of your privacy. 

How do you insure the Security of my possessions?
Concierge services not only have proper insurance in place, but also have policies in place to assure basic security of your items while they are being transported.  For example: Our employees are trained on proper handling and transporting of customer possessions.
What kind of response to my emails and phone calls can I expect?
If you need a concierge, your time is short and a quick response is necessary.  A concierge company, such as Counterparts, is prepared to handle you’re calls and emails at the very least during normal business hours.

How do your employees dress?
All of our employees are required to maintain an outward appearance that parallels our company’s standards of professionalism and customer service.  With that in mind, our employees are always dressed appropriately and professionally.

How are your employees selected?
By asking this question you are not only showing interest in the employee selection process, but also are interested in the types of people that are selected to help you complete your vigorous to-do lists.  Our employees are handpicked from within the Omaha area.  They go through intensive background checks and are closely monitored to ensure that you and your possessions are safe and in good, caring hands.
Counterparts has a desire to serve and are passionate about outstanding service to our clients.  Our goal: bringing you success and productivity by eliminating jobs and tasks that get in the way of what you believe is important.  We are committed to always providing exceptional service to our loyal clients. 
The above represent minimum standards of Service every professional concierge company must commit to before servicing their customers.

Could you benefit from using a concierge service?  Give us a call to set up an appointment or to inquire about more information. 

LIKE us on Facebook and Follow us on Twitter to stay up to date with current events and communicate directly with us!