The current economic scenario is dismal in the country. Well-known banks and mortgages companies have crashed. Some big businesses have gone bust. Millions have lost their jobs.
Yet surprisingly, in America the Personal Assistanting services business
is exploding right now. The number of independently owned and operated companies serving time-strapped clients has mushroomed, right along with customer demand for such businesses. By all accounts, Personal Assisting services are one of the fastest growing small businesses in the USA.
A Personal Assistant service runs on the most basic of premises: people want things done but don't have the time to do them. But they're happy to pay someone to do them on their behalf. This service offering is also known as lifestyle management.
This business is an offshoot of the long tradition of the hotel concierge and their promise of exclusive personal service and local knowledge. In earlier times, such service was the exclusive preserve of the very wealthy.
Now, however, with falling data processing costs, cheaper direct channels of communication and the wider and easier availability of information on the internet, these services can be delivered more economically, and are within the reach and affordability of a wider audience. Little wonder then, new concierge businesses have sprung up in all the major metropolitan areas, promising to help manage the busy lifestyles of their corporate and personal customers.
The National Concierge Association, a Chicago-based group, was founded in the late 1990s as a networking and resource organization for both personal and hotel concierges. And in 2001, the International Concierge and Errand Association (ICEA) was set up in America, Today, both associations serve their members through essential resources, continuing education, other professional help.
Although no exact figures are available about the number of concierge businesses in the county, it is estimated that there are several hundred, and the industry is still growing. And there is plenty of room for even more growth, industry analysts say.
The reasons for this stupendous growth are not difficult to fathom. Simply put, Americans are working harder than ever, and finding it increasingly difficult to cope up with their workload at offices or businesses while trying to fulfill personal and familial chores and responsibilities. It is seen that most people end up accumulating heaps of stuff – both in the workplace and in their homes.
In a recent survey by Steelcase, a leading designer and manufacturer of office furnishings, 27 percent of office workers described themselves as "pilers," while 12 percent described themselves as pack rats. Taking care of all that "stuff" requires time and organization. Some people need help just to get organized; others could manage the paperwork if they weren't saddled with so many other chores. That's why they turn to (or would like to be able to turn to) personal assisting/concierges to help keep them organized, run errands, and ensure that business and personal responsibilities are fulfilled. Another survey, co-sponsored by AOL and Women's Day in 2005, found that 67% of people would prefer a personal assistant to a life coach.
On the other hand, the main reason the number of independently owned personal assistant/concierge companies has skyrocketed is because the start-up costs and barriers of entry have become quite feasible for many entrepreneurs.
Another big reason for the growth and popularity of personal assistant/concierge businesses is that they serve very wide spectrum of customers. From small business owners, busy professionals, seniors living independently, two-career families, recuperating patients, out-of-town visitors, realtors, lawyers, busy moms to new parents. In fact, anyone who feels overwhelmed with their to-do lists.
And they provide an incredible array of services: from informational requests, setting dinner reservations, making telephone calls, researching travel arrangements, sorting out bills, organizing activities, personal shopping, waiting for deliveries, grocery shopping, pet sitting and much more. They do more than run errands. They stand in lines, research events, book tickets, plan your holiday vacations and can find the most efficient and affordable methods of travel when needed. In essence, a good concierge creates a second you, completing your tasks exactly the way you want them done. A personal assisting/concierge can customize their offerings. They may choose which services to offer and when to conduct business, making this a fairly flexible job.
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