For many people, life is incredibly busy. Whether you’re juggling the demands of work and home, or are running your own business, any additional tasks such as booking flights, arranging a cleaner or nanny, or running general errands, can feel like the straws that are poised to break the camel’s back.
If you’re making good money in your working life, a personal concierge service will enable you to focus on making even more, whilst their team of virtual helpers take care of all the tasks you simply don’t have the time, or inclination, to complete.
Here are some of the most popular concierge services around, ranking from those who deal with a range of mundane tasks, to the luxury concierge companies that work with high net worth clients who need to charter a private jet every now and then!
1. Personal Concierge Services
1.1 Personal Time Saver (London)
Personal Time Saver is a London based service which was proud to be the runner up in London’s best concierge service 2013. It boasts a tailor-made service to suit each client and their philosophy is “No job is too trivial”. Whether you need house sitting, grocery shopping, a car serviced, help arranging a party, secretarial support or someone to complete your passport application, this gem of a company is at your beck and call 365 days a year. They will meet up with you anytime to confirm your requirements – or you can just email them an instruction. It’s a very personalised service and well worth the money if you’re simply too busy to manage all these tasks yourself.
For one off tasks they charge by the hour: £80-85 Monday to Friday, £85 on Saturdays and £100 on Sundays and bank holidays. For regular clients, they negotiate a retainer fee.
1.2 Choices Service Solutions (Manchester)
Choices Service Solutions works in the Manchester area, and has an extensive network of fully vetted traders and service provides that it contacts on your behalf when you need work done. So if you need help to source a gardener of cleaner, need your car taking for its MOT, need help arranging a party or need someone to find the best deal on flights, this team will ensure the job gets done.
Regular clients praise the small team at Choices Service Solutions for their personalised and efficient approach, and their affordable cost.
1.3 One Big Fish (Birmingham)
One Big Fish offers to manage your lifestyle in a personalised way. It offers a personal concierge available on a daily basis or a flexible monthly package. The range of services on offer is broad eg. organising travel arrangements; setting up a conference call with clients; booking a hotel or dinner reservation; planning a holiday; helping you purchase quality jewellery or a bespoke suite.
Lifestyle membership is £995 + VAT per year and includes:
– a personalised concierge service
– up to 10 requests per month during work hours (8am to 8pm Mon to Fri)
– access to private and VIP events
Bespoke membership is £2500 + VAT and includes all that the lifestyle membership offers, with 30 requests a year (extra hours then added at an additional charge) and upgraded services eg. at hotels when available.
2. Concierge Services For Leisure
2.1 Bon Vivant (London)
Bon Vivant claims to be London’s leading luxury travel and concierge service. Their selling point is that they know London inside out and their insider knowledge can help you get access to the best restaurants, sold out events and must see places and activities. If you become a member, (£4,000 per year) they also offer their luxury travel service for free: they will arrange personalised trips abroad, including family holidays, business trips, private jet charter and more.
If you want to enjoy your leisure time to the full, but don’t have time to make all of the arrangements, Bon Vivant is the concierge service for you.
3. Luxury Concierge Services (International Cover)
3.1 Quintessentially Lifestyle
Quintesessentially Lifestyle is an award winning luxury lifestyle management and concierge company operating worldwide.
It is not be cheap – you’ll need to pay an annual fee to become a private member, although their website is coy about prices (that’s how luxurious the services are!). As a guide, the individual membership was quoted as $1500 per person per year back in 2012 by Business Insider and is bound to be far more nowadays.
But if you have that kind of money and want a stress free life, just imagine the joy of being able to delegate all manner of tasks to someone else! Their team will sort out bespoke travel arrangements, last minute restaurant reservations, help run day-to-day errands on your behalf, get to grips with home management and even organise your relocation if you’re moving away.
They boast 24/7 support every day of the year and promise personalised assistance to all of their members. This company does just about anything you need, allowing you to focus on the more important things in life.
3.2 One Concierge
One Concierge is a world leading luxury concierge and lifestyle management firm for the most discerning clientele around the world. It offers both an on-demand service and a private membership option. The on-demand service promises you only pay what you have requested- and you need to submit a request via the website. For those with more money and regular need for concierge services, their membership packages are:
Bespoke $3,000 per year – includes unlimited requests 24/7 every day of the year, personalised service and preferred travel rates and discounts.
Lifestyle $8,000 per year – includes everything in the Bespoke membership plus priority handling and a dedicated account manager.
Executive $25,000 – includes the Lifestyle support, with a dedicated lifestyle curator, a virtual personal assistant and a Gold MasterCard.
Not cheap by any stretch of the imagination, but if you are the kind of person who needs to charter a private yacht to impress new clients, this is the service for you.
If you’re busy and need a helping hand, a personalised concierge service may be the solution you are looking for. They range from affordable (taking into consideration the fact that you are getting a completely personalised service) to the expensive – but if you’ve been a sophisticated saver all your life, perhaps you can afford the best that money can buy.
About the Author
Michelle has worked as a traditional and digital marketer for the past 8 years. Prior to that she had a varied career, firstly qualifying as a pharmacist, completing a PhD and working in the field of Quality Assurance. Then she upped sticks and moved to sunny Portugal, and worked in an operational role as Leisure Area Manager for a large resort company.
She was drawn to marketing and has never looked back. Her fine eye for detail, scientific background, experience of managing teams and dealing directly with customers has given her an unusual all-round view of the workplace. She shares her opinions on success in life and the workplace in her blogs for Sophisticated Savers. We hope you enjoy them!
