Month: May 2024

Today, employed adults that work full time typically work 47 hours per week, do chores for approximately 2 hours per day, and try to to fit in everything else that comes in between. In short…people are busy, burned out, and unproductive and it’s taking a toll on their relationships, money, and business. When they hire an errand service, they are able to maximize the time in their personal and business life in a significant way.

Top Reasons To Hire An Errand Service

For some individuals and businesses, hiring an errand service is not simply a want, it’s a need. The top reasons why people choose to delegate to an errand service are:

To Save Valuable Time

Running errands can be costly for a busy professional, especially when they have to take time off work to complete them. We can almost guarantee, most people would prefer not to use a PTO day to wait for a service technician or get an oil change.  Therefore, delegating an errand to someone else will allow you to spend your time where it’s most valuable.

To Increase Productivity

As mentioned in the book, The Entrepreneur Mind, the most successful companies outsource and streamline. Hiring an errand service will allow you to be two places at once, so you’ll get twice as much done. Not only that, but you’ll be able to focus on the tasks that generate the most revenue for you. This simple change can improve your ROI in a great way!

To Complete An Errand In Another State

Completing an errand in another state doesn’t seem so difficult when you work with an errand service. For example, if you reside in West Virginia, but your loved one in Michigan requires a few tasks to be completed, you could call on a local concierge to complete the task on your behalf.

To Do What You’re Unable To Do

For some, errands may be physically difficult to complete or it requires a skill-set that you don’t have. Those who are recovering after surgery find errand services extremely beneficial, especially when it comes to tasks like:

• Grocery Shopping
• Prescription Pick-up
• And More!

How Do Errand Services Work?

If you have an errand request, some companies will allow you to book a service with them online, while others prefer you to book over the phone. They’ll ask you questions such as:

• Pick-up Location (if applicable)
• Delivery Location
• Items To Be Purchased
• Additional Details (such as ring the doorbell, use the side door, speak with X,Y,Z)

Once the errand service is confirmed, you should be able to rest assured knowing that it’s handled.

If you’ll require a third party purchase, they may ask for the money upfront to pay for those items. Other companies may complete the purchase upfront on your behalf but apply a surcharge for doing so.

Always do your due diligence when hiring an errand service provider in your area. You’ll want a company that is reliable and trustworthy, otherwise it’ll defeat the purpose of having one in the first place.

Errand Services in Metro Detroit

For those who need to delegate tasks to someone else, Imperative Concierge Services offers errand services in Metro Detroit. This includes cities like:

• Canton
• Plymouth
• Belleville
• Southfield
• Novi
• Walled Lake
• Troy
• Birmingham
• Royal Oak
• Farmington
• And much more!

Our goal is to make all processes as simple as possible for our elite clients, so we implement project management processes in all that we do to ensure that things go smoothly.

Take Control of Your Time with a Personal Helper

 Everything done? How about when you are working late and you don’t have any food to cook for dinner? Ever hosted a party or holiday event and juggled too many tasks at once? Ever had chores pile up and overwhelm you while an illness kept you down? If you feel that life’s little jobs just don’t fit into your schedule, it could be time to get some extra help to keep you moving forward. With a personal helper, you can take care of chores around the home and outside. You’ll be able to focus on your work, family, or whatever it is you love to do.

Don’t stress! V.I.People & Pets can help with tasks you don’t have time for or simply don’t enjoy doing. You don’t have to feel overwhelmed anymore.  You can enjoy your free time now without being burdened by all there is to do.  Relax! Catch up with friends/family, read a book. Imagine the possibilities. Whether you simply don’t have time for some of your daily tasks and one-off errands, or if you would prefer to hire a professional to do them, V.I.People & Pets is just a phone call away.

Your Own Concierge, Whenever You Need One

Even with the rapid development of home automation and a host of technologies that help us stay organized, it’s still hard to stay on top of everything that is needed to get through a busy day.

What if you are on vacation or at work while an important package is due to arrive? Time-management can be challenging. Mail drop-offs and package pickups might not fit into your schedule. Maybe you’re waiting on an important delivery for an online purchase and you want to be there when it arrives. You don’t have to take time out of your day, because we will wait for you. Simply having someone around to act as your personal concierge can save a lot of time. Why wait for hours for a package delivery when you could be taking care of work or other family matters? If you have mail or packages to send out, you can have us do it for you. Local courier services are also offered, so you can get items delivered to colleagues, clients, friends, and family members without having to rely on an expensive and inefficient logistics company.

Personal Assistant Duties for Busy Households

How about all of the things around the home that can take hours out of your day? If you’re having a cable or internet technician out for service or installation, you could be forced to wait around for a vaguely timed service visit, and then you’ll need to sit around as the technician works. Why waste your precious time when you can have us wait in your place? Even tasks away from home can be done without needing to sacrifice a moment of your time. Do you need to deliver an appliance for repair, return something you’ve purchased, or even wait for car repairs or a detailing service? You don’t need to, because we will take care of it.

Household Errands and Courier Service to Keep Your Home Organized

There’s a lot that goes into running a smooth household. Picking up prescriptions, larger parcels from the postal service, supply runs and returns, groceries, shopping, maybe even cleaning out those leafy gutters…it all adds up. Maybe you need an extra hand moving. Let us streamline your day whenever you need extra help. Got a ceiling fan that needs to be installed? Would you rather someone else put that book shelf together?  Any errand is considered. Take care of yourself, we’ll take care of the chores. Make your list and we’ll do the running for you so you can focus on what is important to you at work, home or while on vacation. Talk to us today about anything you have in mind, and we’ll let you know what we can do.

What makes procurement a crucial function for businesses? The answer is simple: It ensures that they get a good value for money when acquiring something from suppliers. That is why organizations hire employees who specialize in the field of procurement. Such resources know how to establish and manage healthy relationships with suppliers.

In fact, the rising scope of this job profile is evident in how well-paid this career has become. According to a Zippia report, the average salary of a procurement officer in the U.S. is $73,568 per year, which makes for $35.37 per hour.

To understand its importance more, let’s dig deeper into what is procurement, its different types, and its relevance in the financial well-being of a company.

What is Procurement?

Procurement refers to the process of acquiring goods or services from an external source. It involves identifying the need for a product or service, finding and evaluating potential suppliers, negotiating terms and conditions, and finalizing contracts upon agreement.

In simple terms, procurement aims to secure the best possible goods, services, or works, at the most favorable terms, for the benefit of a particular business organization.

The procurement process involves multiple stages and the most significant ones are:

• Requirement definition: Entails defining the needs and specifications of the product or service
• Supplier selection: Includes sourcing and evaluating potential suppliers, and reviewing their track record, financial stability, and delivery capabilities
• Negotiation: Involves negotiating significant terms and conditions, such as price, delivery schedules, and performance guarantees
• Contract award: The process of finalizing the contract with the selected supplier
• Contract management: Focuses on monitoring the supplier’s performance and managing the contract

Types of Procurement

Understanding what is procurement also involves learning its different types to get a better picture of the highly involved process. These include:

Direct Procurement

It refers to the possession of goods and services that are directly related to the production of a product or the delivery of a service. This could be raw materials, components, and supplies used in manufacturing, direct labor, and anything related to the core operations of a particular business.

Direct procurement is critical to the production process and is also a significant part of supply chain management. The goods and services procured through this process find their way to the end clients or customers.

Indirect Procurement

This involves the possession of goods and services that support the organization but are not directly related to their production or deliveries. Examples of this procurement process include office supplies, IT equipment, and facilities management services. In other words, indirect procurement involves acquiring goods and services that support a particular business and its respective operations.

Goods Procurement

Goods procurement refers to the process of acquiring tangible products, such as raw materials, components, supplies, and finished goods. These can be direct or indirect, depending on the business requirements. This process is critical for the manufacturing and production processes of businesses because it involves sourcing the materials and supplies needed to produce the final product.

The goods procurement process also entails identifying the need for the product, sourcing potential suppliers, negotiating terms and conditions, and finalizing contracts.

Services Procurement

This is the process of acquiring intangible or people-based services on an enterprise level, such as consulting, design, marketing, and maintenance. It is used to procure the specialized expertise required to support the organization’s operations and achieve its respective goals. As with the goods procurement process, this too involves identifying the need for the service, sourcing potential suppliers, negotiating terms and conditions, and finalizing contracts.

How Does the Procurement Process Work

The procurement process begins with the business identifying the goods and services that it needs, sourcing the suppliers to fulfill its business objectives, negotiating different terms and conditions, and purchasing the relevant items.

Small companies have one individual to handle the procurement of goods and services. However, larger companies have dedicated teams to deal with different suppliers or support specific interest groups.

The team or individual may need to gain further input from different business groups to determine the overall organizational requirements.

Businesses may also need to conduct regular quality assurance checks, including performance analysis, to ensure that the targeted suppliers meet the required expectations.

What are the Stages in the Procurement Process?

Procurement processes may vary depending on the company structure, needs, and other relevant requirements. They typically include the following stages.

Sourcing Stage

This encompasses the initial steps during which a business identifies the needs, assesses vendors, and creates a purchasing request. It is also necessary for companies to build strong relationships with suppliers at this stage.

Purchasing Stage

It is the stage of negotiating the necessary terms, creating the required orders, and receiving the goods and services to inspect them.

Payment Stage

It involves ensuring order and invoice accuracies and keeping a record of all invoices to maintain them for future reference.

What is the Role of Procurement in Finance?

Procurement plays a significant role in finance because it ensures that the organization’s expenditures on goods and services align with its financial goals and objectives. It also plays a critical role in controlling costs and minimizing financial risks.

Procurement impacts an organization’s financial performance by ensuring that it obtains the best value for its money through efficient and effective purchasing practices. The process includes identifying cost-saving opportunities, negotiating favorable terms with suppliers, and managing supplier relationships to ensure they deliver quality goods and services according to different requirements.

Procurement processes can work closely with finance to ensure that the organization’s financial resources are used in the most efficient and effective way to improve its financial performance and support the overall success of the business.

Procurement and finance are two different entities but a strategic partnership between them can benefit the entire business. It enables both departments to provide unique insights into business operations.

Scaling Up with Errandables

Procurement plays a critical role in controlling costs, minimizing financial risks, and improving financial performance by ensuring that the organization obtains the right goods and services at the right price, and of the right quality. That is why organizations want to work with procurement managers who have the skill and expertise to carry the process forward efficiently.

Enrich Your Home Buying or Selling Journey

Navigating the world of real estate can be a maze but having a reliable REALTOR^® by your side is like having a GPS for a smoother journey. Whether you’re buying your dream home or selling your property, a good agent is like your secret weapon. Keep reading to learn why having a REALTOR^® can be a game-changer for both buyers and sellers. From helpful market tips to expert negotiating, it’s not just about the deal – it’s about making the whole real estate process easier and more successful for everyone involved.

Benefits of Using a REALTOR^® For Buyers

They know the local real estate market.
If you have questions about features in a listing, such as neighborhood background, zoning, utilities, schools or any other subject, REALTORS® know what prospects want better than anyone. They can help you focus on the right areas and identify the best listings to help you find a new home faster.

All they do is real estate.
Helping homebuyers is a 24/7 calling. A REALTOR^® will find listings you love, preview homes to ensure they’re consistent with your needs, take you to showings and make offers when the time is right. It’s a big job and a REALTOR^® will do whatever it takes to get the results you want.

They know everything is negotiable.
Buying a home can involve hundreds of issues and many of them are up for discussion in a real estate transaction. Why talk to owners who can be difficult when a REALTOR^® knows the ins and outs of negotiation and will be in your corner all the way to closing?

They take the worry out of your transaction.
Real estate transactions can involve reams of paperwork. Would you understand all the tricky roadblocks that might spring up during your purchase? A REALTOR^® is an expert in contracts and documentation. They can offer the wisest advice and fastest service at every stage.

They have your best interests in mind.
When you buy, a REALTOR^® does what is most beneficial for you. Their livelihood depends on it.

They network with other seasoned real estate professionals.
A REALTOR^® can connect you to home repair companies, inspectors and title-and-escrow experts like Erranables Title. That saves you valuable time and effort.

They know how to find the best property for your needs.
REALTORS^® look for things that the buyer may overlook, including foundation issues, floor plans that don’t meet your standards and much more.

They cost nothing to home buyers.
The seller pays all fees for the transaction, and you get the REALTOR’S^® years of experience and expertise to help you find the ideal home.

Benefits of Using a REALTOR^® For Sellers

They know the local real estate market.
A REALTOR^® knows how to market your listing. From neighborhood background, zoning, utilities, schools or any other subject, REALTORS^® know what prospects want better than anyone. They’ll work to ensure your listing stands out and is off the market sooner.

All they do is real estate.
Selling homes is a 24/7 calling. A REALTOR^® will take the necessary steps to screen potential buyers, answer questions and get your home in front of serious prospects through well-planned showings. It’s a big job and a REALTOR^® will do whatever it takes to get the results you want.

They can help you compromise with a buyer.
Buyers come ready to negotiate with you on listing price, costs and more. Your REALTOR^® can help navigate issues that come up during a real estate transaction, so you and your buyer reach an agreement beneficial to all parties.

They are experts in contracts and documentation.
Just like buying a new home, selling one involves a lot of paperwork. A REALTOR^® understands the real estate transaction process and partners with you to get all your ducks in a row so you’re prepared at the closing table.

Your needs are at the forefront of their focus.
A REALTOR^® strategically navigates negotiations and decisions to ensure the most favorable outcomes for you. Your success is their success.

They have an extensive network to facilitate connections for you.
Leverage the network of your REALTOR^® to seamlessly connect with the right professionals, including home repair experts, inspectors, and title and escrow specialists like Errandables Title to ensure a smooth and efficient home selling process.

They know how to find the best prospect for your needs.
A REALTOR^® learns everything about your home and neighborhood to negotiate the highest sales price from the right buyer.

Corporate concierge services will take over the little details so that you can focus on your business and enjoying yourself. Learn more here.

The average American spends over 700 hours (30 days) each year doing errands. When you think about it in business terms, these wasted hours means money down the drain. That’s where corporate concierge services come in.

If you think a concierge means a butler named James handling your needs, it’s time to get updated with the new role of the concierge. Read on to learn more about corporate concierges and how they may be exactly what your business needs.

What is a Corporate Concierge?

A corporate concierge is a bit like a personal assistant, office secretary, and hotel concierge rolled into one. Their primary purpose is to make your life easier so you can better manage your business and yield better results.

A concierge achieves this by handling tasks and errand to enhance office organization and operations. This can occur on a personal or office-wide scale.

Who Needs a Corporate Concierge?

It’s a common misconception that corporate concierges are reserved for multi-million dollar businesses. In fact, corporate concierges are the perfect addition to a small business looking to expand.

Businesses that are undergoing mergers, relocations, or simply managing multiple teams can all benefit from the use of a corporate concierge. This is especially true for companies that require their employees to travel often and need added assistance for business trips.

What Corporate Concierge Services are Offered?

Depending on the corporate concierge agency, you’ll find a wide variety of services offered. It’s important to utilize the services that are best fitted for the unique needs of your business.

While each concierge agency has its own set of services offered, some common concierge services are:

Run Business Errands

Simple business hours can take a bulk of office hours, interfering with overall productivity. Fortunately, with a corporate concierge, you can delegate tasks like shipping out important documents, making copies, or printing out presentation materials.

Corporate concierges can also help you prepare for expos and conferences by arranging for flyers and booth banners to be printed.

Handle Laundry.

Whether it’s your own laundry before a business trip or a laundry locker reserved for the whole office, your corporate concierge can make sure clothing items are cleaned and ready to go in a timely matter.

Dry Cleaning Pick Up

If you’re an entrepreneur on the go, you may find you have little time to pick up and drop off your dry cleaning. Fortunately, your corporate concierge can handle the arrangements for you.

This is extra useful if you travel often for business and always need a clean suit on hand.

Grocery Shopping

Many offices are now opting to provide in-office groceries for their employees to enjoy. While this can be extra work incentive for your employees it can also take time out of an already busy schedule.

Pass of your grocery list to your corporate concierge who can arrange to have the shopping and putting away handled for you.

Prescriptions

Having to travel or work without your necessary prescription medications is not only inconvenient, but it’s also dangerous. Keep you and your employees safe by having your corporate concierge keep prescriptions filled, in stock and within close reach.

In the event that you forget your prescriptions, some concierges will even locate the closest pharmacy to your hotel and can arrange to have them delivered to you.

Client Gifts

Client and employee gifts should be personal, thought out, and memorable. Unfortunately, most business owners and office leads only to have enough time to find something more generic.

Not only can your corporate concierge find tasteful gifts for your clients, but they can also track down hard to find gifts like rare concert tickets or sporting event seats.

Additional Services

These are just some of the many services that can be tended to by corporate concierges, however, the list goes on.

From flight and driver arrangements to reservations at the newest hot spot in town, your corporate concierge can handle a wide range of tasks and requests.

What are the Benefits of Having a Corporate Concierge

Now that you know what a corporate concierge can do, it’s time to take a closer look at how the extra help can benefit your life and your workplace.

We’re sure you’ll find that once you’ve experienced life with a corporate concierge, you won’t know how you lasted so long without one.

Enhance Product Value

Product and service development was once the center of your attention and the backbone of your business. However, as businesses expand, operations and logistics tend to take more time than focusing on what you’re actually offering.

By designating tasks to your corporate concierge, you’ll have more time to focus on your product and how to improve it.

Unroll New Product or Service

Thinking about growing your line but don’t have the time or resources to focus on it? With the assistance of a corporate concierge not only can you free up more time to devote to product research, but you can easily organize its development.

Corporate concierges can help you book your spaces for focus groups, buy tickets to industry conferences and even schedule business trips to introduce your new products.

Stay Ahead of the Curve

In today’s market, those who aren’t able to keep up with product trends quickly get left behind. Don’t let your hard work go to waste. With the extra time you receive with a corporate concierge, you’ll be able to follow emerging industry trends that can be incorporated into your business.

You can even ask your corporate concierge to gather trend reports on a regular basis to save you the hassle of having to do the research yourself.

Attract Top Tier Talent

Hiring the best talent in the pool means being able to offer more than an impressive paycheck. Having a corporate concierge assist your team brings added value to your workplace, which attracts quality employees.

Benefits for Your Employees

It doesn’t take long for your employees to grow bored with busy work, which leads to lower workplace satisfaction. However, by being able to delegate errands and simple tasks to a corporate concierge, employees are able to focus more on the type of work they were truly hired for.

Enhance Customer Loyalty

How do you keep your customers returning again and again? You take the time to listen to them. With more time freed up with your corporate concierge, you can focus on interacting with your customers again and add a personal touch to your business.

You can also focus on audience research to learn directly from your customers how you can make your product better.

Upgrade Your Business Trips

Business trips can take up a large portion of a companies budget, which is why it’s important that they are well executed and go without a hitch.

From VIP transportation services to find the best spots to wine and dine your clients, a corporate concierge can help you get the most out of each of your business trips.

What to Look for in a Concierge Service

While any extra assistance will bring added value to your business, it’s important to remember that not every concierge service is created equal.

When looking for the right concierge agency, you’ll want to be on the lookout for some important factors.

Services that Match Your Needs

A long list of services can be impressive, however, there’s no reason to pay for services you don’t really need. Be sure to find a concierge service that is equipped to handle the needs of your business.

This means if you travel often for business they will be familiar with travel accommodations. Or, if you’re more focused on the client end you’ll want a concierge that can focus on bringing that extra “wow” factor that can help you win new business.

Extensive Training

Concierge staff needs to be well equipped in customer service, organization, project management and more. Which is why it may be worth inquiring about the agencies hiring and training process.

You’ll be trusting this agency with sensitive information and important tasks, so you’ll want to know ahead of time that they’ve been trained to handle anything.

Global Understanding

If you are looking for a concierge service to handle multiple offices and branches around the world, they’ll need a global understanding to fit the bill.

This means looking for concierge services that offer bilingual or translation services, are familiar with different customs and cultures, and won’t create any major faux pas due to a cultural misunderstanding.

White Label Services

If your concierge service will be interacting with your clients, sending notes, or making calls it’s important to have a “white label” method implemented

This means being sure that, as far as anyone else is concerned, the concierge is an employee of your business and all actions are done on behalf of your business.

Look Into References

Corporate concierges should be able to demonstrate that they are adept to the needs of a business your size and pace. For this reason, it may help to request references that you can reach out to.

Typically, other businesses are happy to share their experience with a concierge service.

Getting It Together

Whether you are looking for someone to tend to a few travel arrangements or need your whole office life to be tended to, corporate concierge services are the ideal way to upgrade your career life and make your business more proactive.

• Honest
• Integrity
• Knowledgeabl
• Resource
• Service-oriented

In short, you want a concierge real estate agent. You’re either buying or selling your largest asset. It only makes sense that you work with someone who is willing to offer unparalleled service, has the means to provide you with the information and resources you need, and will keep your priorities top of mind. A service-first real estate agent is a one-stop shop for all of your real estate needs, which means their services don’t stop at the transaction. They have the know-how and the network to help you find answers to all of your real estate-related questions.

Whether you are a first-time homebuyer looking for down-payment assistance or selling your home and looking for a contractor to help with upgrades, a concierge real estate agent can offer the help you need.

Benefits of Working with a Concierge Real Estate Agent

Personalized Service:

Access to a Range of Services:

Expertise and Knowledge: