Business Profile: Barbara’s Concierge Service, White Plains
Have you ever been so fed up with running around doing your local errands that you just wished you had someone you could call on to take on some of the load? Well, now you do. White Plains resident Barbara Mayrsohn is establishing a local concierge service that will work with each client to customize her services to their specific needs.
Mayrsohn also works as an event planner, having presented live seminars and teleseminars to help people live their best lives and to break their own cycles of whatever is stopping them from being their authentic selves.
Her work in helping to self-actualize others led her to the realization that what some people really need is help in getting through the obstacles of a regular day.
For some it might be computer help or setting up online banking – which she has done for her senior citizen father – and which she sees a growing demand for from the aging population.
For other clients it might mean taking a trip to the grocery store, pharmacy, post office and dry cleaners. “Sometimes you just can’t wait for each supplier to come to you. Sometimes you need things done quickly and at your own schedule,” Mayrsohn said during a recent interview.
Mayrsohn is aware that most of the local supermarkets offer delivery, but that ties you to one particular store she claims. “If you are planning an impromptu get-together, you might need to go to several stores for specialty items, and who really has time for that these days?” she asks.
Mayrsohn has relationships with some of the local retailers who can help her to fulfill orders quickly and provide that personal touch.
Each client has different needs at different times.
For the elderly or homebound, having someone work with you personally can relieve stress and provide a bit of daily socialization.
“I think of it as though you are hiring a personal assistant, but you have the benefit of a team working for you behind the scenes,” Mayrsohn says. “Often new mothers become overwhelmed with the small chores that they could easily do before an infant entered the picture. And, although the need might be temporary, it can be a real lifesaver to have someone to call on to pick up those diapers, formula or medicine – and all together in one trip.
The definition of concierge has changed over time when it once defined the gatekeeper at the entrance to a building or hotel who would help guests. The term today is associated with luxury services, but the concept of the gatekeeper having access to local services still remains. That might mean being the person who does the research for a family or a business trip if you are your own boss — holding on the phone, checking websites, finding out abut local entertainment and other on the ground services that a travel agent is not able to do. It might mean doing this research and creating various scenarios that lets the client choose the best itinerary – from soup to nuts.
Mayrsohn expects her clients will be as diverse as the services they will require.
If the services of a local concierge seem attractive to you, contact Barbara’s Concierge Service at bjmcservices@gmail.com to work out a custom plan.
