We often hear of PA’s being asked to do all kinds of random personal requests from their boss (because they sometimes call us for help #resourceful). But is that what you really employed your PA to do?
I am a bit of an authority on this one having spent 20 years as an PA to partners of law and accounting firms around the world – this was in the late 1980’s and early 1990’s when it was just you and your boss.
He could ask you to walk his dog if he wanted because you didn’t work for anyone else, on the flipside I got out of the office for an hour; the good old one-on-one days. No so much nowadays! Even toward the end of my EA career I worked for up to 9 people at any time and let me tell you there was no time for dog walking!
So why should you hire a lifestyle concierge instead of asking your PA to do your personal errands?
First, they don’t just work for you. They have responsibilities and deadlines to others in their group. They can’t be doing your personal odds-and-ends when another in their group has a deadline to meet.
Second, they are more than likely chargeable. When they are running your errands they are not chargeable which affects your bottom line.
Third, they have personal KPI’s to achieve and if they are held back because of your requirement to find them a new housekeeper that will affect their ability to achieve them.
Fourth, whilst I am sure they are amazingly resourceful – lets face it most PA’s are – they probably don’t have the depth and breadth of supplier networks that a concierge has; a good lifestyle concierge will be very well connected.
Fifth, the unthinkable. You have to negatively ‘appraise’ your PA and all of a sudden your personal details have become water-cooler conversation.
Sixth, the second unthinkable. Your EA moves onto another organisation or gets promoted.
I think you get where we’re coming from. There is something to be said for keeping your personal and professional life separate.
A reputable lifestyle concierge will provide a beautiful straight line between the two – never the twain shall meet – if you don’t want it to.
A lifestyle concierge can very quickly attend to your personal tasks, errands and projects without compromising your professional output (or that of your PA).
When you are ready to draw the line between your personal and professional life, get in touch.