A Concierge is Only an App Away
If you think personal concierge services are just for the rich, or at upscale hotels, you are wrong. Several credit cards now, like the American Express Platinum Charge Card, offer a 24/7 concierge service. You can call in and get assistance with gift ideas, travel issues, hard to find tickets/items, or general information / recommendation assistance. Everything from movie times to arranging a private jet (of course, you have to pay for what you request) can be done by what is being called a “virtual concierge”.
If you don’t have a credit card with such perks, you can get these services from companies such as AskSunday, Red Butler, and MyAssist. I tried out both AskSunday and RedButler. AskSunday is very fast, but they are based out of India which I think can cause some communication issues. Red Butler is based in the United States, and is great with travel issues, but I found them slow and lacking with other simple requests. Both AskSunday and Red Butler offer basic plans for around $35.00 per month that will get you about 15 requests per month. They have higher tier plans if you are in need of more services.
I found MyAssist to be the best for my needs (as I already have concierge services through American Express). They are only $9.99 per month, and they claim to not put a limit on the number of requests! They have a beautiful iPhone application that connects you with all their services. They are extremely fast in the execution of your request and in responding back to you. Hands down, they beat AskSunday and Red Butler for everyday requests. If you are at all a busy person, and especially if you travel frequently, I highly recommend signing up with MyAssist and downloading their iPhone application.
6 Comments
Reader Comments (6)
[...] A concierge is only an App away. [...]
Now why hasn't GOOGLE done this considering how well they already know each of us...?
[...] naps during the day?What others know about you — and what you should know about yourself.A concierge is only an app away.Should the United States sell its gold to help fix the debt problem?How can one possibly find [...]
Great article! I haven't tried any of the 3 personal concierge services you mention, but I fell in love with bpovia at first sight. Their quick response and good-quality job make me feel at home and they really make a difference in my life.
I have used myassist for about 2 years now, it is great, they have helped me with numerous things, totally worth the money, they let you call or email your requests also!
As the co-owner of A-List Lifestyle Management, a personal concierge service in Tampa, Florida...I can tell you that, while virtual services offer convenience for research or quick purchase related tasks, they do not in any way replace the personal service provided by someone who knows you by name, calls you to remind you of your mother in law's birthday next week, takes your dog to the vet and loves it like their own, etc.
In a world where people are starving for human connection, we shouldn't be so quick to jump into this "virtual world" headfirst. Soon, we'll all be recluses that never leave our apartments and only function behind the glare of a computer screen.