Did you know there are a few secrets that can be the difference between a successful and a not-as-successful senior concierge business? I have stated many times over that there are a number of factors that will guarantee success in this line of work. The fact that there will be an ongoing demand for this kind of service as seniors continue to age is key. However, in order to make the most of this opportunity there are some very basic, yet essential secrets that can ensure your senior concierge business succeeds. Here are a few that you should consider:
Secret #1 – Use Available Tools
There is a lot of easy to access ways to promote your new senior concierge business. The best ones are the ones that cost you nothing and probably the single one that will provide you the best single shot of exposure is through a local newspaper. There are many ways you can connect with them and forge a mutually beneficial relationship. It can include press releases announcing your grand opening to a regular feature you provide on such things as Tips To Ensure Your Senior Parent Is Taken Care Of. Regardless of what arrangement you make, your local newspaper can be a huge ally when you are trying to build your business.
Secret #2 – Extra Services
One very successful ‘extra’ service you can provide your customers is a home check service. This is where you would do a quick visit to the home of a client who has gone out of town. Your check can be as simple as checking the doors and windows to providing snow removal, mail pick up, indoor chores ranging from watering plants and monitoring the heat to many other additional services. You could charge as little as $20 per drop-in and increase that based on additional chores per drop-in visit.
Secret #3 – Group Scheduling
This is a very sensible way to increase the efficiency of your senior concierge business. It will be specific to your clients and their needs but for some ideas on how to group your scheduling maybe ‘zone’ your customers – or in other words – if one part of town has a number of your customers, pick a day each week to use to service them. If you find yourself running similar errands on similar days try to make Tuesday (or whatever day) mail pick up day or pharmacy day. Any way you can group your activities and clients the faster you will be able to complete some of those tasks, and the more money you’ll make.
Secret #4 – Cancellation Fees
If you feel a bit apprehensive about tacking on cancellation fees consider this: you’ve planned your day around errands and services for a handful of clients. It is a tight schedule and if everything goes without a hitch you will have a tremendously productive day. Then two clients cancel on you partway through the morning. There is no way to move everyone else up to fill the empty spaces and no way to move some of tomorrow’s appointments to fill in either. The cancellations translate to lost income regardless of the reasons for the cancellations. This is where you would be able to use your judgment on whether or not the cancellations are bothersome enough to charge for. You could charge a nominal fee like $10 so you still get something or charge your normal rate.
Secret #5 – Listen To Your Customers
There will be a lot of things you will learn from your clients/customers once you build a trusting relationship with them. You will discover other seniors in their circle who may benefit from your services, you will learn what to charge and what not to charge based on the local market, you will also find your customers will come up with suggestions of services you may never have considered as part of your business plan. It could be something like cooking assistance, cleaning help or maybe just companionship. Be sure to pay attention to what your clients say to you as they may tip you off to something that can help your senior concierge business in becoming successful.
Working with seniors will be a rewarding experience regardless of how you approach it. You will make new friends, meet new families and broaden your circle of influence. You will learn a lot about yourself through the people you help and gain a better appreciation for the value of what you bring to the lives of those you work for. It is much more than a source of income and that is what makes a senior concierge business such an interesting opportunity.
To discover more about starting a successful senior concierge business, get a copy of “How To Start a Profitable Senior Concierge Service.”