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Greetings!
 I quit caffeine this month. It was the worst 7 days of my life. Ok, not in my life, but certainly in recent memory. You should know that I've never had a cup of coffee - my caffeine came from diet colas and was consumed at the rate of nearly a 12 pack a day. (Was that a collective gasp I just heard??)
 So I gave it up. I did suffer withdrawals all week with the symptom pinnacle coming on Day 4, hereby dubbed and forever after to be known as 'the day of lunaticous' (I just made that word up). Trust me; it's a good thing I stayed away from people on that day.
As human beings we have free will. That means we can opt to do something or not. But when we have a habit, especially an addictive habit, free will can be replaced by apathy and unconscious behavior. This is especially true when it comes to running your own business.
 A business is like a human being in that it has a lifecycle: It is born, it grows, it matures, and eventually it will die (or be sold to live in someone else's experience - either way, it is no longer part of us). In order to build a company we create task processes, marketing plans, advertising plans, strategic plans, business relationships, budgets, and schedules. In effect we create the habits of our business.
And because we do the same work day in and day out, we reinforce those habits, we become good at them and we adopt the 'if it ain't broke, don't fix it' attitude which is a fancy way of saying we're operating unconsciously.
 If you're focused on the needs of your Clients and Customers, then your business is ever changing. It evolves and morphs into a better entity designed to meet their needs. That means the habits of your business - especially the processes you follow - will also need to evolve. And these days with the ever-changing face of technology and its impact on the way we promote our companies you may find that some of your business habits quickly become obsolete.
Therefore, every once in awhile, it is prudent to take a step back and examine each aspect of our business or work environment and ask ourselves, "Could this be done in a better way?"
 Are you doing tasks that were once necessary but now only take up time that could be better spent on something else? Are you advertising in the same media year after year without measuring the return on your investment? When was the last time you reviewed or updated your marketing collateral? Have your networking events turned into purely social events because you know everyone? Do you avoid the benefits of e-promotion because you're old school and haven't kept up with the advancements in electronic networking or computer literacy?
 Like caffeine's effect on my physiology, old or outdated business habits can take a negative toll on your company. Don't avoid change for so long you suffer withdrawal when you ultimately have to modify your habits. The most important thing to remember is that productive and efficient work habits are those that serve both the best interest of your company and the best interest of your Customers and Clients.
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If you need help analyzing your work habits or would like to outsource some of your tasks so you can focus on refreshing your business or personal life, give Executive Errands a call. We're here to help 760.898.9604 www.executive-errands.com |
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Our Favorite Things
Shhh! It's a Concierge Secret
As a Personal Concierge company, we sometimes get asked for restaurant recommendations and/or to place reservations. So, as a thank you to our faithful readers, we're going to let you in on a little Concierge secret.
 If you're new to the area and want to know about restaurants - their price points, their seating availability or to make reservations - the quickest way to do that is to use Open Table, a free website that answers all your restaurant questions AND let's you make reservations without ever picking up your telephone.
It's easy, it's free and it works both domestically and internationally. In fact, they cover most of the restaurants here in the Desert and feature Vancouver, Toronto and the  Ontario areas of Canada specifically. Open Table allows you to refine your search criteria by city, cuisine type, or specific restaurant. It's an amazing tool!
This is a perfect service you can use from home or while on the road and it's especially helpful if you have a large party because you can scan for a restaurant with seating availability on the day and time of your choosing.
Visit www.opentable.com just once and you'll be hooked. Open Table, one of our favorite things - Bon Appetit!
["Our Favorite Things" gives us an opportunity to share people, places, events and things that we truly love and that you might too. We have no business affiliation with any company or individual featured here. We just want to share good things with you and if our recommendations help build business for someone else or saves you time or money, GREAT!!!]
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 Merci, Dankë, Gracias, Köszi, Arigato, Asante, Nandi, Thank you
In order, these are the French, German, Spanish, Hungarian, Japanese, South African, Indi, and English ways to say 'Thank You'. Nothing conveys your appreciation more than those two little words.
Sometimes though, we want to give a tangible 'thank you' to show how much we value someone's patronage, their loyalty or their kindness. In that spirit we offer you three special thank you gifts:
 The Thoughtful Thank You - a custom designed and professionally assembled gift basket is less expensive than you might think. Intended to fit any budget, these personalized thank you gifts can be customized to reflect the recipient's hobbies, favorite colors, or guilty pleasures (and can include your promotional products too) and say thank you in a caring way.
 The Sweet Thank You - everyone loves sweet treats. Special cupcakes, chocolate dipped fruit and creative uses of pretzels, cookies and candies express a whimsical thank you that brings a smile to the recipient's face (and tummy). You know what they say about the way to someone's heart... and this thank you costs so little yet says so much.
 The Helpful Thank You - you can literally 'buy time' by giving an Executive Errands gift certificate to help free up the life of someone you care about or to help someone get settled in a new home. Everyone can use a little more time in their day so this is a thank you that shows you understand how busy they are and want to help them out.
There are more than 460 ways to say 'thank you' in different languages and dialects and three tangible ways we can help you say it. Give Executive Errands' Customer Service a call and we'll help you say 'thank you' in a way that will be remembered long after the gift is gone.
Each of these products serve as 'get well', birthday, anniversary, 'congratulations' or 'I'm just thinking of you' gifts too.
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Advances in Television Viewing
For Our Canadian Friends
We have lots of Canadian friends and clients who live here during the winter but who miss their local television and sporting events.
 Now Executive Errands can help bring Canada into your living room. We have a Service Provider who can install Shaw Direct (formerly Star Choice) and Bell Express View satellite services in your Desert home. You can opt to have Canadian service on one or more of your TV's and USA satellite or cable on others. Stay up on your local events and never miss another hockey game!
For Our USA Friends
Likewise, our USA friends and clients who have two or more homes domestically and who have two DISH or DirectTV service accounts may find they can get by with one account even though they have service in both homes.
 To learn about our satellite TV services, please call Executive Errands Customer Service at 760.898.9604. And if you'd like to get either of these services installed over the summer, one of our Personal Concierges' can provide access in your absence.
We also have an independent authorized Time Warner representative available for any cable issues inside your home. Reduce your wait time for cable service support.
Executive Errands Customer Service at 760.898.9604 or visit our website at www.executive-errands.com |
Unique Services -
We're Your 'Go To' Company
 Executive Errands is a full service company and we are always adding new and unique services so each time you call us, it's like having a 'hot line' to all the services you need.
And while everyone knows we offer Absentee Home Check service and can manage all your home maintenance, sometimes you may not be aware of the more unique services under our umbrella.
For example, did you know we also offer:
--Transportation services - limousine, town car, sedan, we've got the wheels you need
 -- Moving Services - whether you need to move a single piece of heavy furniture or your whole household, we can take care of it for you
--In Home Spa Services - too tired to go out for a massage or facial? Let our in home spa services treat you right! And when you're done, there's no need to spoil that warm and fuzzy glow by getting into the car to drive home because you'll already be there! Such luxury!
--Financial organization - it's nearly tax time and if your shoebox is still full of receipts, you might want to bring in an expert to help you get organized for the accountant. We do more than 2 + 2
 -- Catering - sometimes it's nice to have a home-cooked meal without slaving over a hot stove. Our caterer is available for two or two thousand. Let us help plan your next party!
--Pet Care - it is nearly impossible to find a pet sitting service that is insured specifically for pet care, and yet, we have one. For all your pet care services (dog, cat, rodents, birds and reptiles), we're just a phone call away
 -- Computer Services - need to brush up on your computer skills, add new software, troubleshoot a networking problem or debug your computer? We offer technical support in all its many forms
--Remodeling, new construction, handyman services - no matter how big or how small, we can handle any project
When you, your friends or your colleagues need any type of service but don't know who to call, think 'Executive Errands'. www.executive-errands.com or by hot line at 760.898.9604 |
Here Comes Peter Cottontail...
The History of the Easter Bunny
 Have you ever wondered why you hide colored eggs for Easter or how the tradition of the Easter Bunny came into being? Both rabbits and hares are prolific producers of offspring; likewise chickens are capable of producing many eggs so each were recognized as symbols of fertility and the new life that arrives in Spring.
The first Easter Bunny was recorded in a German publication around the early 1600's. It was called Osterhase (hase means hare) and the tradition required children to create nests from bonnets and caps and then hide them in secluded spots around their home. On the night before Easter, if the children had been good, the Osterhase would lay brightly colored eggs in their baskets in a fashion similar to the gifts the German Kriist Kindle would deliver on Christmas Eve.
 It is believed that the eggs for hiding were boiled with Spring flowers which tinted their shells into pretty colors. Today, the dyeing of eggs in bright colors are symbols of our beautiful Spring flowers.
The German settlers who arrived in the Pennsylvania Dutch country introduced the Osterhase (or the phonetic O_ster Haws_e) to America in the mid 1700's. The tradition has continued to this day, much to the delight of our children and grandchildren. |
Giving Hope to the House of Hope
 One of the things we love about living here in the Desert is the generosity of our residents and how many charities we are able to help.
Our favorite charity is the House of Hope, a halfway house for women and girls recovering from alcohol and drug dependence and who are looking to improve their lives.
Like all non-profit organizations, the House of Hope is challenged by reduced State funding and relies heavily on the support provided not only by our Soroptimist club, but all Soroptimist clubs in the Desert.
This month, on April 22nd, the Cathedral City/Rancho Mirage Soroptimist club is hosting a Shower for the House of Hope and we're collecting clothing and toiletries to help them continue the great work they do.
 If you have gently worn and clean women's clothing or toiletries and you'd like to donate them, please call us here at Executive Errands on or before April 15th. We'll pick up and deliver your items free of charge. Help us to help these deserving women and girls. Executive Errands - giving back to our community www.executive-errands.com 760.898.9604 |
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 Spring is here and the winds have already started. Now is the time to trim your trees because the less mass they have, the less likely it is the wind will break limbs, uproot them or knock them over completely.
It's also the time to change your AC filters in anticipation of the ever-present dust and sand that blows through your home.
Are your screens secure? Wind, flies and bees find any opening. If you need your screens replaced or re-screened, we can help.
 And don't forget, blowing trees means fruit on the ground. If you have rodent problems, let our pest control service address your pest issues.
If you haven't yet called to schedule your Absentee Home Check service, be sure to call us this month. It's amazing how often patio furniture blows into the pool, potted plants fall over, pests take up residence in your barbecue and how much damage the wind can cause. Don't leave your home security to chance - have it professionally checked in your absence.
Contact our Customer Service at 760.898.9604.
 Executive Errands - we treat your home like it was our own, doing our best to ensure it is safe, clean, and problem-free.
To see client testimonials, please visit our website at www.executive-errands.com | |
Announcements, News, Updates...
 It is with great pleasure we announce Executive Errands now has a General B Contractor's license! Having a Contractor's license allows us to expand the services we offer and enables us to act on behalf of our homeowners in a larger capacity.
Legitimate companies make sure they have the appropriate licenses and insurance for their particular services. It is in your best interest to utilize only licensed and insured Service Providers. Unlawful Service Providers can cost you plenty if they fail to complete a project, perform shoddy work or injure themselves while on your property.
 We also encourage you to utilize local services. Not only will you receive prompt Customer Service, but you'll also help keep our Desert workforce employed and that, in turn, helps keep our local economy strong.
Executive Errands is properly licensed, insured and bonded and we only use local, licensed and insured Service Providers who share our commitment to high quality Customer Service.
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 Here is an example of why there is a need to review business habits: When I started this company three and a half years ago, we created a gorgeous brochure that everyone complimented. And for three of those years, we used it exclusively. And then late last year one of our employees suggested creating a new one that could be used as a reference guide.
She suggested a new brochure that better illustrated the types of services we offer because, honestly, unless we were able to sit down and talk with you, many homeowners found it difficult to think of ways to use us (of course once they understand how we operate, the floodgates open and they use us for everything).
 At first I resisted - we had a beautiful brochure and everybody liked it - why change? But then I reconsidered and eventually opted to invest in a new one. Why? Because the company had evolved over those three years. We now offer far more services than we ever intended and we do so because our clients ask for them. Our clients changed the face and scope of the company.
The result of creating the new brochure? It was one of the best things we ever did. Our homeowner reference brochure clearly and succinctly reflects many of our services and acts as a catalyst for you to understand what we do and how you can use us. Based on your feedback, you love its size and content far more than our original one.
 The point being that even though there was nothing technically wrong with the first brochure, it wasn't serving our needs or that of our clients in the best way possible. The new one definitely does.
If you haven't yet seen it, you can request one be mailed or emailed to you - just call Ingrid, our Customer Service Manager at 760.898.9604. Oh, and by the way, the new brochure was her idea! Thanks Ingrid!
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Oh my goodness, I can't believe we're already finished with the first quarter of 2010. My youngest grandchild is 10 months old - it seems like she was born yesterday. Time is so fleeting and there are so many demands on us there never seems to be enough hours in the day.
That's why we're here - to help make your life easier. To free you up so you can spend more time with family, friends or on 'me' time. Let us help make your days more enjoyable. We are available at your service, for anything you might need.
Happy Easter!
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