Contracts and Forms

Do I have to get a contract?
Generally, this type of business involves relatively small amounts of money and low risk activities. For the majority of the things a concierge may do, a contract may not be essential, but not having one certainly leaves the concierge open to some risk.

Whether you create written contracts or not is a personal decision, but you must weigh the customer perception and inconvenience of having to sign forms for each type of service against the added protection you get from a contract.

When a contract is essential
For any task or project where large sums of money or intricate details are involved you should have a contract. A contract may also be appropriate ofr recurring tasks. If you are going to perform, say dry cleaning pick up each week, a one time contract may be a relatively easy thing to get taken care of in advance.

Services for pets can also be another area where a contract might be in order. What is important in creating a contract is specifically laying out each party's responsibilities and limitations of liability. The contract should be clear enough that a regular person could read and understand. Make sure timelines and payment terms are clearly spelled out.

Whether you have a written contract or not, always be clear about the tasks you perform.

For the best written contracts, you will need to see an attorney in your jurisdiction. A less perfect option is to use fill in agreements from office supply stores or from online sources such as Socrates.com

Forms for your business
It is important that you maintain good records and are well organized to be a successful concierge or errand runner. Using forms in your business is a good way to make sure you get all of the information.

Probably the most useful form you can have is a generic service form. When a call comes in, all the relevant information is entered, and the same form can be used to track time, expenses, and mileage. This is a fairly easy form to create using Word or Excel.

Other types of forms include checklists, follow-up letters, and various data gathering forms for specific tasks.

Where to get forms:
We are working on some free downloadable forms and will post them as we get them done. If you have some you would be willing to share with others, send them to us. Another place to get some forms is Personal Assistant Pro - they are a membership site with a lot of other resources and a good selection of downloadable samples.

Free Forms

• Coming Soon!

Websites

• Personal Assistant Pro
• United States Small Business Administration
• Socrates.com - Books, Kits, Software and Forms

Start-Up Guide

A good place to start is our Opportunity page.

If this sounds like a business that fits your experience and needs, then use the links below to obtain valuable information and resources for starting your new business.

• Naming your business
• Selecting a business structure
• Creating a business plan
• Licensing, Insurance and Bonding
• Deciding what services to provide
• Business Supplies
• Creating a website
• Contracts and forms
• Pricing your services
• Start-up checklist

The Concierge Manual

Written by industry expert Katharine Giovanni, this extraordinary guide provides all the tools you need to create a successful concierge, lifestyle management, errand service or personal assistant company. Do you want to create an on-site, lobby or corporate concierge service? Or are you looking to serve individuals? From small boutique concierge services to large corporations, this manual will help everyone!.

The information is all here, presented in a simple, step-by-step format! This books answers some of your biggest questions about the logistics of running a concierge business ...