Australian Virtual Concierge Services

The meaning of the term concierge has changed over the years, like many other words, to fit the modern lifestyles and expectations of a world that is increasingly purchasing almost anything on line.
The term concierge continues to be applied to many different roles, as it has throughout history.

The elite role of over 3000 concierge or 'Les Clefs d'Or' ("The Golden Keys") in select Hotels and residential apartments, across the world today is far removed from the concierge or 'Keeper of the Candles' in medieval times.

I recently saw a job description for a Government concierge in Australia. The job description was closely aligned to the role of a 'customer service` and 'inter government liaison' officer.

In Australia, travel agents, banks, residential apartments, personal assistance services and even hospitals often use the term concierge for a service that provides an organisational interface, problem solver, planner and personal assistant.

Today the Hotel concierge or 'Les Clefs d'Or' is still a valuable and superior service offered to travelers all over the world, including Australia.

Australian On-line Concierge Services

However, the emerging virtual concierge industry in Australia, is also proving to be in demand. Busy households and increased demand for in home services are also engaging these virtual concierge services to provide:

• Help with trip planning and moving arrangements
• Information and travel management
• Personal secretary services
• Research services
• Management of events, restaurant bookings, ticketing and social activities
• Senior sitting services, gardening, driving and household services
• Organisation and coordination of contractors and maintenance staff
• Hiring services for other in home staff such as nannies or tutors
• Organisation of transport and access arrangements
• Coordination of personal helpers or directly provide shopping and personal services.

How to get the best out of your Australian On-Line Concierge Service

If you intend to use a virtual concierge in Australia, there are a number of things you will need to consider:

• Clarify if this service directly provides the support you need or just coordinates the services
• Ask about the fees the concierge service charges based on the information above
• Ask about the availability of staff and when the services will be provided
• Ask the organisation for a plan with milestone payments or the option for regular payments before the work starts
• Ask someone you know and trust to look over the proposal with you
• If you are organising personal staff, have someone else help you interview them.
• Ask the organisation about their terms and conditions and privacy commitment
• Check to see if there is a refund policy.

This list is not exhaustive, and it would be great to hear your stories about using a virtual concierge. No doubt these services will expand, in particular, because of an ageing population and a greater interest by older people to remain in their own home for longer.

Australian information about getting work

You might be looking for your first job, returning to work, making a professional career move, coming out of retirement or seeking a volunteer job.

There are numerous sites and agencies that support people look for work in Australia.  Some of these are funded by the Australian Government and there are some that are supported by State Government initiatives.  There are also private sector agencies and non government agencies that provide various assistance.

The Australian Government has funded career information centres throughout Australia.  These centres can provide assistance with resources to help you develop your resume, assistance with job seeking and information about employment and trends.

People aged 45 years and over can access free career advice by calling 13 17 64 on weekdays.  This is a free service that can help you with:

• career planning
• a resume appraisal
• career information and a career guide

Australian Government funded employment services are located around the country. These services provide support to eligible people during their job seeking. 

Private recruitment firms offer a range of services that help with employment opportunities, resume building and assistance with responding to a selection criteria. There are other agencies that provide specialised employment support for youth, seniors, migrants, tourists with work visas and people returning to work.

Key activities when looking for work:

• Contact people you know and get them to help you look for work - networking
• Contact Companies, agencies and not for profits and offer your resume
• Visit potential employers and leave a copy of your resume
• Register on line with employment agencies and follow up with a call
• Register with Local Councils, Government Agencies, Job site portals
• Look through the local newspaper including free papers in the job section
• Get further information about the jobs, employers, contacts and help in your area
• Register with www.jobsearch.gov.au
• Register with www.deerw.gov.au/experienceplus if you are a mature job seeker
• The Myfuture website has information and job tips
• Make a list of all the jobs you apply for and who you have talked to
• Review your resume from time to time and get others to look at it for you
• Get advice and look for reviews before you pay a Company to do your resume
• Check out ideas and strategies for jobseeking from Youtube or other social media
• Take time each day to review one job that you did in the past - congratulate yourself
• Go to the Australian Public Service Provision site for info on public service work
• Join professional bodies such as LinkedIn
• Get some fresh air each day and connect with some friends and family
• Write a blog about your job seeking experience
• Join up with other job seekers and share your ideas
• Volunteer for a local group - see www.volunteer.org.au
• Attend local conferences, workshops, networking and social events to build contacts
• Find your local community centre and see if they provide any training or skills events
• Look for short and long term training options in your area and join their job club
• Consider tutoring, on line, home business, mentoring, speaking and consultant jobs

Good luck.  Do you have any experiences to share?  Share these with others.

Australian Information

Are you travelling to, or moving in Australia? You might be travelling here on business or planning the holiday of a life time. Or you might be a local, and you are just moving to a new town with the family in tow. Finding relevant information about your destination can be time consuming and costly. There is a lot of information, and a variety of sources to check out.

If you want general information about Australia, the internet and directories will give you with an abundance of general Australian news and travel posts.

A travel agent and manager is your first port of call, however, sometimes you need verified information about services, groups, events and business contacts to support your travel plans.

Australian information tailored to your needs, can easily be acquired, by contacting an Australian information and concierge service.

Getting verified information

I recall, on one business trip around Australia, I overheard a person asking for information from a hotel receptionist about where she could access the local genealogy group. The receptionist was clearly overloaded with guests coming and going and responded that the guest should check out the local telephone directory.

Of course, this would probably list the group, but would the information be up to date and would it include a contact person who would be available at that time of the day.

So often people travelling find themselves without the details they need to make their holiday worthwhile or their business trip successful.

Know what you want

I have also had the experience of booking accommodation and arrangements for conference facilities and equipment on line.  However, on several occasions, the information shown on the website, was not exactly what I ended up with.  It is also important to ask the right questions when contacting accommodation and conference facilities by telephone.

Check list for Australian travellers

Here, are some strategies that might help you obtain the right information and check it is verified.

· Develop a trip plan based on what you do and need in your everyday life;

· Make sure the plan includes the health and other needs of all the family;

· Include a list of places and events that you would like to attend if you are on holiday;

· If you want to visit a hobby group. ask local groups if they have Australian contacts;

· If want to attend an event or need a service, get verified information before arriving;

· Check out websites such as Google Maps for driving trips but verify timeframes;

· When booking accommodation, check out feedback and review sites;

· When booking conference facilities ask about past conferences and check these out;

· Find a  virtual concierge service to help find meeting rooms and technical resources;

· Check out the state government websites for information about visiting crown land;

· Contact the Local Council and talk to a community worker to discuss your needs;

· Local Council websites sometimes have community directories and mobility maps;

· State Government websites sometimes have a data base of services;

· If you are here on business find a local printer and stationery business, just in case;

· Children’s holiday groups may be open to travellers so get this verified; and

· Where possible get verified Australian information with details for a contact person.

After years of travelling for business and recreation, I know how valuable it is to get everything verified before you leave. Information on the web or in directories can be fixed and sometimes out of date. What is your experience?

England has the red telephone boxes and Australia has its bathing boxes

Malvina Reynolds wrote the song "Little Boxes" in 1962 for Peter Seeger, who made it a hit in 1963. Unlike the Little boxes in the UK and Australia, the song gained its popularity as a satire about urbanisation and the growth of large settlements of housing estates 'that all looked the same'.

It appears now that the little red telephone boxes in the UK have become reduntant, given the rise in use of mobile phones. As it is with the famous bathing boxes in Australia, they will now be in high demand for those who want to own a bit of history.

In Australia, the Brighton Bathing Boxes are amongst the 1860 highly sought after bathing boxes and boat sheds that appear around Port Phillip Bay in Victoria, Australia.  Many involve a licence and carry a large real estate value.  They appear in many Australian films and have been the centre of many Australian paintings over the years.

For tourists they are generally observed on the outside, but for those of us who grew up in Victoria in Australia, they are part of our memories.

Before you visit Victoria, be sure to check out the current information about these unique buildings and the townships around them.  If you are an artist or a tourist, these will definitely be on your list.

Local Councils in Queensland are like any other in Australia - the hub of the community

For years our family lived in Queensland.  We travelled for work and for pleasure and we could always rely on local Queensland Councils for information about work, local developments, business and services.  Most Local Councils in Queensland are like those in all of the Australia states.  They involve a contingent of paid staff and elected representatives who work to support local business and social development as well as maintain basic services, such as roads, refuse and public facilities to say the least. 

In rural, regional and urban communities across Australia, Local Councils will generally involve committees and events that stimulate the local economy and social services.

Some Councils offer services directly or establish networks of local people who support the community with other resources through fundraising or volunteer work.

An example of this is the services to people with disability, carers and seniors.  Many Councils develop mobility maps showing accessible toilets, pathways and services in the local community.  These maps often appear on line or they are available for free to visitors and residents.  Other Councils offer direct services to the frail aged and people with disability such as Home and Community Care Services or gardening and home maintainence programs.

All Councils are involved in supporting local tourism and generally will have online directories of services in the area as well as new residents information.

For information about a Local Council in the area you live or visit you can search a number of directories or sites that provide up to date information and direct contacts for Local Councils.

Motorcycle, Space Shuttle or Caravan?

There are a lot of safe ways to travel the world and indeed Australia.  No matter what your choice of vehicle, you will be looking at several things when you decide to replace the usual daily routines with an adventure on the road.

Most people want to be safe when they are on the move.  There are a lot of ways to look at this and although it might depend on your personal circumstances, generally the communities you visit anywhere in Australia have basic if not comprehensive support services in place.

Most have local doctors, hospitals or at least a range of health professionals to call upon.  You might be seeking specialist advice and if so you will need to check out the availability of specialist services before you leave.

In many rural and regional areas of Australia, the local health centre have video conferencing facilities for on line medical consultations or some specialists have monthly or regular visits to these areas. 

Apart from local directories, there are a range of on line resources that can help you find a service or health professional in your area.

If you need police, fire, ambulance or the assistance of the SES (State Emergency Service), you will find these are available anywhere you go.  However, be sure that the emergency fits the service you need.  For emergency assistance only to police, fire and ambulance in Australia, you will need to ring '000' or zero, zero, zero.  The SES is a service that assists people during an extreme event such as flooding, cyclones, tsunamis or earthquakes.  The SES in each state are generally staffed by volunteers and the contact number for the SES is 132500.

Tailoring your trip to your own interests as well as making sure you and your family are safe, can take a bit of preparation and forethought.  You might want to add to the following list of things to consider before you go so that if you do need help you can get it straight away.

• Make a list of health professionals and emergency services in the areas you are going to
• Ensure that all of the family know where this list is
• Leave your trip plan with a relative or friend
• Have contact numbers read for road assistance
• Keep in touch with the weather through www.bom.gov.au
• Link up with other on line resources to check out up to date information about services.
• Prepare an emergency kit and ensure that you have water, dry food, torch, radio, batteries etc
• Make sure you have a first aid kit and that the family can apply first aid
• Check out where the technology you use will work in the areas you are visiting
• Carry out a safety drill with your family
• Ensure the vehicle you are driving is safe and roadworthy
• If you are in a club or have friends along the way, make sure you have their details
• Have local maps that show shops, schools and key landmarks
• Key public areas are often used as shelters in an emergecy, so know where these are
• Check out the local radio stations in each area
• If you or your family take medication, list this in your emergency kit or have extra on hand
• Know where the high ground is in any location you are travelling in
• Check out the SES website in the state you are travelling so that you can plan accordingly.

Australian Information About Your Caravan Trip

For ten years, our family lived in the Cape, in North Queensland. We lived in a mining town that was also a final destination for many 'grey nomads' and other caravaners on their journey north. Like most rural and regional areas of Australia, the road conditions there, can change quickly. For those that have little knowledge of these remote areas, the journey can end abruptly in the middle of nowhere.

I often went out to buy groceries and ended up bringing home a stranded couple and their caravan. My husband would say, "can you get bread and if you find any homeless people, remember to buy two loaves'.

What was clearly evident, was that these senior travellers had always started out with all of the bells and whistles. This preparation, however, did not protect them from some of the most demanding conditions any driver of a large vehicle could experience. Most of these couples were exhausted, sleep deprived, suffering consequential health conditions and regretful that they had loaded their vehicles with so many unnecessary items.

All of our surprise visitors had ample stories to tell. They shared their life histories and quickly took the opportunity to share the scarier moments on the road to our little town.

These days there is no excuse for not being prepared. There are a lot of resources out there for people travelling to remote areas. For those who want to make sure that the information they use to plan their trip, there are services that will find, verify the information and help plan for the road ahead.

Caravan users can subscribe to caravan clubs and newsletters.  The Division of General Practice Queensland also has a site that includes information for senior caravaners.  This website has information about maintaining their health and resources to support trip planning.

Reading, buying the most up to date caravan and road maps will not help people when they are confronted with torrential rain and unexpected road deterioration.

Yes, it is important to take healthy risks and half the fun of a trip to the bush is the unknown. But there are some basic steps that we discovered made a difference to those travelling in unfamiliar territory.

· Verify all the information below and don't rely on websites, word of mouth or books

· Let people know when you are going and when you will be in touch

· Contact local shops, local councils, local people in the areas throughout your trip

· Ask locals about any new road conditions, certain hot spots, weather, phone reception

· Locate garages, caravan parks, car and neighbourhood services in the local area

· Get advice from other experienced caravaners about the trip and what you should take

· Check the medical services in the area and alternatives for contacting them

· Find out if there are ATM's along the way or where there are alternatives for banking

· Map out the petrol stations and verify the times they are open

· Find out about any road works along the way and any changed traffic rules

· Check if your GPS, phone, computer and other equipment will operate at all points

· Plan your trip to suit your health and lifestyle so that you can enjoy yourself

· In certain areas, you may need permission from local indigenous leaders

· State Government agencies will advise about quarantine and access to crown land

· Check your smoke alarms are working and check your other equipment is travel ready

· Verify any events, public holidays or special local holidays before you visit each town

· Find out about any groups, services, sporting and community events before you go.

This list is not exhaustive.  Let us know if you have any other ideas or experiences

An Australian Bucket List

Creating a bucket list (a list of things you want to do before you die) takes courage. After all, you are setting yourself a pathway to the inevitable final curtain. However, for two friends of mine, a bucket list was the inspiration that brought them back to life so to speak.

These two women, in their nineties, vision and hearing impaired, visited me in Canberra for a week. I, it seemed, was on their bucket list. They arrived at the hotel, arm in arm, using each other as a guide. After careful planning and searching for local events, attractions and travel information, we managed to do everything on our list, laughing and eating our way through the week.

They are both gone now, but I know that the confidence they gained from that trip, led to a lot more adventures.

Whether you are fulfilling your bucket list or you are the recipient of someone else’s, don’t underestimate where it will take you. Since that time, I have written a few bucket lists. As my life has changed, so do the things that are important to me. But each time I have written my list, I have discovered that it brings a sense of purpose and meaning. Apart from anything, it helps me get up each day and face the grind of work and other daily monotonies.

My first bucket list was a list of places I wanted to visit, things I wanted to buy for myself and events I wanted to go to. My current list is more about people, magic moments and opportunities to soak up the environment.

If you are thinking of creating a bucket list, here are some ideas:

• Write down the people, places, events, magic moments and experiences that have made an impression on you.
• Remember any times you have said, "I would love to do that".
• Then ask yourself, "What would I regret not doing?"
• Seek some ideas from your friends and family and find out if you have any common interests.
• Start a 'story board'.  Create a board on the wall that you can post pictures and notes with ideas you have each day.
• Write down ten things that come to mind and get information to support your travel.
• Don't be discouraged if you think your ideas are beyond your budget.  There is more than one way to achieve anything.
• Tell your family and friends what is on your list.
• Put your list aside and live your life.
• Review your list now and then, and change if needed
• Post pictures of bucket list experiences on your fridge

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Remember your life is one big bucket list, so remember to live it.

Australian virtual office

Travelling in Australia for business can be immensely satisfying but can also be challenging. I have travelled extensively across the Country for business. I rarely took more than an overnight bag, a laptop, a few bits of paperwork and the usual technical resources. As a consultant, I had little support at the other end. This was ok when things went well. My staff and I put a lot of effort into planning these trips. We spent a lot of time securing the ideal venue at the other end, checking on the food and technical support for the IT. But still there would be the odd thing at each event that got tricky.

On one occasion, I got to the venue and the handouts hadn't arrived. The venue operator had changed their receiving address for the booklets without telling those hiring the venue, and their administration assistant service had closed for the day. I made do with the powerpoint and a few hard copies of the materials to those who clearly were not impressed, but this had an impact on the outcome.

I know the value of a skilled virtual office and on line personal assistant. In this case, I would have valued the availability of a person who could quickly provide local information about the closest photocopying service in town or someone who could email copies of the material to each of the attendees.

Outsourcing this work to a virtual assistant at the time it is needed, makes a lot of sense. It also saves money. Once I realised the importance of a virtual assistant, I was able to leave a certain number of tasks to be worked out along the way.

Getting the best out of your virtual office requires a few small steps on your part.

1. Choose a virtual office assistant before you need them;
2. Ask them about their qualifications, experience and affiliations';
3. Check out if they have a 24 hour, seven days a week service or restricted hours;
4. Check out what they can do for you - know their limitations, rules and yours;
5. Be clear about pricing and if they offer discounts for periodic and long term work; and
6. Exchange shared respect

Travelling with pets in Australia

I have taken many Australian holidays with pets. Like you. I have also had to create the dreaded moving checklist when our family has moved house from one state to another with our pets in tow. 

Pet couriers 

There are a number of companies that will pick up your pet from your home, transport it through a carrier, and deliver it at the other end. This option is one I took, when sending my rabbits interstate. This option can be expensive, but with delicate animals, it might be the best option. Information about Australian pet carriers can usually be found on the airport websites in each state.

Checklist for pet travel

However, whatever option you choose, you might want to consider the following ideas when organising pet travel:

• Check with your airline and the local airport for the rules that apply to pet travel in each state.  
• Ask what fees they charge and the different requirements for drop off and pick up.
• Find out when the pick up area for pets closes at your destination.
• You may not be able to pay the fees for the pet travel on line, so make sure you ask about how you pay.
• Ask the airline if you can put a small bottle of frozen water in the cage.
• You will need to get an approved cage.  You can find the description and dimensions of the cage that is right for your pet on your airline's website. 
• There are a number of cages on the market that are not approved for air travel so save yourself some money and get the right one. 
•  If you don't have the right cage the pet will not be allowed to travel which could cause delays and hickups when you are trying to get to your flight.
• Ask your veterinarian to check the animals out and make sure they are fit to travel.
• The vet will also give you some ideas about sending them interstate.
• While you are at the vet you could check that you have all of their injections up to date.
• You may need to board the animals at the other end and most boarding kennels require that animals injections are up to date.
• If you are travelling overseas with your pet, you will need to check with the airline and the consulate in the receiving country about any particular rules that apply to your pet travel. 
• You may want to consider getting some help in sorting through all of the information and arrangements for your needs.
• on and rules.are . make sure you put a bottle of frozen water in with them. I use a 2ltr frozen milk bottle filled with water. Rabbits need to stay cool and will lick the condensation from the bottle to get the right amount of water they need. Check with the airline to see if they allow this.
• When organising your pet travel yourself, the airline will advise you that your pet will be travelling on the same plane as you.
• Create a checklist for your trip to the airport so that you are not held up and miss your flight.
• If you can put a bottle of frozen water in the cage, the animals will lick it and this will help stop them dehydrating.
• Try to organise the trip at the time of day where the temperatures won't be extreme.  Where you are travelling on more than one plane you will need to think about when your pet will be out in the elements at each airport.
• Have a back up plan, just in case you miss your connecting flight, and your pet ends up at the other end with no one to pick them up. 
• Have a bottle of water with you when you get off the plane so that you can give your pet a drink as soon as you pick them up at the other end.