The Choking Iguana

Bobby wanted a pet—more than anything in the world. In fact, it was the only thing on his Christmas list this year. Cindy didn’t know what to do.

“He’s allergic to everything! Dogs, cats, horses, birds, rabbits. Everything. We tried some fish last year, but he wanted to HOLD them. That got messy real fast.”

Louise chuckled. As an Errand Solutions site manager, she thought she’d heard everything, but her customers always continued to surprise her. Thinking of the chickens and horses in her back yard at home, Louise had an idea. “Have you thought of a more unconventional pet for your son?” she asked.

Cindy laughed. “If you’re talking about one of your chickens, then no way. My husband would kill me!”

Louise laughed along with Cindy. “You can’t have one of my chickens! But I know where you could get one of your own.”

“Can you imagine a chicken running around the house? Oh Bobby would LOVE it. I can just see him chasing it all over the living room. Feathers flying. Eggs everywhere. I’d never hear the end of it!”

“Haha! But think of all the money you’d save on eggs.”

“Oh lord. That would be a great day, until I had to clean up. But if you have another idea, I’m open to suggestions.”

“Ok, so chickens are out. Let me see what else I can come up with. Come see me tomorrow.” Cindy left, still laughing at the thought of her husband’s face as he was greeted with a room full of feathers when he got home from work.

Louise had only been half serious about the chicken, but it had definitely given her some ideas. She hopped on the Internet and started to research. By the next morning, she had a great idea, and couldn’t wait for Cindy to stop into the office. By the time Cindy arrived just after lunch, Louise was about to burst.

“Have you ever thought about an iguana?” she exclaimed, forgetting to even say hello.

“An iguana?” Cindy’s expression moved from surprised to thoughtful. “I hadn’t. Aren’t they really messy?”

Louise was ready, because she had thought the same thing before she clicked on that article. “Actually, no. They’re one of the cleanest reptiles around. I have a stack of articles about what great pets they make for kids who are allergic to everything else. And best of all – they’re fairly easy to care for, so you won’t have to do all the heavy lifting.”

Cindy looked skeptical. “My husband suggested a snake, but I refused to even think about that. There’s no way I could imagine buying mice to feed to another animal. What do iguanas eat anyway?”

Louise had also asked herself the same question the day before, and she was confident that her answer would be just what Cindy was looking for: “Vegetables. They don’t eat meat at all.”

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“Really?” Cindy was surprised. “And they’re not hostile or anything?”

“Nope. They’re very gentle. Perfect for kids. I kind of want to get one for my granddaughter now.”

Cindy nodded her head. “All right then. An iguana it is. Now I just have to figure out where to get one.”

Louise smiled and produced a stack of papers. It was already done. She was so sure that Cindy would go for the iguana plan, she’d gone ahead and contacted the local pet stores and even an iguana society to get all the information Cindy would need.

“There are two iguanas waiting to meet you and Bobby at the pet store down on 51. I told them you’d probably be in this weekend.”

Cindy laughed again. “It’s like you can read my mind. Thanks so much for all your hard work.”

“Happy to do it. You be sure and take pictures on Christmas morning. I want to see Bobby’s face when he opens his presents!”

Cindy promised she would and left the office. Louise smiled to herself, happy with another satisfied customer, and turned back to the computer to email her son about the present for her granddaughter.

* *  *  *  *  *

After receiving the emailed photo of Cindy’s son, proudly holding Henry the Iguana on Christmas Day, Louise taped it to the front of the large purple folder of cards and thank you notes from her other customers. His smile would be the first thing she saw whenever she pulled out the folder to file something away—which she did at least twice a week. Her customers were all so wonderful.

Then the phone rang.

Louise had barely lifted the phone when the voice on the other line starting speaking in rapid Spanish.

“I’m sorry, I can’t understand you. Can you speak English?” she asked.

“No! No anglais!” the voice exclaimed.

Louise exhaled. “Ok, hold on. I’ll try to find someone to help,” she said, knowing that the caller probably couldn’t understand her at all.

Luckily, a nurse who had been into Louise’s office many times to buy movie tickets was just down the hall. Louise knew that Marta spoke Spanish, because they’d talked about how important it was to Marta that her children start learning their family’s native language early on.

“Marta! Can you help translate a phone call for me? It sounds like an emergency!”

Marta quickly followed Louise back to the office and picked up the phone. She started speaking to the caller. Louise watched as Marta’s eyes widened.

With a confused look on her face, Marta looked at Louise. “Do you know anything about an iguana?”

Louise looked startled. “Maybe?”

“This woman said she called the number on the fridge for the Iguana Lady. She’s a nanny. The child’s name is Bobby something?”

“Oh my. Yes, I know that iguana. What’s wrong?”

Marta turned back to the phone and continued to speak.

“He’s choking on a Lego?” Marta looked back at Louise, not sure what to do. “She says she tried calling a veterinarian but they said they didn’t do that. I don’t know what that means!”

Thinking fast, Louise sat down at her desk and started flipping through the phonebook.

“Can you tell her not to worry and that we’ll send help right away?”

Marta relayed the message, and hung up the phone. “How on earth are you going to help her?” she asked Louise.

Louise knew from her time on the farm that there were special vets for horses and pigs and cows. She assumed there were also special vets for iguanas. No sooner had Marta asked her the question, did Louise have the answer.

“A reptile vet. We’ll make something happen in a hurry.”

Marta sat down; she now wanted to see what would happen.

Louise pulled up Cindy’s home address from her profile and prepared to give it to the vet. But after speaking with the vet, she had a few more calls to make. They could take care of the animal, but they didn’t do house calls, even in an emergency situation, because of liabilities.

Louise had heard of another situation like this, years ago. She hopped online and googled “pet ambulance”. There was one in the area and she made another call.

After everything was set in motion, Louise called Cindy at her desk to let her know what was going on. “Oh no!” Cindy cried. “What am I going to do?”

“Just go meet them at the vet’s office. He’s already on his way. And please keep me posted. I’m here if you need anything else.”

Marta and Louise sat in the office, still a bit stunned at the quick flurry of activity. “I guess there’s nothing else we can do right now,” Marta said. “I’ll check back later to see what happened.” And she left the office.

Louise couldn’t just sit there, she was too anxious. She pulled up her files from the previous December and called up the pet store and the iguana society to see if there was anything else that needed to be done. Before long, she was compiling a list of resources for Cindy that would help with her pet’s recovery or, god forbid, help her to find a new iguana.

She was putting everything into a folder, when the phone rang. It was Cindy.

“He’s fine. They got the Lego out and he’s expected to make a full recovery.”

Louise breathed a sigh of relief. “Oh I’m so glad! I’ve been thinking about him all afternoon.”

“There’s no way he would have made it without your help. I know I’ve called you a lifesaver before, but now it’s really true. Thanks so much for everything!” Cindy exclaimed.

Louise looked at her photo of Cindy’s son Bobby and Henry the Iguana and smiled. It was time to go find Marta and tell her the good news.

Engaged To Be Married But Not Engaged

Wedding season is in full swing, which means over a million couples will be tying the knot throughout the next 6 months.

As any current or past bride (or groom) will tell you, wedding planning these days can be a full-time job. Studies have found that the average wedding takes 250 hours to plan. And when someone has a full-time job, how do they do it? Well 90% of brides have admitted to wedding planning while at work. Between emailing vendors, shopping for dresses, picking out the invitations and just staring at their new, shiny, engagement ring, there’s a lot to do and only so many hours in the day to do it.

As someone who’s currently planning my own wedding, I’m definitely in that boat. Vendors only respond during normal business hours, emails are coming in constantly reminding you of new tasks to get done and all the research you should be doing is just a click away. The distractions and temptations are real, and I’m sure it’s only going to get worse the closer to the wedding it becomes.

So what’s an employer to do? The first step is to simply keep them engaged (pun intended). Meet with them weekly to discuss what’s on their to-do list, give them consistent feedback on what they’ve accomplished and make sure they have resources and support. If your employee continues to feel motivated and appreciated, it will be easier for them to stay focused on work-related tasks.

In addition to keeping them engaged, remember to keep them happy. The occasional free lunch, fun outing or after-work happy hour can do wonders. And don’t forget to acknowledge and celebrate their big occasion! After they get engaged, a nice card and a bottle of champagne will be sure to put a smile on their face. Ask them how wedding planning is going, hook them up with connections you may have in the wedding industry, or even throw them a small wedding shower. Feeling loved and supported will make them happy to be at work, and happy employees=productive employees.

Errand Solutions is made for situations like this. Not only do we save employees hours of time, but we can even help plan their wedding! One of our concierges is currently assisting a customer with just that. So far, they’ve helped address the invitations, researched and scheduled hair and makeup vendors, and picked up bridesmaid dresses. By letting us take care of their personal to-do list, employees can better focus on their work.

To learn more about our services, including those of the wedding planning variety, send an email to info@errandsolutions.com.

Best Ways Welcome a New Employee

Errand Solutions is always growing and we’re about to welcome a new executive assistant to our team! As her start-date approaches, it got me thinking about the best ways we can welcome her to the HUB. While Errand Solutions is a small company, these welcoming tips can work for a company of any size. So whether your company has 50 employees or 500, a new employee should feel as if they’re joining a family, which they are. Here are some great ways to do just that:

Be Prepared for Them
This is one of the easiest ways to instantly make someone feel more at ease about their new job. Before their first day, clean their desk and stock it with pens, pencils, post-its, tape and any other supply they could need. Also, make sure their computer is all set up and any credentials are in order. This will greatly decrease the awkwardness that is a first day, as well as save on-boarding time.

Hand Write a Note
While emails are quick, most people still appreciate the art of the handwritten note. Write a quick note welcoming them to the company and expressing your excitement for them to get started. You can send it via snail mail, or just give it to them in person on their first day. It adds a personal touch and is sure to make anyone feel appreciated from the start.

Hold a Meeting or Conference Call
There’s nothing worse than new hires going unnoticed by current staff. Make a point to hold a conference call (for remote workers or other offices) or an in-person meeting to give the new employee a warm welcome, introduce them to their co-workers, and make sure everyone is on the same page with their role in the company.

Give Them a Tour
While it may take a little time for a new employee to know exactly what they’re doing, they should at least be comfortable with where they’re going. Give them a tour of the office, including where to find everyone and where the kitchen, break room, and bathrooms are located.

Treat Them to Lunch
For their first day a small company, treat everyone to lunch. If it’s a larger company where this might be difficult, you can do the same for just the department or floor. Whether you get something catered in or go out, a group lunch is the perfect way to welcome someone to the team. It gives employees an opportunity to get to know them on a more personal level. Plus, who doesn’t love free food?

Give Them Something to Do
You want your new employee to feel needed, so while it might not be much, make sure that they have something to do during their first couple days. Whether it’s reading the training manual or assisting with some simple tasks, there are plenty of easy assignments you can give them that will make them feel useful but not overwhelmed.

Check in Before You Leave
Before you leave for the day, make the effort to stop by their desk. Ask them how their first day went and how they’re feeling about their role. Be sure to reiterate how excited you are to have them here. Also, make sure they know what time they can leave, or even send them home a little early.

Show Them the Perks
A great company should have some great perks that go along with it. Whether it’s free snacks in the break room or a concierge service like Errand Solutions, make sure the new employee not only knows about them, but is encouraged to take advantage. Great employee benefits are an easy way to make a new employee feel excited about the new company and ready to dive in.

If your company’s perks aren’t up-to-par, give us a call at 312.475.3800 or email info@errandsolutions.com. We’re just what you need to get both new and old employees excited about your company.

What Your Company is Missing

I’ve only been in the work force for a few years, but like many young professionals, I did a lot of research before choosing my industry. I looked at a ton of companies, but I never came across any that offers a benefit like custom concierge services. In fact, before I joined the Errand Solutions team, I wasn’t even aware that this type of company existed. Vacation days and health insurance are great, but they aren’t enough.

In just my few years working full-time, I’ve come to realize how difficult it is to work eight or so hours a day and then find the time and energy to get my grocery shopping done, pick up my dry cleaning, clean my apartment and run any other errand that might come up. Life is hard, but you have an option to make it a little easier for your employees. Here are a few more reasons your company should offer concierge services:

Improve Retention Rates
To be successful, it’s important for a company to retain their hardworking employees. If your employees are consistently leaving after short time periods, you should start asking yourself why. Maybe the job is too demanding, or the employee feels unappreciated. Regardless of the reasons, a concierge benefit can help. Custom concierge services have been proven to improve a company’s turnover rate and give an incentive for employees to stay.

Improve Productivity
Not only can a concierge service help retain employees, but it can also greatly improve an employee’s productivity. Instead of stressing about getting their car’s oil changed or finding a reliable dog walker, with a concierge service, they can focus solely on work. An employee can drop off their to-list at the beginning of each day and the concierge can take care of it all while they work. With less stress and more time to focus on work, their productivity will sky rocket.

Improve Recruiting
If you work in HR, you probably know how difficult it is to hire the best employees. Having trouble competing with companies in your field for the best talent? Start to re-think your benefits package. Companies are getting more creative with their benefits and company culture, offering free beer on Fridays, comfy seating, flexible environments and more—so what does your company offer? A complimentary concierge service is guaranteed to make your company stand out to the most desirable of candidates.

Improve Employee Happiness
Happy employees make for better employees. While the occasional free lunch or holiday bonus can help, those are all short-term fixes. A concierge benefit can improve employee satisfaction all year long. Employees will be much happier at work when they know their free time won’t be filled with errands and chores. Additionally, the money they’ll save through discount deals and special promotions can be better spent on fun stuff such as vacations, dinners or just more money for the future.

A custom concierge service is what your business has been missing. Errand Solutions has been providing customized concierge programs since 2001, but we’re constantly upgrading our technology to serve the customers of today (just ask for a demo of our upcoming mobile application!). We guarantee we’ll make a difference at your organization, no matter the industry or size. Get in touch to learn more today!

How to Motivate Your Employees

Errand Solutions’ corporate office is located in downtown Chicago, so it’s no surprise that many of us happen to be Blackhawks fans. And with our team winning the coveted Stanley Cup this year, I thought it would be appropriate to talk about winning performances. The fact is: every successful business is dependent on their employees. But even if you have an outstanding lineup, without motivation, those players aren’t going to win an MVP award anytime soon. So how do you motivate your team members to win? Let’s break it down into three simple periods:

Period 1: Communication
Just like on the ice, a well-powered team needs communication. Even the most skilled player needs constant communication with its teammates to succeed. If your only communication with your employee is through emails, they won’t have the motivation to meet the goals you’ve set for them. Discussing goals face-to-face on a frequent basis is key. However, if your business is like Errand Solutions and has many remote locations, having weekly meetings and daily huddles over the phone is also effective. Wherever you are, your team should feel valued and constant communication is the best way to get that across.

Period 2: Empower them
How could Keith or Kane have made their winning goals if no one had given them the puck? To truly motivate your employees, they need to feel empowered. Whether you let them take over a project or ask for their suggestions and then implement them, there are simple things you can do to give them more authority. For example, in just my first couple months at Errand Solutions, I’ve been given full responsibility for a number of important tasks, including this website. The trust that my supervisors have for my abilities has allowed me to thrive in this new environment.

Period 3: Opportunities for advancement
The Blackhawks continued to dominate because they had a goal in mind: the Stanley Cup. Similarly, your employees need to know they are working towards something as well. If there are no opportunities for advancement in the company, they’ll have no motivation to work hard. Offering training for different skills they’ll need in the future is a great way to show them they’re not working a dead-end job. To fully get this across, it’s important to consistently promote from within. At Errand Solutions, we’re proud of the fact more than half of our leadership team started off in the field.

OT: Keep them happy
If the three periods aren’t enough, there’s always overtime. OT is the place for that extra last-ditch effort in order to get it done now. Incentives are a great way to do this, whether extra PTO or even just a gift card. Errand Solutions frequently has contests and rewards employees with gift cards or movie tickets. However, you don’t have to spend money to thank employees. One of our core values is the power of a “thank you”; simply thanking your employees for the work they do is an easy way to make them feel appreciated.

Another great way to keep employees happy is to help them balance their work-life a little better. Offering a program like Errand Solutions is great motivation, as they know that they can give their full effort at work without sacrificing their free time. For more information on Errand Solutions and ways we can help motivate your employees, give us a call at 312.475.3800 or email us at info@errandsolutions.com.

10 Tips to Increase Your Productivity

This is my first week at a new job and, shocker, it’s stressful. Not only am I just trying to figure out the lay of the land, but I’m being thrown into new projects and supposed to come up with all new ideas at the same time. In just a couple days, I’ve had countless to-do lists and they just keep growing. Luckily, I know I’m not alone in this.

Whether you’re a CEO or a brand new marketing associate like me, work can be stressful. Everyone has long to-do lists that never seem to get any smaller. While you could give up your social life and just stay at work all of the time, there are plenty of easy things to do to help make the most of your time at work. Check out these 10 simple ways to increase your productivity.

Organize your space.
Take a few minutes in the start of each day to de-clutter your desk. Having a nicely organized workspace helps you think more clearly and produce better results. A clean desk means you can find things more easily and can better focus on the task at hand.

Take short breaks.
Sitting at your desk and staring at a computer screen is not only bad for your health, but bad for your productivity. It’s suggested that a 10-15 minute break every two hours is incredibly beneficial. Use that time to walk around the office, grab coffee from a nearby coffee shop, or visit with a co-worker. Getting away from your desk will decrease eyestrain, improve circulation and give a new perspective when you return to a project.

Enjoy your commute.
Whether you drive or take public transportation to work, you should be making the most of that time. For public transportation folks, use your commute to read, write, knit or other creative projects. And for the drivers, how about listening to an audiobook? When you use your commute to do something you enjoy, you’ll be much happier, and therefore more productive, throughout the day at work.

Don’t check email first thing.
Unless this is required at your company, avoid checking your email right when you get to your office. Get done the biggest priority of the day first before dealing with requests and questions about other things. Then throughout the day, process your emails in batches every few hours. This will help you stay focused and accomplish things one by one without getting sidetracked.

Delegate and drop.
Do you have unimportant tasks on your to-do list? Delegate or drop them completely. When you get the most important stuff out of the way early, you can easily see what isn’t important and eliminate them from your list.

Focus on one thing at a time.
When you have a full to-do list, it can be easy to get overwhelmed. Instead of jumping around from one thing to another, focus on one thing at a time. Focusing your time and energy on the task at hand will not only improve the quality of your work, but improve productivity as well.

Don’t be a perfectionist.
Almost everyone has the desire for their work to perfect. However, perfection isn’t always realistic. Instead of holding on to a project for a long time trying to get every last detail perfect, it’s time to let it go. It’s better to have a completed project than a project in the works for way too long.

Get the worst over with.
Everyone has that one dreaded item on their to-do list that they keep pushing back because they know it’s going to be awful. Instead of continuing to put it off, it’s better to just get that one out of the way first thing. By accomplishing that task in the beginning of the day, the rest of the tasks that day won’t seem as overwhelming and you can stop stressing about that particular one all day.

Plan for the week.
In the beginning of the week, as well as each day, it could be a good idea to sit down and write down the top few things that needs to be accomplished that day or week. Getting into a routine of planning ahead will boost your productive and ensure you stay on top of your workload.

Avoid Facebook.
Everyone knows that Facebook is a time-suck. You think you’re going on just for a minute, and before you know it, five minutes have gone by and you’re still scrolling through your news feed. When you feel you need a break, leave your computer and take a walk instead.

In addition to all of these tips, another huge one is using Errand Solutions. Our goal is to help increase your productivity to ultimately live more purpose-driven lives. Whether it’s taking care of your dry cleaning or planning your next vacation, we can do it all. Give us a call at 312.475.3800 or email us at info@errandsolutions.com to find out how your business can take advantage of our one-of-a-kind service.

Make Each Day a Happy One

March 20 is the International Day of Happiness! And since it’s Friday, and the sun is out here in Chicago, and Pharrell Williams is playing the background, I decided it was a good time to see what other people are saying about happiness. On a related note, if you need a pick me up, just head over to Google and do a search for “happiness” (and while you’re there, click the link for the Global Happiness Party). Go ahead. I’ll wait.

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Good stuff, isn’t it? It’s nice to see that the happiness movement is really a global phenomenon. Tons of research has been done about the science of happiness. In fact, “recent research has shown that only 10% of our happiness is due to our external circumstances. A full 90% is based on our inner environment. 50% of our happiness level comes from our genes and 40% comes from intentional activities like self-reflection, mindfulness, and gratitude.” (Project Happiness)

While we can’t help with your genes, we can definitely impact the other 50%. We’ve actually been talking a lot lately about how Errand Solutions can help you to live your best life. I urge you to ask yourself “What would make me happy? What would make my family, friends and co-workers happy?” Then come to us with the list—we’ll figure out a way to make it happen.

Now it’s back to the Global Happiness Party for me. Maybe I’ll see you there!

Horror in the ED

My exuberant five-year-old son and I are no strangers to an emergency room. One night Max developed a cough and was having trouble breathing. So I bundled him up and headed off to the nearest hospital. I assumed it was the croup it’s a chronic problem for him, but I wanted to be sure, and was hoping the doctors would be able to do something to help him catch his breath. To my relief, there was no one else waiting and we were led back into an examination room almost immediately. The nurse was pleasant as she took Max’s vitals and then we sat behind a curtain to wait. On the other side, I heard a brief exchange between the nurse and the person I presumed to be a doctor. He rushed in with no introduction; ripped up the back of Max’s shirt; listened to Max’s breathing and then rushed out. He handled Max roughly and never made eye contact with me. My kid is a rough and tumble sort of guy and not much phases him, but I was appalled. I wanted to comment and ask for feedback on Max’s condition. But instead, we listened to the nurse’s personal telephone conversation on the other side of the curtain. Every time I tried to get her attention, she averted her eyes.

After an hour with no communication of Max’s status, with his breathing getting significantly worse, I was forced to interrupt her and ask for assistance. A ventilator was placed over Max’s mouth by a person I had not noticed earlier. She seemed like she could have been an EMT, fresh off an ambulance based on her appearance and dress, but she did not introduce herself either. She just rushed in and made a comment about getting his breathing a little more regular and rushed off again. I wanted to know what kind of medication was being administered through the mask, but when I peeked my head out, I saw no one.

We sat there for another hour with no further communication, while Max’s breathing improved and he got more and more hyper from all the sitting and waiting. Finally at 2am the doctor reappeared and said, “Well it’s just the croup and his breathing is much better so I am going to discharge him”. I asked if he should have some steroids or a nebulizer – two items frequently prescribed in the past – and he told me no. The nurse, who had also finally reappeared at this time, asked the doctor if he was sure. Then I chimed in with a comment that Max is a chronic sufferer and those two items have helped him in the past. He told us both to stop overreacting and to get Max home.

So I left. Frustrated and exhausted and angry, four hours after we had arrived.

I wish my personal story was the exception to the rule, but I hear ED horror stories all the time. Many are much worse than the one I just described. Could this have been prevented? Definitely.

It starts with compassion. And if you don’t have it in ALL of your clinical staff, then you may need to find it elsewhere. Check out this study about the amazingly significant impact compassionate non-clinical workers can make on your ED satisfaction scores. Let me know if you have any questions or would like some more information.

Let’s Continue the Conversation

I had an amazing time at the Cleveland Clinic Innovation and Empathy Summit! I came back to Chicago more inspired than ever, after sharing so many best practices with hospitals from around the country. It was great catching up with some of you and hearing about challenges and successes you are currently experiencing. Here are the top five things I learned:

1. Fear and Love do not coexist. When caregivers come into the room of a patient and exude confidence and compassion and expose their own personal character, it sucks the fear out of the room and allows love to enter. In order for a caregiver to do this effectively, they must make the choice to be present, positive and connected.

2. Many cultural transformations begin when patients tell their doctors that they don’t like them – and the doctors listen. Simple things like scrub uniformity, scripting, eye contact, and customer complaint resolution with staff empowerment go a long way toward making a cultural change.

3. What works? Purposeful hourly rounding, responding immediately to call lights, keeping things quiet at night, effective service recovery and universal scripting. Set regular goals as a team and celebrate when they are reached and exceeded.

4. Having the right people in the right seats on the bus is key. Define the need, match the roles and find the resources. Start by hiring to match your culture. Positive changes can also be made by observing employees in action and using them as examples when they’re in alignment with the vision of the organization. Write thank you notes!

5. Every organization has their own acronyms – but one kept popping up in multiple situations: CARE.

How does your hospital teach its staff to CARE? How can we help? At Errand Solutions one of our core values is Empathy Squared, and we truly believe it is the key to understanding and improving the patient and employee experience. Let’s continue the conversation! We look forward to hearing from you!