1. No relevant experience as a personal assistant provider.
Derby Service is the original personal assistant timeshare firm in the DC area. They say that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, and there are certainly a lot of imitators out there. In addition, some “concierge firms” have recently begun to include “personal assistant” lingo in their materials. Don’t be fooled, ask how long a potential company has offered dedicated personal assistant services. At Derby Service, personal assistant services have been our main focus from day one. Go with the company that has relevant experience providing high-quality personal assistant services – go with Derby Service!

2. Organization is a one man (or woman) show.
Several “personal assistant” and “concierge” companies have popped up with one individual as CEO, COO and staff. We at Derby Service employ several full-time assistants as well as a fully-staffed office. This means our clients are not inconvenienced by the occasional illness or vacation. Our clients may have one Derby Service assistant that they know personally but, in reality, they have a whole team behind them. There is something to be said for strength in numbers. Also, all personal assistants at Derby Service are the real deal – no independent contractors. We find that it’s easiest to retain quality control for clients without heavy use of independently contracted labor. At Derby Service we are a team determined to meet, if not exceed, our client’s expectations.

3. Lack of communication.
Some personal assistant and concierge companies utilize a “voicemail communication model”; meaning you call, leave a message and wait. And wait. And wait. Not at Derby Service! We believe ease of communication and availability to our clientele are part of the very essence of having a personal assistant. Our phone lines are answered during business hours every weekday. Our clients have the freedom to call into the office anytime with questions or to request last minute changes to their assigned tasks. For additional convenience we offer the Accumulist function on our website for last minute additions to client appointments…without even picking up the phone! We at Derby Service don’t hide from you, we are here to help.

4. Safety and confidentiality concerns.
All Derby Service employees, assistants and office staff, have undergone stringent background and driving record checks. Derby Service employees are hand-selected from a large pool of candidates, and are held to the highest level of ethics. Client confidentiality is taken very seriously by Derby Service. We guard all client names and information at all times. Derby Service is fully insured for the protection of our clients.

5. No technology to assist your assistant.
All of our assistants are equipped with technological devices, such as two-way radios and GPS navigation devices, to keep them moving and on-time. This technology allows us to attain the maximum output for our clients during their appointments.

6. Unreasonable rates.
Not only does Derby Service provide high-quality and thorough personal assistant and concierge services, our rates are often less than our competitors. Be an educated consumer; shop around! You’re likely to find that Derby Service offers you the highest level of quality at the most economical price.