Time runs out. Five, six, or seven o’clock hits. You’re not done with a report. All you think about is the dinner not on the stove. The kids call or text. You remember you need to stop by the grocery store after you survive Charlotte traffic.

Tryon Plaza’s Business Concierge offers its business owners and employees a way to ease the worries of their personal lives. Anthony Samuel, Tryon Plaza Concierge, works on site every day to offer building occupants the services they need. Samuel starts his day bringing in Starbucks coffee and running a vehicle for an oil change and detailing. He performs postal and mail runs, orders gift baskets, picks up dry cleaning and shoes from shoe repair. Samuel gift wraps, does administrative and office work, and finds the best ticket prices by air or train.

“As a concierge, I must be equipped to fill a wide variety of needs,” Samuel said. “I provide catering arrangements, dinner reservations, party planning, travel arrangements, and organize activities for the occupants at Tryon Plaza.”

The multitude of services Samuel provides changes and varies with the need of each client. Everything Samuel does for Tryon Plaza’s occupants is meant to alleviate family and personal pressures outside work. It allows everyone at Tryon Plaza to focus on business.

“Business owners have a more flexible schedule to where they do not have to worry about their personal lives while they’re in the business world,” Samuel said. “It helps keep them and their employees more focused on actually building their own personal businesses.”

Grocery shopping is a time-consuming errand, and it is becoming a more common request for Samuel. He runs out and picks up groceries for a client. Samuel said some companies work as late as eight o’clock. The last thing an employee wants to face is traffic, a long line, and hungry children or spouse.

The business concierge service is needed more today. With a fluctuating economy, people with jobs are working harder. There is a greater challenge to fulfill personal errands and needs. With four children, Samuel knows how difficult it is to accomplish things for family when there is not enough time in the day.

“To see some of the people who are busy with kids and marriages or who need a personal errand done when they know they can’t because they’re at work, the concierge service frees them because they have someone there to do errands for them,” Samuel said.

Tryon Plaza takes pride in the services and the persona it offers occupants. Other buildings and their staff think nine to five. An employee feels like he or she must go to work. The motto at Tryon Plaza is: Where you work inspires how you work. Tryon Plaza does not want its owners to feel like they occupy an office. Samuel and the staff at Tryon Plaza want everyone to feel like they’re walking into a comfortable home office with excellent service.

Samuel knows Tryon Plaza offers occupants an at-home and professional environment. Employees have the opportunity to know everyone at Tryon Plaza and what they do. Workers are able to not only know one another, but to establish networking relationships.

“Coming to Tryon Plaza will be a life changing experience,” Samuel said.

Part of Samuel’s work takes him out of Tryon Plaza and allows him to network with other companies in Charlotte that provide services to occupants. He researches ticket and show prices on the Internet. Samuel also visits other merchants in Charlotte who provide services to Tryon Plaza’s occupants.

One client had a last minute package he needed to ship. He was nervous it would not make it to its destination by the following Monday. Samuel utilized his marketing and Internet options, and found the client the best possible price. The individual was overwhelmed by the fact Samuel found a low price, managed to ship it to arrive on time, and provided excellent service.

While Samuel assists clients to meet their goals, he also shares aspirations for Tryon Plaza. Samuel hopes to increase the demand for the
business concierge service to the point additional staff is required because the service is just that good.

— Rebecca T. Dickinson