Personal Errands & Concierge helps out the busy

by Matthew Weaver<br>Herald Staff Writer
| May 12, 2006 9:00 PM

MOSES LAKE — For busy people looking for more time in the day to get more done, Ruthie Ames might seem the answer to a prayer.

For about two months, Ames has been operating her new business, Personal Errands & Concierge, through which she helps to lighten some workloads.

"Ever since I was a working professional, I always thought about having a business that could do errands for people while they were at work," Ames explained. "When you work five days a week, that's when all the other businesses are open and when you're off, there's just the weekend and everything's closed. I always wished that there was somebody who could do the little things for me — going to the bank, going to UPS, just all kinds of things."

After watching an HGTV television special about a woman who did exactly that, Ames decided to pursue her dream.

"I thought, 'That's what I want to be,'" she recalled. "I like to help people, and there's a certain amount of satisfaction when a client gives me a task to do, and I can figure out how to do it for them to their satisfaction, and they're all excited that I could do it for them."

Ames has looked up travel plans for clients, helped find someone to pump out a client's outhouse, met a plumber at a house, helped to set up a water meter and delivered a legal document to Seattle.

"They're very creative, but it's as different as people are," she said of the tasks she has been assigned, adding she is just happy to help. "It seems like I spend a lot of time on the phone and on the Internet gathering information, so I can present it to people who don't have time to do that."

Several of those situations were first-time experiences for Ames.

"I'm learning," she said. "The people just don't have time to be there, because they're at work. So if I can meet the plumber and show them where they want it or come up with different options and then present it to the person."

Ames was not anticipating such a level of paperwork. She said she originally envisioned picking up someone's lunch and delivering it to them, or picking up mail while they are gone. She will feed pets as long as they don't bite, she added.

"If they can think of it, I can probably figure out how to do it, as long as it's not immoral or illegal," she said. "If I can't do it, I'll try to find someone who can do it for them."

Ames stressed that she is not a taxi service or someone to pick up children, as she is not licensed or insured to do that kind of work.

As far as customer response goes, Ames said she had just barely told all her family and friends, all of whom hired her on the spot. She envisions the business as an aid to busy working moms, executives, hotel and real estate companies and singles. Her business is also for people who have something they don't want to do, she added.

"I have 20-year-old twins, and they want to hire me," she said, adding with a smile and a laugh, "However, I already do everything for them for free. But they said if they lived in my town, they would certainly hire me to do their laundry and stuff."

So far, she is the only employee, but said she sees a need amongst Moses Lake professionals, so the business could expand.

Other tasks include grocery shopping, dry cleaning services, house sitting, package deliveries and reminder services. Ames operates within the Moses Lake, Ephrata, Quincy and Warden areas, and will also serve as a courier.

Personal Errands and Concierge operates Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and can be reached by calling (509)765-5216.