Local Life
Flourtown
analyst ready to be your personal concierge
By Carole Verona
The word “concierge” is derived from the French comte des cierges, the
“keeper of the candles.” In days gone by, the term referred to the servant
who looked after visiting noblemen at medieval castles. The concierge made
sure that the corridors leading to the guests’ chambers were well lit and
that, once inside, the noblemen were bathed in a comfortable, safe and
soothing light. Later the term “concierge” was used to describe the “keeper
of the keys” at public buildings. And during the 1930s, luxury hotels began
to distinguish themselves by employing concierges to welcome and assist
guests throughout their stay.
Today, the concept of a concierge has blossomed
into a new career track, one especially suited to entrepreneurs. Take
Claudia Campbell-Edwards, for example. When her position at a global
pharmaceutical company was recently eliminated, this Flourtown resident
decided to apply her years of management and customer service experience to
helping individuals, families and small businesses simplify their lives.
According to a recent survey
by the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, there are nearly 16 million
two-income families in the country. With everybody working, who has time to
shop and run errands? Who wants to use up hard- earned vacation time sitting
at home waiting for cable installation or the delivery of furniture and
appliances? Claudia saw a need and in the true entrepreneurial spirit,
jumped in to meet it by creating Tabitha Harrier Concierge.
As a senior project analyst at the
pharmaceutical company, Claudia was responsible for manning the global help
desk for one of the company’s main computer systems. When users experienced
a problem with the system, they’d call Claudia. “When employees contacted me
— sometimes from as far away as Germany or France — they were usually upset,
in a panic. They had tight deadlines to meet but were faced with a frozen
computer screen. I enjoyed helping them and solving the problem, even from
afar,” she said.
After 20 years with the company, Claudia was
initially upset over the loss of her job but she decided to look on the
experience as an opportunity. She took an inventory of her transferable
skills and strong points and focused her efforts on how to use them going
forward. Her people skills, problem-solving ability and a keen desire to
serve others added up to a new career as a personal concierge. “I realized
that a concierge does what I enjoy doing most, helping people simplify their
lives by solving whatever problems life presents.”
Claudia put the past behind her and immediately
began planning for the future. And Tabitha Harrier Concierge was born. “I
love the idea of being a concierge,” she said. “Every person that needs this
service is different, each request is unique.”
To lay the foundation for the business, Claudia
recruited a group of highly skilled professionals to work with her as
preferred vendors. She knows each one personally and has first-hand
experience that they are reputable, do high quality work and use the best
products. The services currently offered through Tabitha Harrier Concierge
include carpentry, renovations, handyman services, painting, wallpapering
and power-washing, and a full-range of tree services. Business and personal
writing services are available, too. Claudia also provides traveling and
on-site notary services to local businesses. Other services will be added
as needed.
Claudia feels that her business will be
especially beneficial to new homeowners in the area. “If you know someone
who just bought a house, what a great housewarming gift – a concierge who
will stay at the house to wait for furniture and appliance delivery or cable
installation,” she said. For the busy working professional, she also offers
personal and gift shopping.
And who is Tabitha Harrier, for
whom the business is named? Tabitha is Claudia’s five-year-old harrier
hound, a breed of hound that is used in packs for hare and fox hunting.
“Tabitha was adopted from Etosha Rescue & Adoption Center in Seguin, Texas,
a non-profit, no-kill shelter that is best known for hounds and Great Danes.
My husband, Jim, and I found out about Tabitha on Etosha’s website,” Claudia
said. Jim flew to Texas to “meet” Tabitha and to finalize the adoption. The
rest, as they say, is history. “I decided to name the business after Tabitha
because she’s a survivor, too,” Claudia said.
For further information, contact Claudia Campbell-Edwards at
tabithaharrier@comcast.net or by calling
215-233-8919.
|
