The Errands skill within the Personal Assistance category is one of our most popular skills, which makes sense, right? Clients are busy, and caught up at work or forget they needed that dry cleaning picked up, balloons delivered for a child’s birthday party, or that rented tuxedo returned to the store.
If you know your way around your city and are good at creatively getting things done, consider adding the Errands skill to your profile if you haven’t already. Want a refresher in how to put your best foot forward? Top Taskers have got you covered!
Scoping Questions To Ask In The Chat Thread
You may have seen the post on Sample Scoping Questions to Ask Before Any Task. If you missed it, check out the questions below that will help you scope any Errands task so you can show up prepared and tackle it with ease.
- What item(s) would you like picked up, delivered, or mailed?
- Can you please confirm the pick-up and drop-off addresses?
- What’s the earliest I can pick up the item?
- What is the deadline by which you need this picked up, delivered, or mailed?
- Have the items already been purchased?
- Will you be present during the drop-off? If not, how will I gain access?
Tips For Your Errands Skills & Experience Description
Across all of your categories, a stellar Skills & Experience description can seal the deal for a client in selecting you to complete his/her task. Check out the blog on tips for writing Skills & Experience description.
See a few examples below for great Skills & Experience description for Errands:
“I’ve been tackling errands tasks for 8 years all over New York, so you can trust that I know how to navigate around town. I’m expeditious with my pickups and deliveries and personable with my customers. Let me bring you something today!”
“Hi. I have a full-sized car available and will follow your exact pickup and delivery instructions to get the job done on time.”
“Do you have an URGENT errand? Want a reliable professional to arrive on time and act with dignity, discretion, and care? Hire me with confidence. I know the city very well and can get from A to B quickly.”
Errands Tips from Top Taskers:
We reached out to some of our highest-rated and highest-earning Errands Taskers, including Andre W. and Kyle C. and collected their tips for acing Errands tasks every time:
- Prep like a pro. Proper preparation can save you time later on. Carefully read and get a clear understanding of your client’s needs and expectations, and don’t be afraid to ask questions in the chat thread either before or during the task.
- Figure out transportation. Depending on how big the item is, will you carry it, put it in your backpack, travel with it on a bike, the train, or a car? Think through all of these alternatives to make sure you show up prepared for the task at hand.
- Get approval on expenses. Make sure you confirm with the client in the chat thread if they would like you to purchase any items for them, and that they agree that you will be reimbursed for the cost. This can help in case of any mix-ups later on. For any expenses, be mindful of expense caps, and confirm the expense with your client in chat first.
- Communicate frequently. Respond quickly to your client when they first send the invitation, but keep the dialogue going once the task is on deck. Updates such as when you leave, when you have the item, and when you’re on the way to deliver it can go a long way to putting your client at ease and getting a high review rating. Even if you’re running a bit behind, communicating this up front can go a long way!
- Treat items you transport with respect. Put yourself in your client’s shoes and treat them and their items with respect. If it is a cold item, maybe pack a chill bag with ice-packs, or if it’s fragile, make sure you handle it with care.
- Update your map. Consider where you actually want to travel for Errands tasks—remember you’ll have to travel to at least two addresses, so properly plan your route each morning, and build a buffer between tasks so that you can get from A to B to C with ease.
Thank you to Andre W. and Kyle C. and other Taskers for taking the time to share their tips and tricks for doing Errands tasks with frequent communication, planning, and some problem-solving skills—key ingredients of the special sauce that keeps clients coming back to the network!
