At your service

In early 2009,Paryani quit his cushy job to launch Big Help Executive Assistant Services in July. Big Help provides its clients with all services that a personal assistant would,for a mere Rs 5,000. “Be it filing tax papers,looking for a house,managing household help,or even something fun like planning a dinner party or a holiday,most upwardly mobile citizens are forever scrambling to keep up with chores,” explains the 29-year-old. “I saw the need for a set-up that could provide them personal assistance,and Big Help took shape.”

A dedicated assistant is assigned to every member; a landline and mobile number as well as the e-mail ID of the ‘assistant’ is made available to the client who can avail ‘assistance’ between 10 am and 6 pm any number of times in a day. The subscription requires the client to register by submitting personal data at the client’s residence or office—it is Paryani’s way of checking on the client’s credibility. The registration comes at a one-time non-refundable amount of Rs 1,000. Thereon,the client pays Rs 5,000 for every month he requires Big Help’s service. Hence,the client is offered flexibility to discontinue the service whenever he wants.

Some wonder if their chores will be handled with the professional edge they require. Prashant Kathuria,an event management professional,isn’t sure if his ‘assistant’ will be able to interact well with his high profile clients. “My job is about the image we build. The ‘assistant’s’ eloquence and knowledge could make or break a client for me.” Paryani allays such doubts. “We hire only fluent English-speaking staff from the hospitality industry,” he says.

The biggest challenge for the entrepreneur has been to get people to trust in the company’s privacy policy. “To tackle this,we allow clients a month’s trial—if they don’t like our services,we return their money to them,” he says and claims that most get hooked to their services.Vineeta Saxena is a case in point. The 42-year-old real estate consultant says,“I’m an entrepreneur too and that needed me to run around. Big Help takes care of my travel,bill payments and other chores. My assistant is also helping me start my website.”

When Laxmi Rao shifted to Mumbai after years in the UK,naturally,she felt lost. A housewife now,she realised the related paperwork was quite a hassle. “I was considering hiring a personal assistant but then Big Help came in handy,” affirms the 36-year-old.

Headquartered in Bandra,Big Help’s client base is currently under a modest 50 and mostly comprises of NRIs,entrepreneurs and MNC executives. However,one wonders how Paryani plans to sustain the company given that he hires a well-trained staff but charges only Rs 5,000. “Our success will lie in the numbers. We have not yet broken even. But as our members grow,we will be able to make a profit in 2010.”