It’s Friday afternoon and you’re stuck in rush hour traffic. Your two kids are fighting in the backseat, your stomach is grumbling and you would love nothing more than to get home, flop on the couch and relax after a hectic week of work. But there’s a long to-do list demanding your attention, so you sigh and plow into the frenzied shopping center parking lot.
If you can’t bear to stomach this scenario one more time, there’s good news: The staffers at a new personal services company, Runner, are happy to do your errands for you. “Time is the most important thing we have in our lives,” president and CEO Vince Mahtani says. “Our goal is to give time back to people.” Almost any errand imaginable can be outsourced to Runner. Clients book staff members for car repair appointments, DMV visits and wedding-related tasks. The company recently added pet-walking to its litany of services. “Because it’s vacation season, we’ve seen a huge [interest in] having groceries delivered and ready as people get home,” Mahtani says. For that service, a client submits his or her shopping list and stores of choice through the Runner website, then pre-loads his or her account with money via PayPal. A Runner staff member does the shopping and delivery, and the client receives a detailed receipt and invoice noting the remaining account balance.
Older St. Louisans who have mobility challenges or who prefer not to travel in heat or bad weather especially may benefit from Runner. “We took an elderly woman who had hurt her knee to the doctor and to the store,” Mahtani recounts. “She was tired of inconveniencing her family, and we’re the perfect solution. We’re doing something that really helps people.”
Corporate clients also can use Runner. “We will be the service that sets up the booth for a trade show Saturday morning by 8 a.m,” Mahtani says. “They’re so impressed: They show up and it’s already done.”
Memberships range from Bronze level, which provides four hours of service per month, to Gold level, which offers 10. Hours of availability and turnaround time vary depending on membership level, but all members can book errands Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Gold members also have access to Saturday hours. Airport shuttles are offered 24-7 for an additional fee.
Discretion is second-nature to Mahtani, who worked for years in IT for high-end customers who needed secure resources. Consequently, Runner ranks professional athletes and C-suite executives among its list of clients. Depending on users’ preferences, staff members make deliveries while they’re home (after the Runner office manager calls with a heads up) or away, leaving packages at the back door or in the house. “Interactions are quick,” Mahtani says. “We’re here to be under the radar.”
There are only two tasks Mahtani’s staff won’t do: “We will not transport kids or illegal substances,” he says. “Everything else is fair game.”
By Rebecca Koenig
Photo by Bill Barrett
Pictured: Vince Mahtani
[Runner is located at 9216 Clayton Road, Ste. 131. For more information, call 314.858.4770 or visit runner-stl.com.]