At your service, virtually

So you have a deadline to meet and have just realised that your electricity bill is due? Don't fret. Just log on to Facebook or Twitter and hire yourself a personal assistant to run errands for you. My Peon, started by the guys who run At Your Service Mumbai (www.atyourservicemumbai.in), offers the assistance of a "peon" to do all the running around for you. From payment of bills to standing in queues to collect or submit forms, every service is just one post away.

"We realised that people in Mumbai prefer having someone doing all the running around for them to stay hassle-free," says founder Bharat Ahirwar, who also started At Your Service Mumbai. Just 10 days old, the service is available for residents of Mumbai and Navi Mumbai.

To set a task, all you need to do is post your errand on My Peon's Facebook page or tweet it to them. There is no registration form or fee.

The team will then get in touch with you and ask for details of what has to be done and when.

"Each task costs ₹ 100 and you also need to pay the travelling cost, but you need to book the service a day in advance. However, if you have two to three tasks, you can hire a peon for three hours for a flat rate of ₹ 500, plus travelling expenses," says Ahirwar. The fee can be paid in cash or by cheque upon completion of the task.

The service has already become so popular that My Peon is already booked out on Saturday and Sunday this week. So come Monday, you can hire yourself a virtual assistant.

To hire My Peon, log on to www.facebook.com/ MyPeon or tweet on the @mypeon Twitter handle.