BLOG.MYARIZONABUTLER.COM

(Some) Criminals Can Read Too

blog@myarizonabutler.com (MyArizonaButlerLLC) — Wed, 26 Oct 2011 17:45:16 GMT

I was at the grocery store the other day and saw a vehicle in the parking lot with home watch business information plastered all over it. While I do understand marketing and trying to generate business, as a retired police officer with an extensive law enforcement background, I also understand how to protect people. All I could do was shake my head in disappointed disbelief.

No one would ever post a sign in their driveway telling everyone that their home is going to be vacant for a long period of time, so why would you allow someone to park a vehicle in the driveway screaming the same thing? Many people simply do not understand the big picture of providing a home watch service, thus failing to comprehend the magnitude of responsibility that comes along with it. It is more than flushing toilets and making sure doors are locked. There is a huge difference between doing a friend or family member a favor and providing truly professional home watch services. And while I believe in neighborhood or 'block' watch programs, they fall far short of the comprehensive care your home needs to be fully protected.

Laurie and I founded My Arizona Butler as just that...a professional home watch and concierge service company. It is not a hobby to us, nor is it a side venture fulfilling curiosity. It is a family-oriented business that we can pass along to our children someday. With our unprecedented combination of law enforcement and real estate experience, we are proudly re-defining the industry standards as they pertain to home watch services.

"You were wise during the process of investing in your home...

don't be unwise when choosing who you trust to protect it."

There is a professional option when it comes to providing you with the elusive peace of mind you deserve when you are away from your Arizona home. The choice is yours - you can have someone "house-sit", or you can entrust that investment to professionals who will watch over it with the same care as if it were their very own. Please choose wisely...we'll be here when you need us.

Kevin

President/CEO, My Arizona Butler, LLC

"Some people are suffering from lack of work, some from lack of water, many more from lack of wisdom." Calvin Coolidge

Do You Have Enough To Worry About Yet?

blog@myarizonabutler.com (MyArizonaButlerLLC) — Tue, 06 Sep 2011 06:02:25 GMT

Life seems to get more hectic every day. It seems that every decade the world spins twice as fast as it did before. Technology has caused things to slip into virtual warp speed and it seems that every aspect of life has been caught up in the draft. This has created a sense of urgency in the lives of many that causes more stress and the old adage of there not being enough hours in the day seems more applicable than ever. How did this really happen? And what do we do to try to get our grip on life back?

One thing that My Arizona Butler is trying to help with is everyday errands and tasks that we just don't seem to have enough time for any more. The dry cleaning needs to be picked up, but there are too many other things going on to get it taken care of. The oil needs changed in the car, but who has time to get it to the shop and then wait for the service(s) to be performed. Maybe you're going on vacation and things need to be done while you are away and no one is able to get them done for you. My Arizona Butler's concierge services can make this part of life a lot easier to conquer. Let us know what needs to be done and we will do everything in our power to accommodate you so you can focus on family and the real priorities in life.

Another major part of life for seasonal residents is leaving their Arizona home for the summer. The fact that such a major investment is just going to be sitting vacant for months on end can be very troubling for Snowbirds, but no one can be in two places at one time, so what choice do you have? With My Arizona Butler's home watch services, the worries of leaving your cherished winter home behind disappear.

Backed by decades of law enforcement and real estate and property management experience, Laurie and I proudly provide a peace of mind that is unequalled in the industry. As cliche as it may sound, we truly do care for your home as if it was our very own. Our attention to detail and genuine concern for the well-being of your home shines through in our comprehensive reporting and open communication with the homeowners. We actually go out of our way to try to identify opportunities to go above and beyond your expectations, bringing a distinctively personal touch to the services we provide.

If you already have enough things to worry about and yet life just keeps adding more to your list, there is an option to make things easier. If you are a seasonal resident and would like to stop worrying about things in Arizona while you are elsewhere, that peace of mind that you desire and deserve is just a phone call away. Give My Arizona Butler a call today to discuss your options to make life easier and eliminate some of the worries that life brings with it. As much as things can always be worse, they can most certainly be a lot easier as well.

Kevin Lackey
President/CEO
My Arizona Butler, LLC
520-280-8846
kevin@myarizonabutler.com

"There is more to life than increasing its speed." - Mahatma Gandhi

Copyright © 2011 My Arizona Butler, LLC

To Drink or Not to Drink...A Good Summer Question

blog@myarizonabutler.com (MyArizonaButlerLLC) — Fri, 12 Aug 2011 14:15:23 GMT

It is obvious to anyone that summertime in Arizona is always going to require lots of replenishing of fluids, so beverages of all types dance before our eyes offering instant refreshment. This summer has been especially brutal across the nation, so this is certainly not just an Arizona issue. The problem is that there are so many drinks that look good and yes, taste good, but may be very bad for us. Worse yet, for those trying to keep an eye on their figure, they may be a virtual death nail for any diet.

Men's Health has a great break down on the 20 Worst Drinks, so I thought I would share the information with you as "food for thought" as we endure another summer here in the Valley of the Sun. Just click on this link to read the article:

http://eatthis.menshealth.com/slideshow/worst-drinks-america?cm_mmc=YTPG-_-Lose%20Fat%20with%202%20Exercises-_-Entry-_-ETNT-worst-drinks-america

Even if you, as I do, endulge in the occasional strawberry banana shake from time to time, this will hopefully at least offer you a guideline so you don't completely overdo things when quenching your thirst.

Have a safe and healthy summer!

Kevin
President/CEO
My Arizona Butler, LLC

"Health nuts are going to feel stupid someday, lying in hospitals dying of nothing." - Redd Foxx

Copyright © 2011 My Arizona Butler, LLC

Things Coulda Been Worse

blog@myarizonabutler.com (MyArizonaButlerLLC) — Wed, 03 Aug 2011 07:18:07 GMT

What better way to relax on a hot summer afternoon in Arizona than floating down the Salt River with your wife and a cooler full of cold ones, right? That was the plan Monday as we loaded up and set off with two vehicles (one for each end of the river float). That was the plan…4-5 hours on the river. Here’s how that plan unraveled:

The bad - A little less than half way there, the right front tire on the car goes flat. Luckily she wasn’t driving very fast and no one was hurt (coulda been worse). Custom wheels and no way to remove them roadside forced us to limp the car about a mile and a half to Wal-Mart to have the tire checked out to confirm what was wrong.

The good – The guys at Wal-Mart were extremely helpful and, after removing the wheel and finding the inner sidewall blown out, put the spare on for us at no charge.

We decided that we still had time for a two hour sunset float, so we opted to head on up and float anyway. Got the tube blown up, cooler stocked, vehicles positioned, and we were off – with the river all to ourselves as a bonus. Finally, we could enjoy the music and relax on our river.

The bad – About a half hour into the float, I noticed a large lump in the front pocket of my swim trunks and got a sick feeling in my stomach. I reached in and confirmed my worst fears…brand new Blackberry…soaked. “Seriously?” I groaned. What else can go wrong? Pffft…by the way, I don’t recommend ever saying that.

The good – Several people including my wife and daughter-in-law have praised the magical abilities of a 3-4 day ‘rice soak’ for dunked dialers, so that is in progress. At least I have insurance on it (coulda been worse).

We finally got to the end of the float with the sun setting beautifully and serenely behind the mountains, and I decided to dismount to get us to shore. The swift current tried to pull me under but I managed to stay somewhat vertical (didn’t even spill my beer).

The bad – When we reached to top of the hill, I reach into my pocket and lo and behold…no keys! The current apparently pulled them from my pocket as I struggled to get us to shore (personally, I’d have rather sacrificed the beer in hindsight). At least the truck keys and spare car key were in the truck (coulda been worse). The bad news....the truck, of course, was locked.

The good – Luckily we were not the last ones on the river and a foursome of teenagers came to shore behind us. After calling a friend of theirs out to help us break into the truck, we rescued the keys and were on our way. With all you hear about ‘bad kids’, these teens were a God-send and stayed with us until well after dark and saw to it that we were able to get on the road. They were awesome young people to say the very least.

When things get really bad and you think “what next”, please try to find the positive in everything as we try to do…it really does help with stress. It is sometimes a challenge, but the positive is nearly always there. As bad as that day was, it most certainly, absolutely coulda been worse.

Kevin

"Life is 10% of what happens to me and 90% of how I react to it" - John Maxwell

Think Before You Tweet

blog@myarizonabutler.com (MyArizonaButlerLLC) — Sat, 16 Jul 2011 15:24:03 GMT

We all love our social media and it does save precious time in 'getting the word out' on what's happening in our daily lives. The problem is that far more people than we realize may be checking out what we are saying and using it against us. Sometimes the biggest problem with the worldwide web is in its very name..."worldwide". Frequently what we post is unfortunately not limited to just the person whom we intended the info for.

Be very careful about what personal information you are sending out on the web, even if it is only intended for your "friends". Intel like when you are going on vacation and for how long, details about your daily routine, personal and family demographic information, nuggets about how much the household income may be...all of this is golden for the bad guys out there who are searching for their next victim. Don't let it be you.

Don't forget to go a bit 'old school' in your personal protection, either. Be sure you have someone watching over your home while you are away. Don't 'advertise' your absence by allowing newspapers to stack up in your driveway and mail to overflow from the mailbox. If you are away for a long time (months), be sure the weeds and landscaping are taken care of. In short, make things appear to be as lived in as possible.

Burglars may not be the most desirable or intelligent beings on the planet, but helping them with basic information either online or just by habits in the 'real' world just make their lives easier...and yours miserable. Please don't do it to yourself or your family.

Kevin Lackey
President/CEO
My Arizona Butler, LLC

"The price of freedom is eternal vigilance" - Thomas Jefferson

Copyright © 2011 My Arizona Butler, LLC

Is Customer Service Really a Thing of the Past?

blog@myarizonabutler.com (MyArizonaButlerLLC) — Sat, 09 Jul 2011 15:45:37 GMT

My short answer is a definite "maybe", but also with a resounding "not completely" at the end of this article, so hang in there with me to the end.

If you're like me, you probably have a daily encounter with something that has become an absolute peeve of mine - the apparent slow death of true customer service. There just does not seem to be a passion for customer service like there used to be and certainly not at a level that there should be. Let me toss out a few examples and see if you agree or if I am just getting overly sensitive and cynical in my middle age.

One of the first thoughts that comes to mind when I think customer service is retail. I've worked in retail and it is unnerving to say the least when I walk into an establishment where no one seems to care about much of anything nor do they exhibit any real ambition to actually learn the layout of their store, let alone the products that they sell. I think the worst part, though, is the "why are you bothering me with your problems" attitude I see so much any more. Unfortunately, this attitude is certainly not just in retail.

Fast food has become such a vital part of so many Americans' lives that it can apparently withstand the downturn of customer service in their industry. I can normally handle slow service, inaccuracies in my order, and having to occasionally wipe down my own table. What drives me crazy, though, is when all of these things are viewed by the employees as an acceptable standard, not the rare exception, and that I am somehow a bothersome jerk if I say anything about it to them.

These two examples are bad enough in that they occur in person, making it a bit more difficult for most people to be rude or unprofessional to a customer's face. When it comes to trying to get good customer service on the telephone, I have regrettably gotten to the point where I am almost prepared for battle even as I am dialing the number. How sad is that? Not being required to look the person in the eye and actually deal with their issue in a fully personal manner makes for an easy platform for far too many people to just be incessant fools to deal with. I have many times wished for a "phone slap" button on my smartphone that would show the customer 'service' rep on the other end just how lousy their customer service truly was. I could even preface the poke with a recorded warning that "your comments and attitude may be monitored and physically, albeit remotely, dealt with for quality assurance purposes". While it would undoubtedly make me feel better, I doubt it would change much in the big picture.

Now for the good news for those of us in business. With so many others out there exhibiting such a ridiculously substandard level of service, by providing good ol' fashioned service to our customers, showing them that we really do care about their satisfaction and truly are professionals in our field, we can stand out and shine like never before. Conduct business by the Golden Rule and be a hero to your customers.

Kevin Lackey
President/CEO
My Arizona Butler, LLC

"Always do right. This will gratify some people and astonish the rest" - Mark Twain

Copyright © 2011 My Arizona Butler, LLC

Summer In The Arizona Desert 2

blog@myarizonabutler.com (MyArizonaButlerLLC) — Wed, 29 Jun 2011 01:27:19 GMT

     Dogs and cats don't sweat so they cannot cool themselves that way. Be careful if your dog or cat overheats and try to cool them in a pool of cool water as you may put them in shock and they can die. It is best to always make sure they have shade all day long and they have plenty of water to drink. If they are allowed in the house then they should be there. If not then you can buy a little kiddie pool for them to lay in to help cool them off in the shade of course.
     Speaking of pools let's talk a little on that subject. Arizona is well known for all of their swimming pools. What a better way to have fun then splashing and playing at the family pool. Just make sure you keep an eye on those non swimmers. Arizona is notorious for drownings!  Mostly because a toddler slips out of the parents sight and into the pool. Keep a fence around your pool and a padlock on the gate.
Swimming pools are a great way to cool off and remember you must continue to drink while you do so. You can still dehydrate at the swimming pool if you don't drink.
     If you feel thirsty then you are already dehydrating. If your lips feel dry then you have lost at least 5% of your fluids. It is best to sip water continuously throughout the hour. If you start to feel dizzy and uncoordinated you should get someone's attention to get help. Have them take you to a shady area preferably with air conditioning and sip on water. If you don't feel quite right in about fifteen minutes then go to the hospital and get some fluids. The drawback to getting dehydrated enough to get heatstroke or heat exhaustion is that you are more susceptible to it again. So be out in the sun in the early part of the day, stay out of the sun in the afternoon hours until about four. Keep hydrated by drinking water not sodas or tea as they tend to have the opposite effect. Summer in Arizona can be tricky so help keep an eye on each other, even those stubborn big adults tend to overdue it!
     For more information on heatstroke and heat exhaustion visit http://www.emedicinehealth.com/heat_exhaustion_and_heat_stroke/article_em.htm .

     I don't want to scare you about the Arizona heat, I just want you to be safe while you are in the sun. Oh yeah, keep all crayons, chocolate, CDs and anything that you don't want to melt out of your car. I just found what used to be a pack of crayons in the glovebox of the truck.

    Arizona raised,
    Laurie


Copyright © 2011 My Arizona Butler, LLC

You've gotten your Arizona home - now what?

blog@myarizonabutler.com (MyArizonaButlerLLC) — Sun, 26 Jun 2011 16:17:37 GMT

Everybody I know is understandably watching the economy right now and personally, all things considered, I'd rather be watching something else that was even the least bit entertaining. Unfortunately, watching our spending has become a necessary evil, to the extent that even the leisurely Sunday drive has to be budgeted for.

That being said, many are very wisely taking full advantage of the depressed real estate market in Arizona and are purchasing their dream homes for a fraction of what they cost new. With a great many of these buyers being out of state "Snowbirds", the question soon arises as to how to care for that investment while you are away for the winter months.

There are several home watch options to choose from and it would be easy and I suppose tempting at face value to go with the cheapest and hope for the best. My guess is that if you are wise enough to take the time to read this, you are also wise enough to avoid that common mistake and put some thought into protecting something that you worked so hard to acquire.

Just as you wouldn't purchase a brand new luxury car and then fail to wash it, wax it, change the oil, rotate the tires, cover it with insurance, and so on, you shouldn't fail to properly protect and care for your home. Performing the bare minimum maintenance or avoiding these necessities altogether would be a much cheaper option, wouldn't it? But you wouldn't do that because of the risk involved to your investment, and you would be wise to take care of it properly, undoubtedly saving money in the long run.

It is this same line of thinking that should lead you to My Arizona Butler to oversee your property while you are away. I have heard horror stories about other service providers in the area failing miserably in taking care of their customers. While charging the "going rate" and causing their clients to believe that they were getting a good deal, they quite simply failed to deliver in quality of service, and sometimes failed to deliver the service at all. I'm sure you have all had experiences where you were slapped back to reality by the old adage that "you get what you pay for", whether it be a restaurant, an electronic device, or some other purchase with which you chose to cut a corner or two to save a buck. Some things this works well with - others it does not. Your home is certainly not worth the gamble involved with this game.

One of the cornerstones of My Arizona Butler's business philosophy is integrity. Having served my country in the active duty Army as a military policeman, my state in the Air National Guard as a First Sergeant, my county as a 911 police dispatcher, and my community as a police officer on two different departments, I have long since proudly achieved my lifelong goal of maintaining the absolute highest level of integrity in everything that I do. Now I embrace the opportunity to continue to serve while protecting your home, with the same integrity and a work ethic that is above reproach.

Kevin

"I challenge you to join the ranks of those people who live what they teach, who walk their talk."

- Anthony Robbins

Copyright © 2011 My Arizona Butler, LLC

Summer In The Arizona Desert 1

blog@myarizonabutler.com (MyArizonaButlerLLC) — Fri, 24 Jun 2011 06:22:56 GMT

Yesterday was the official first day of summer. School is out and it is a time to play for all. Temperatures are already in the three digits and the air conditioners are on. People are seeking refuge in the malls, swimming pools, and movie houses. Outside pets are seeking shade and water. There are mirages of water on the black tops just like in the cartoons. All alright if you know how to handle the heat, unfortunately fun in the sun in Arizona can be deadly if not taken seriously.
Children and pets are usually the first to succumb to the heat. They heat up faster and take longer to cool down. They also dehydrate faster than adults. They do best if you keep them cool and don't put them in danger of overheating. If you think "oh I will just pop in the store for a few minutes", please think again. Just a few minutes left alone in a car without the a/c on can kill. Every year you hear of someone doing just that. Or you hear of the children and pets who are lucky enough to have a passerby notice them , usually having to break a window and saving them before it is too late. When I say children I am speaking of all ages up to tweenies. Adults over the of sixty fit in this catagory too.http://youtu.be/fNVSqH6wMUc

Copyright © 2011 My Arizona Butler, LLC

Nobody Does Summer Like Arizona!!!

blog@myarizonabutler.com (MyArizonaButlerLLC) — Wed, 22 Jun 2011 07:47:37 GMT

Summer is finally here and while it can be lots of fun in the sun, it can also be troublesome and even tragic. Check back often this week because Laurie is going to keep you posted on things to do to be safe and tips on how to get the most out of your Arizona summer.

Kevin

"A good wife is one who can mow the lawn in the summer and put up the storm windows in the winter."

San Tan Valley Burglars Busted

blog@myarizonabutler.com (MyArizonaButlerLLC) — Sat, 18 Jun 2011 15:36:27 GMT

Check out this recent story. http://pinalcountyaz.gov/Departments/Sheriff/Lists/News/DispFormA.aspx?List=b382d514%2D09a1%2D4490%2D80f0%2D4f0e76b7b4c9&ID=417

The local police and sheriff departments do a fantastic job around here but, after decades of law enforcement experience I can tell you, as much as they would like to be they can't be everywhere at once. For every burglar caught and break-in solved there are dozens of others that just happen, with no answers to who did it or who is going to pay for the loss and damage.

This is one of the primary reasons why Laurie and I founded My Arizona Butler. Homes with no activity attract criminals and can make a homecoming a very stressful and costly event. Most bad guys will case a property for a period of time before striking because they have no desire for someone to be in the house when they break in. Most are not violent people and do not necessarily want to harm anyone, they just want money from your stuff. So if they see frequent activity, they are very likely to move on to another house.

My Arizona Butler's home watch and vacation watch service helps to alleviate these risks and concerns so you can relax while you are away. Check us out and call us today to see just how easy and affordable it is to get the peace of mind you want and deserve.

Kevin

"I went to a bookstore and asked the saleswoman, "Where's the self-help section?" She said if she told me, it would defeat the purpose."

A little more about My Arizona Butler's skipper

blog@myarizonabutler.com (MyArizonaButlerLLC) — Thu, 16 Jun 2011 18:02:02 GMT

Hey Gang, I wanted to let you know a little more about the male half of the pair who takes care of things for you while you are away from your Arizona home. I have spent my entire life serving others (significant irony in having the last name of "Lackey", eh?), first in the military both in the active duty army and then the Kansas Air National Guard, then with the region's largest civilian police department. I left the military as a First Sergeant and retired early from the police department to be a stay-at-home father to my beautiful daughter.

During the ensuing ten years, with moves to Virginia, Pittsburgh, and northwest Ohio before returning to Kansas, and the birth of my cooler than cool son, I did some amazing things professionally. Along with being a retail manager in Virginia for a worldwide organization as well as a sales and training manager in Pittsburgh, I even drove limousine in Pittsburgh to help support my golf habit. I think the most fun I got involved in professionally outside the patrol car, though, was when Amy Hartman helped me get into voice acting and her agent boosted me into on-camera acting. What a rush!

With the move to Ohio from The 'Burgh, I migrated into radio with Clear Channel and eventually took over my own station as program director and morning show host. Needless to say, these were some incredible experiences that most people can only dream of, so I consider myself exceedingly blessed, both professionally and personally because my kids are the absolute best in the universe.

I moved back to Kansas and after workign with the amazing crew in the 911 Center took the reins of a patrol car yet again and, as a service to our community, conducted hundreds of home checks for very affluent citizens that were away from their homes for months at a time. That was my first taste of taking care of people's homes and I felt a renewed passion to serve, only on a much more personal level. I even explained to citizens that I felt like their family's personal bodyguard ... a very cool feeling.

When Laurie and I moved to Arizona (her home state), it was a very simple decision to make my profession home watch and concierge services and so, My Arizona Butler was born. And rest assured it is just that, my profession. My incredibly diverse professional life has suited me perfectly for this business and it is the only thing I want to do for the rest of my life, partly from a long-time frustration from working for others but mainly from the sense of tremendous pride and self-satisfaction that comes from exceeded customers' expectations in serving them. It is unbelieveably fulfilling.

Enough boring you with my life, but I wanted you to know who you are entrusting with such a large investment as your Arizona home. I can assure you that no one will care for you and your home as personally and respectfully as Laurie and I. We are very excited to have the opportunity and thank you for giving it to us.

Kevin

"No man or woman of the humblest sort can really be strong, gentle and good, without the world being better for it, without somebody being helped and comforted by the very existence of that goodness."
- Alan Alda

Copyright © 2011 My Arizona Butler, LLC

Arizona's Premiere Home Watch Service

blog@myarizonabutler.com (MyArizonaButlerLLC) — Wed, 15 Jun 2011 19:18:10 GMT

Woohoo ... welcome to our blog page!!!!!!! Laurie and I are very excited to finally be in the blogosphere and to have the opportunity to reach out to our valued customers on a regular basis with fun things, interesting websites, helpful tips for around the house, things to do in Arizona (we just tubed the Salt on Monday), links to everything Arizona and beyond, shopping stuff (from Laurie), and tons more!! She's a Cardinals fan and I'm a dyed in the wool Steelers fan, so there may even be a few fireworks come this fall. Stick with us, post your comments, bookmark our site at http://www.myarizonabutler.com, send us your feedback / questions, favorite us before you leave, whatever you feel like doing. You never know what we'll be posting about, so be sure to come back often and see what's going on.

Kevin

"I'm writing an unauthorized autobiography." - Stephen Wright