Here are some key points to bring up when seeking relocation management services
In a competitive hiring market, companies see firsthand how hard it can be to obtain and retain top candidates in their industry. Human resources teams in numerous industries offer great hiring incentive programs to find the most qualified applicant to fill the vacant spot. One of the best incentives to offer is a relocation package.
A qualified local candidate might fill that hole just fine when hiring for a position. But what if there are no qualified local applicants? Only fielding applications from locally based people can pigeonhole the hiring process for each position. But if the hiring manager can negotiate with employees globally, then it opens up the options for getting the right talent in the right seat.
When offering relocation services, the best route is to work with a qualified and highly reputable relocation management company (RMC). Many companies understand that working with an RMC will provide their employees and families with a seamless relocation process.
Hence, they seek pricing and bids from multiple RMCs to ensure they are getting the best price. However, determining how to choose a qualified RMC can be challenging for a company that does not fully understand the talent mobility process. Therefore, these questions will help identify those with the most experience and best relocation management services.
1. Overview of the Company/General Company Information
RMCs should provide information about their principals, organizational structure, and account managers. The company’s history will give insight into its growth and industry relationships. Third parties and business partners used as vendors should be fully noted. However, the critical note to walk away from here is to find out who and how many points of contact the relocating employee will have during the process.
Relocating a family is not easy. The last thing a moving employee wants is to not know who to contact at all times. Please verify with the RMCs that each transferee will have a go-to account manager or relocation expert they can contact at all times.
2. Relocation Services and Supplies
There is no one-size-fits-all relocation package. Every company will have different needs depending on the number of employees they relocate, the timelines they have to relocate them, and the number of talent transfers they perform each year. That’s why companies that are vetting RMCs should find out about the relocation services offered and whether those services can be tailored to their needs.
Consider this question as a detailed menu of what the RMC will provide. Look for information related to specific areas, including:
- Policy Counseling
- Expense Administration
- Cost Projections
- Household Goods Moving Services
- Temporary Housing
- Home Marketing Assistance
- Guaranteed Buyout/Amended Value Sale Program – Home Sale Assistance
- Buyer Value Option Program – Home Sale Assistance
- Home Inventory Management
- Home Finding/Purchase Assistance
- Mortgage Assistance
- Rental Assistance
- Property Management
- Spouse/Partner Assistance
3. Quality Assurance/Customer Service
This section should include good information on customer retention rates, complaint resolution processes, communication methods, and all reporting and tracking systems available to the company and its relocating employees. In addition, the RMC should note how they account for order delivery, planning, and revisions to shipments.
Website services and information technology solutions related to customer service should be described in detail. Look for a company that provides a robust solution that can easily integrate into your company’s current systems. True innovators should speak to their experience and history within the relocation industry.
4. Transition Process and Projected Relocation Timeline
In this section, the RMC should describe the transition from the pre-decision services to the final destination, including the technology setup and rollout of the talent mobility program. It should also describe the staffing structure for account services, including one-on-one services. The company should outline its support staff process, regular hours of operation, response times, and hierarchy to escalate issues.
5. What Sets Them Apart From Competitors?
The RMC should describe the main advantages that companies and employees will achieve by selecting their firm to provide relocation services. Several distinct advantages should be described in detail, and the RMC’s value proposition on each point should be clearly defined. At least three references who can speak to their experiences working with the RMC should also be supplied.
GMS Checks All These Boxes
At Global Mobility Solutions (GMS), we not only provide unbeatable relocation management services but are also innovators in the talent mobility industry. For example, in the early 1990s, GMS was the first relocation company to register as a .com, created the first online interactive tools and calculators, and revolutionized the entire relocation industry.
GMS continues to set the industry pace as the pioneer in innovation and technology solutions with its proprietary MyRelocation™ technology platform. Therefore, this allows GMS to provide clients with an ideal platform with fully integrated information technology solutions for their relocation programs.
At GMS, we take pride in providing award-winning relocation services to companies across numerous industries. We would love to have one of our expert team members walk you through your current relocation policies. From there, we can decide the best route to help get your employees from point A to point B. With over 30 years of experience in the relocation and real estate industry, our team of relocation coaches strives to make the moving process as seamless as possible.
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Michael Barone
I have been a Global Business Development Manager and Global Account Manager since October 2022, supporting organizations in all aspects of their Global Mobility Programs. Before joining GMS, I worked for 18 years in Global Mobility. My experience ranges from Operations to Account Management for various client sizes and scopes. I have extensive experience with inter-company transfers and all assignment types for Global Cross Border policies.
