For the latter, this will often be as part of a group or through sister companies.
When it comes to GM services, you’re trusting the safety, wellbeing and success of your international colleagues to your chosen provider. Therefore, it’s critical for everyone that your chosen provider is willing and able to deliver against each of those – directly and/or through their Group, sister companies or trusted partners.
We asked a senior GM manager from the professional services sector what they consider to be the most important qualities in a GM services provider, beyond the services they offer and the regions they cover.
Top five things to look for in a GM services provider
1. Vision
The industry is going through profound change. It’s important to question whether your chosen relocation services provider is fit for the future. Are they keyed into the changes happening around us in a way that ensures they bring their a-game to the table? Just as important, if not more so, do they have a clear understanding of your vision for GM and how they can best support it and contribute to your goals?
Check their current technology solutions and ask to see their roadmap. How far ahead do they look? How much have they incorporated things like mobile applications to deliver a seamless, future-proofed solution? Or is there a mess of Excel spreadsheets lurking behind the scenes, ready to fall over as soon as things get tricky?
Beyond technology, it’s worthwhile understanding how they’ve previously responded to major global events. Did they have the vision and hindsight to move quickly? Were they even able to anticipate things before they happen? Or are they still playing catch up long after the rest of the world has moved on?
2. Integrity
Your relocation service provider might be called upon as an extended team member, a business partner, a risk manager, a solutions architect, even an agony aunt. What’s more, they act on your behalf and are often called upon to speak for you.
You need to consider whether they provide a fair representation of you in the way they speak and go about their business. As such, their integrity is key with regards to both your relocating employees and throughout your business and supply chain.
A relocation services provider may also be handling large budgets and complex compliance processes in the name of your company. It’s fair to expect them to be both transparent and accountable to you and anyone affected by their actions and decisions.
3. Culture
Much is made of the phrase ‘an extension of your in-house team’. Many relocation services companies claim that’s what they are, but what does it actually mean? It starts and ends with company culture, and whether your chosen provider understands yours and can thus be a good ambassador for it.
Peter Drucker apparently said, ‘culture eats strategy for breakfast’. A partner that appreciates this can serve you better on those tasks that fall outside routine strategy, safe in the knowledge that their investment in understanding your culture has equipped them to interpret choices and challenges in a way that aligns with the rest of your business.
4. Rigour
Flawless execution is expected. Faultless communication a given. Anticipating the needs of employees, as well as your HR and Global Mobility partner is assumed. Your relocation services provider manages risk and cost for you like few other areas of spend in HR. You should expect rigour in execution across all areas of the engagement.
However robust your master services agreement might be, it’s your employees being moved around the world and, as such, the buck stops with you. Any breach of international law, be it tax or immigration, is your responsibility. You want to make sure your chosen partner applies the necessary rigour in both their understanding and delivery of anything they do on your behalf. That way, you protect your employees, your organisation and, critically, your own standing in the company.
5. Partnership
The final thing you should look for in your GM services provider is a strong partnership. To carry on from point three: if you’re going to bring in someone who is an extension of your in-house team, you need them to be a genuine partner to your organisation.
In this case, the responsibility lies with the vendor but also with you. Take the time to truly communicate what you want and how you want it. Invite your provider to meetings they might not usually attend, and give them the tools, understanding and business contacts to enable them to do the job properly and professionally.
If you’ve read this far, it’s likely that you’re deep into considering outsourcing at least some of your Global Mobility (GM) services. (If you’re still uncertain, our article ‘5 Signs You’re Ready to Outsource’ could provide the clarity you need.)
Regardless of where you are in your decision making, we’re ready to guide you on how to enhance the relocation experience for your assignees without straining your budget.
Get in touch with us today for a no-obligation discussion about your global mobility requirements.