Relocating employees and their families for work involves countless hours of research and a long list of considerations from housing and rental costs to movers and utility hook-up. There are many uncertainties during the process, from trying to help your transferring employees find the right home and neighborhood to helping them navigate a whole new set of roads and freeways to simpler things like where’s the best burger-joint in town or the best drycleaner. Moving can be overwhelming. But it can be easier.
Destination Services (or DS, as it’s known) is a service centered around reducing the headaches for relocating employees and getting them settled into their new location as fast and as stress-free as possible.
Every relocating employee’s needs are unique, so the most successful DS programs allow for some amount of customization in the amount of support, available time and selected services to meet those preferences. Typically, a program is either pre-determined by the employer themselves or structured in a way that provides the employee with options to choose from, almost like a buffet line. In some cases, a formal program may not even be offered at all, leaving it up to the employee to decide on the level of services they need and will sign up for, based on the financial support they receive from their company.
Programs are also clearly differentiated by two main categories: international and domestic (intra-country) moves. For example, employees relocating into the U.S. from abroad will need assistance applying for a social security number, setting up a bank account, and finding the right school for their children. An employee relocating domestically in the U.S., on the other hand, likely just needs help getting a new driver’s license and might rather spend extra time on home finding or an area orientation tour.
No matter the program type, the face of a DS program is the Destination Services Consultant (or DSC). They are the on-the-ground, market experts who act as a local advocate to alleviate employee concerns about their move and assist with completing necessary tasks. A local DSC is knowledgeable about the local rental market and any and all relocation-related needs and can even accompany the relocating employee to complete these tasks if program time allows.
A Destination Service Consultant is your best friend in a new area. Like a new friend at a new school, the Consultant will guide you in the relocation process.
The process itself starts with a simple introduction. The Consultant and the transferring employee connect via text, e-mail or over the phone to get acquainted and assess the employee’s wants, needs, and questions regarding their new destination. The Consultant then shares their local knowledge and conducts research for prospective properties that fit the relocating employee's request. Although many of our Consultants come from a real estate background, they are not paid a commission, and therefore work solely in the employee’s best interest. Depending on the program authorized, the employee then visits their destination and has an in-person meeting with their Consultant, complete with an area orientation, which may include visits to potential rental properties.
With Destination Services support, and a Destination Services Consultant as a single point of contact for all their questions, relocating employees avoid the inconvenience of their move and have more time to focus on the things they care about. Their priority becomes feeling comfortable and making their new city a true home, instead of the intricate details. In our experience, we have found employees even make long lasting connections with their Consultant and are able to pass on their newfound knowledge to other newcomers. Sometimes all it takes is a welcoming guide to make something that was once foreign feel familiar.
