blogs / 11 May 2023

here are our top 10 tactical tips ahead of scheduling moves this summer!

As we approach the busy summer period for global mobility, we’re excited to share our latest Mobility Supply Chain Guide, which shares best practices to follow when it comes to destination services, immigration, temporary living, rental assistance, and household goods services.

download

top 10 tactical tips

Don’t have time to read our full guide right now? No problem! We’ve handpicked the key learnings to follow when planning your mobility program over the coming months:

download your guide to the mobility supply chain

The guide highlights the challenges impacting the wider industry, the steps Cartus is taking to mitigate them, and key recommendations to help organizations reduce the impact these issues have on their mobility programs.  

  1. Plan ahead. To prevent a delay from derailing an assignment, start the overall relocation process, especially immigration requirements, as early as possible. Also, provide advanced notice on potential volume, including group moves, moves into new or remote locations, and VIP assignments.
  2. Elevate compliance over convenience. Time pressures can lead to some companies choosing to cut corners when it comes to meeting compliance requirements, which may cause a whole host of issues. Experts from Cartus immigration partner, Fragomen, share their recommendations here, Crisis Management: Lessons Learned in Immigration and Mobility for more.
  3. Remain agile. Give ample time to research and prepare for upcoming travel or international assignments. Projected start dates may need to be fluid, so having a robust mobility program that allows flexibility will help overcome delays.
  4. Set expectations. When searching for temp living accommodation in competitive markets, assignees should demonstrate flexibility where possible. The more specific the request (e.g., “four-bedroom apartment within a five-minute commute from the school district,”) the fewer choices available.
  5. Make quick decisions. When looking for any property type in a competitive market, be it temporary accommodation, rentals, or purchasing a home, a quick, educated decision is essential to secure the property… and by ‘quick,’ we mean hours as opposed to days! Listen to our recent podcasts on the EMEA and APAC temp living landscapes. (Americas episode is coming soon!)
  6. Consider block-booking in frequented destinations. Organizations with significant volume in the same location may consider block-booking temporary accommodation (i.e., renting a block of units and moving employees into the accommodation on a rotational, short-term basis). This guarantees availability and may help control costs.
  7. Request HHG services early. If your organization has scheduled moves that include household goods services, let your relocation provider know as early as possible (three or more weeks in advance). This is especially important for moves on the East and West coasts of the United States, where markets continue to be highly active. In a recent Mobility Matters podcast episode, our supplier partners share their expertise on the topic: “What’s Happening in the Household Goods Arena?
  8. Review remote work policies. Employers should periodically reassess their remote work policies to ensure they comply with the ever-changing rules and standards of different countries. Learn more from our Remote Work Landscape Survey Report.
  9. Choose a real estate agent that understands mobility. In this challenging real estate market, using a broker that you can trust and who will advocate for your needs is more critical than ever. Our broker network is made up of top-performing brokers within the brands of our parent company, Anywhere Real Estate, Inc (Better Homes and Gardens® Real Estate, CENTURY 21®, Coldwell Banker®, ERA®, and Sotheby’s International Realty®), as well as a small number of leading independent firms. Our experienced brokers understand the relocation process, client policies, and the importance of adhering to strict timelines and are committed to delivering service excellence.
  10. Do your homework! Understanding the landscape and current mobility challenges will help manage the expectations of all involved in your relocation program. Regularly review the information and market updates your Supply Chain Management team provides. Guides like this are a good first step to learning more about current trends.

Cartus will continue to work closely with our supplier partners to ensure we minimize the impact these wider industry trends may have on our clients and their relocating employees.

Learn more about the Cartus Global Supplier Network.

Irene Godfrey

about the author

Irene has been working for Cartus for over 25 years. For the past six years, her responsibility has been working in the Global Supply Chain team with a focus on management of Cartus’ Immigration providers and overseeing the company’s vehicle services products.