Finding the right vendor doesn’t have to be a nightmare. Follow these tips and you’ll stay firmly in control.
Assess your situation before shopping around:
- Develop a strong, tiered relocation policy for your employees.
- Break down the different areas of relocation so you can itemize costs.
- Estimate time and costs of HR’s current relocation role.
- Project what time would be saved if relocation were outsourced.
Be in control of your search:
- Benchmark as many firms as you possibly can.
- Ask for references from other HR clients and relocated employees.
- Check with the Washington, D.C.-based Employee Relocation Council and the Alexandria, Virginia-based Society for Human Resource Management for referrals and experiences.
- Visit each prospective vendor’s office.
Be a prepared, articulate client:
- Clearly state the employee’s goal and situation—professionally and personally. Define your expectations.
- Meet the person who will handle your account. Ask about caseload.
- Evaluate the firm’s flexibility to match your needs, budget and culture.
- Determine the vendor’s long-term commitment to stay in the relocation industry.
- Leverage free services.
Forge the partnership:
- Set up a mechanism for employee feedback, such as a customer survey.
- Ask for some follow-up measures.