Question:
Is concierge-level relocation service something companies should reserve for executives and VIP moves?
MoveCenter Expert:
We don’t think so. An executive relocation may come with a larger policy, more complex real estate, high-value household goods, greater privacy considerations, or other needs that require specialized expertise. But needing someone knowledgeable, responsive, and accountable for your relocation isn’t an executive perk. It’s good relocation management.
At MoveCenter, concierge service isn’t a separate program or service tier. It’s how we manage every relocation.
The Benefits May Be Different. The Service Shouldn’t Be.
Companies have legitimate reasons for providing different relocation benefits based on job level, business need, move type, or other eligibility criteria. An executive might receive home sale assistance, temporary housing, household goods, destination services, and benefits that aren’t included in another employee’s relocation package. That doesn’t mean the other employee should receive a lesser service experience.
If your policy provides three benefits, our job is to manage those three benefits exceptionally well. If it provides fifteen, our job is to manage those fifteen exceptionally well. Concierge service isn’t about how much your company spends on the relocation. It’s about how the employee is treated while receiving the benefits you’ve chosen to provide.
Every Relocating Employee Is Going Through a Major Life Event
For HR, a relocation may be one of several moves being managed that month. For the employee, it may be the only relocation they’ve ever experienced.
They’re changing homes, communities, commutes, and routines. Their spouse or partner may be changing jobs. Their children may be changing schools. They may be selling their first home, moving across the country, or arriving somewhere they have never lived. Their job title doesn’t determine how disruptive that experience can be.
That’s one reason we don’t believe personal service should suddenly appear when an employee reaches a certain organizational level.
Concierge Doesn’t Mean Extravagant
The word “concierge” can suggest luxury. In relocation, we think it should mean something more practical: knowing the employee and their relocation, anticipating the next step, responding when they need help, and coordinating the moving pieces rather than expecting the employee to do it themselves.
It also means the employee shouldn’t have to repeatedly explain their situation to different people or figure out who is responsible when something doesn’t go according to plan. None of that requires an unlimited relocation budget. Good concierge service should help employees use the benefits your company provides effectively and within policy.
One Person Who Knows the Whole Story
A relocating employee may interact with numerous people during a move, but they shouldn’t have to manage all of those relationships or figure out who owns a problem when something goes wrong.
MoveCenter assigns a senior-level relocation consultant as the employee’s single point of contact. That consultant knows the employee, understands the policy, coordinates the relocation, and remains accountable throughout the process. The employee isn’t routed through a call center or expected to start over with whoever answers next.
That’s valuable during a complicated executive move, but it’s equally valuable when a first-time transferee simply doesn’t know what happens next.
High-Touch Service Matters to Your Company, Too
There’s another side to concierge relocation that isn’t always discussed: HR’s experience. Your HR team shouldn’t need to become the escalation point every time an employee has a question or something unexpected happens.
When relocation is managed well, HR has visibility and control without having to manage the details. Whether you’re relocating a new college graduate, a hard-to-find engineer, a newly recruited physician, or your next CEO, the person being moved represents an investment your organization has already decided is worth making. The relocation experience should reflect that.
Concierge Is a Service Model, Not a Service Tier
Some relocations will always require additional services because of their complexity. Executive moves are a good example. But there’s a difference between providing additional benefits and providing a higher standard of care.
At MoveCenter, we don’t reserve our highest level of personal attention for a select category of employees. Our entire service model is built around high-touch, consultative relocation management. Different employees may receive different benefits, but they shouldn’t have to earn better service.
