Switzerland
Germany
Belgium
The Netherlands
United Kingdom
Imagine you can handle your entire relocation from the US to Switzerland yourself using online tools and apps. Jennifer did this. She organised her move on her own from the US to Switzerland, using an app to book and plan her move, Swiss property websites to find potential properties to rent, and review sites to shortlist internet and insurance providers. Everything seemed to run so smoothly.
Then came the tricky part – Jennifer discovered that many of the property ads she was finding online were unreliable, fake, or even click-bait for scams. What a nightmare. Eventually, Jennifer did find an appealing and genuine offer. The lease terms for the property were in French – the translation website’s translation was OK but not very clear, and Jennifer didn’t feel confident enough to sign the lease. This was getting messy… Who could explain the terms of her lease? Who could negotiate with her landlord in French on her behalf?
The human touch
The internet is an amazing tool for so many things, but finding a home in another country isn’t one of them. Apps and websites, no matter how comprehensive, almost always fall short.
Particularly in a new country, online listings are often not as they appear, and only local experts can help you navigate a complex, high-demand, fast-moving housing market. Whether it’s identifying suitable properties that are genuinely available (not just click bait), or negotiating the terms of the lease, there are elements of the process that can’t be automated today and most likely never will be.
That’s when you need human support to guide you through the process. Providing digital relocation solutions fused with the human touch is the current Big Challenge for the relocation services industry. Digital transformation has accelerated in every industry, and relocation services are no exception.
“Our industry has been talking about technology and technology trends forever,” states Damian Aebischer, CEO at Packimpex. “But the pandemic has hit fast-forward on this need to embrace digital tools.”
How does digital relocation with a human touch work?
Today, both HR departments and assignees need to be able to monitor and manage the entire relocation process at a glance, remotely and, quite obviously, digitally. But they also need personalised input and a friendly human contact to help guide them through the most difficult phases or to sort out the information overload.
During the 44 years that Packimpex has helped HR specialists and transferees with smooth and seamless relocation processes, the relocation services industry has changed significantly. Technology has made it possible to have more transparent processes and pricing, real-time overviews and up-to-date information, as well as a more efficient handling of files and documents.
“Well, nowadays transferees are very independent. They’re used to having information at their fingertips and being able to act on that. It’s not enough to say ‘I’ll find you a house’ — they’ll start yawning and fall asleep. They’re actually looking for a whole host of different digital solutions”, adds Robert Baldwin, Director of Global Business at Packimpex
At Packimpex, we asked ourselves how can we cater to two seemingly very different needs: digital relocation management and a human-led approach? How can our relocation experts ensure a seamless transition for assignees and, at the same time, offer an easy-to-manage, cost-oriented solution to corporate HR clients?
Packimpex’s answer is the human-centric technology approach.
An integrated, human-centric approach to digital relocation management
Digital apps at Packimpex are all part of our established tech suite “Relox”. All Relox apps have two major goals:
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- Allow HR and Global Mobility specialists to use a digital platform to track and manage the logistics of employee relocation and keep costs under control.
- Offer transferees the same kind of app-driven, user-friendly technology they have in their personal lives, enriched with access to human support whenever they need it.
Digital apps enable our consultants to focus even more on the individual needs, wishes and requests of the transferees they are serving. This is why all the digital solutions in Packimpex’s portfolio come with live local support, available in-person, via phone or online.
Here’s a guide to each of our platforms more specifically:
Relox: HR and Global Mobility module for managing multiple relocations
Relox is the turnkey solution for HR and Global Mobility professionals who manage multiple relocations.
It allows our clients to:
- Access a holistic overview of all ongoing relocations at their organisation
- Easily check the status of each relocation
- Communicate with transferees, team members, and other stakeholders
- Upload all documentation securely and in a GDPR compliant way
The major benefits of Relox tech for HR are that it saves time at every stage of the relocation process and offers a complete overview of all relocations within the user’s organisation. Our relocation consultants are always just one phone call away, ready to handle any emergencies or uncertainties. Put simply, Relox reduces the information overload and yet still allows for human contact when necessary, resulting in easy, efficient collaboration and workflows for everyone.
Want to find out more about Relox?
Relox: home-finding platform for assignees
Relox’s home-finding web-app helps assignees to look for a new home in their country of destination, with the full support of an expert relocation consultant.
Home-hunting using Relox combined the support of a relocation consultant is an entirely different experience from a home-search via normal property websites. That’s why this is one of our most popular digital tools for assignees.
At every step of the process, a Packimpex consultant works together with the assignee inside the platform. Our consultant provide assignees with suggestions of properties that only meet the assignee’s criteria, and that are also considered legitimate by our expert housing adviser.
Furthermore, assignees receive specific insights from their relocation consultant about the property and/or the area. They can select properties for viewings, receive their viewing schedule, view area guides, and more.
The platform is highly collaborative and very easy to use – our customers rate it very highly.
Want to find out more about the Relox transferee web-app?
Click Call me back and we’ll be happy to give you a demo
Instant Quotes for HR and Global Mobility professionals
Our website’s Instant Quote function offers HR and Global Mobility specialists a bird’s-eye view over the relocation budget. It’s quick, transparent, and efficient.
All you have to do is pick the services your transferee will require for their relocation between Switzerland, Belgium, Germany and the rest of the world. A detailed quote will be sent to your inbox within minutes.
Can’t find the services you need? No problem! You can use the Instant Quote to create your own personalised relocation package. We know that every company and every transferee has unique needs and wants, which is why the Packimpex services can be customised to meet your demands. You can also use this service to plan and budget your annual relocations, allowances, or lump-sum mobility projects.
Alternatively, our relocation experts are always happy to help you budget or to provide you with a tailored quote.
Click Call me back and we’ll be happy to support you.
Other digital relocation tools we’ve designed for our clients
A library of videos containing essential relocation and settling in infos for Switzerland.
All our clients have access to comprehensive video guides about relocating to Switzerland. From renting a property to choosing the rights health insurance provider or adapting to the local culture, the videos are an easy-to-follow, friendly set of guides.
Pre-arrival Orientation Tours – in person and virtual
To help transferees integrate faster and easier in their new environment, we provide extensive – but not too overwhelming – pre-arrival orientation tours. Today these are also available remotely ( = online) as Virtual Orientation Tours.
What’s next at Packimpex?
Packimpex’s commitment to a faster, safer, and more enjoyable relocation process doesn’t stop here. Our next digital project is the launch of a new Relox module that provides a self-service platform for private clients. Based on our extensive experience in working with expats, we have heard many clients asking for a B2C platform that empowers them to make their own choices and create their relocation service package. Our self-service platform will make that possible. Most importantly, It will ensure that clients using it remain fully compliant with privacy and mobility regulations.
Relox’s new self-service platform is designed for assignees receiving lump-sum relocation packages support packages and for assignees with a limited scope of service in their policies.
Our most ambitious plan for the near future is to create a new master layer in Relox that spans across both corporate and private clients. This will enable our partners to entrust us with whatever mix of global mobility solutions they like, whether these are corporate-paid relocations, lump-sum assignees, or true private clients.
We’re confident that these upcoming updates to the Relox suite will represent a new standard in digital relocation management – one that will make global mobility easier to manage for both assignees and HR professionals.
Final thoughts
Global Mobility is one of the first industries to react to major social and economic changes. And it is, without a doubt, one of the industries that needs to adapt and pivot faster.
One of the demands of the industry’s stakeholders is increased digitalisation. Quick, secure, integrated access to all the stages of relocation for assignees and Global Mobility professionals is a must. However, as any technological advancement, Global Mobility digitalisation has to be done without losing sight of the human touch that every relocation needs. After all, it is human connections that drive us to move around the globe and to discover new cultures and new opportunities. Or, in the words of Robert Baldwin, Director of Global Business at Packimpex:
“When you’re moving across the world with your family, it’s great to get a notification on your phone to say your household goods are arriving or your visa is due to expire. But if your lease application is denied or if your landlord refuses to agree to your terms, you’ll need somebody to speak to and that will never leave our industry. Actually, the use of technology should simply enable service providers to spend more time talking to people and less time doing data entry or other back office work.”
Do you have questions about any of our digital relocation tools or would like to know more about our next big digital project?
We’d love to give you a demo.
Click Call me back and we’ll be happy to reach out.