mobility matters, S4 bonus: cartus relocation: going above and beyond

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Alison: Hello everyone, and welcome to mobility matters, Cartus’ official podcast. In today’s bonus episode, we bring you a topic that resonates deeply across our industry. Cartus relocation going above and beyond. I’m your host. Alison, Cartus’ premier executive team lead based in Hong Kong, with 30 years of experience in the relocation industry. I’ve seen how every move can be a turning point for individuals, families and organizations alike.

In this episode, we will peek into the specialized program offered to some of our key clients explore real stories, to reflect on how the service goes above and beyond to help simplify and enhance the relocation experience for senior employees or VIPs in the organization.

Today, I’m delighted to welcome my co-host, Navin, who is the global premier executive manager based in London with an equally impressive 17 years in the industry. Navin has been helping senior executives and their families navigate their move with clarity and care.

Welcome Navin, together, we bring nearly five decades of experience to the mic that’s truly amazing. It’s a pleasure to be here with you, Navin, can you tell us a bit about your background and how you started as a premier executive.

Navin: Sure, there’s no conventional route into the relocation industry, and for many people, until you’re here, you don’t really know that the services exist. I started out in property management for an estate agent overseeing tenancies and maintenance for prime central London rental properties. So, my portfolio covered many of the popular expat neighborhoods, such as Chelsea, Mayfair, Kensington, and this is where I had my first exposure to corporate tenancies. This was back in the day when companies would be named on leases for their employees. I was fascinated to learn how companies would move their employees around the world and support them during their assignment.

From there, I moved into destination services. So, I was overseeing home finding, lease negotiation and coordinating a few complimentary services such as temporary accommodation, moving services, rental furniture, etc. That role was for a relocation management company, or RMC, which allowed me to broaden my scope into account management with my own team coordinating more of the relocation policy for a few large multinational clients. This led me to Cartus in 2013 and my current position on site.

Alison: Interesting! Similarly, I started out in moving services with a global household goods moving company. I was in charge of corporate business development at the time. My main responsibilities were to identify and nurture long term business relationships with corporates. I also got to work closely with the operations and the shipping side of the moving business, and I even went on as far as taking on the moving consultant role. So, I would go into homes to conduct household goods surveys for my corporate clients, and being able to estimate the size of a shipment, prescribe the relevant packing materials to protect the shipment during transit. I also worked closely with the shipping insurers, and I learned how to prepare comprehensive values, insurance, inventory, and all this knowledge and experience continues to serve me well in my current role as a premier executive.

So, Navin, both you and I have been premier executives for many years now supporting our client on site, a multinational financial services company, to provide unified delivery model across the regions that ensures the most senior level employees and their family members receive consistent, high quality, well-coordinated support, without the gaps that can occur when regions work in silo. The professional profile that we serve tend to have senior leadership roles. They’re often C-suite executives or high-ranking leaders within their own organizations, many of them have frequently relocated across international borders due to strategic business needs. We understand that their relocation needs are complex, and they have customized requirements involving family considerations, schooling, immigration and luxury housing. These senior executives require fast, efficient and seamless relocation to maintain productivity. They also expect confidentiality and minimal disruption to their professional and private lives.

Our role as a premier executive is primarily based on-site at the client’s office. This, which is a huge benefit in both operation efficiency and employee experience when it comes to managing the relocation and expectations for these high-level relocations. Working on-site enhances collaboration and communication with the client and the client’s internal services team, and that allows for real time problem solving, leading to quicker resolution of issues, especially in complex relocation cases that we deal with. The benefit of being on-site also allows for improved customer experience, on site teams provide local expertise to provide insights into housing, schooling and cultural nuances specific to the location. Having an on-site presence allows for face-to-face interaction with relocating employees.

Navin: That’s right, the service we provide is truly specialized relocation program. It’s designed to support high level executives and their families with a white glove, highly personalized experience throughout their move. Our role as part of the premier executive team is significantly different from an international assignment consultant in both service and the level of employee.

It serves some of the key support that we provide and how that differs. So, we offer a follow-the- sun executive specialist support, which essentially means executives are paired with tenured mobility experts, both in their home and host location. And this is available in all regions to ensure continuity of support. Globally, we provide a high touch service delivery proactively manage every detail, from liaising with suppliers to filling out and managing expenses, which ensures a seamless and stress-free relocation.

Their tailored program management services are customized to meet the unique needs of each executive and their family, including an a la carte option. Examples of enhanced services include premiere temporary living – we aim to visit all buildings before offering them to assignees. Or we ensure that buildings are validated by our destination service providers, so that we can be confident that they meet the required standards, and we provide on-site move management. So, we meet assignees face-to-face in the office for their policy briefings where possible. We meet them at their home prior to leaving if they’re receiving property management support, and we are present for packing or delivery of their household goods. We have premier school placement, so, we have a specialist who provides high touch service, including thorough assessment of needs and expert guidance, end-to-end, with whom we work very, very closely.

Schooling is usually the determining factor as to whether the family will join the assignee on assignment. We can provide domestic staff recruitment. We oversee the search and onboarding process for nannies or housekeeper hiring, including contracting and payroll setup. There’s a home technology set-up. The requirement to have a stable, secure internet connection with full coverage is very important these days, particularly in a large London property, which can span four or five floors, or large lateral apartment in Paris, where multiple devices are connected and assignees are working from home on Zoom or teams. We have a specialist that can install commercial grade systems suitable for family living and made services. Moving services is typically very physical, but assignees need a softer touch for the final part of the home setup. So we arrange maid service to support shipping, unpacking.

Alison: Spot on Navin, these services and additional touch points goes beyond the typical relocation services that companies engage us on. That said, premier executives and the important role that we play is not new to the relocation industry. Premier executives are carefully selected based on their wide breadth of knowledge, in addition to the added value of their deep understanding and expertise in their specialized area in relocation. Another bonus of engaging a premier executive is that they are a valuable resource for on-the-ground knowledge. Premier executives have access to a resourceful network of local contact companies to provide support for various needs. For example, if you’re looking to sell a car, premier executives can help connect you with a local car broker to sell a car in the departure location prior to relocating or even help you to buy a car and obtain driving license in the new location. Premier executives are knowledgeable to the local nuances in the various locations and can help guide the relocating executive to navigate the relocation benefits more effectively. So, Navin, what does a typical day look like for you as a premier executive in London?

Navin: My role is based at the client’s office in London. So, my day starts with a journey into the city of London from the west suburbs where I live. The commute will typically include checking my emails, which may have been received overnight from the US or earlier that morning from APAC so that I can address anything urgent or be prepared to dive straight in once I arrive at my desk. When we have clients arriving outside of office hours or over the weekend, we make ourselves available in case they need emergency assistance. For example, we also work with our counterpart home or host premier executive so that assignees have coverage in two time zones, so they usually have one of us online midweek. If needed. I’d assess which of these comms requires immediate attention, then prioritize my actions and next steps. This is often shipping, delivery, temporary accommodation issues, or complications with travel, for example.

So, given we are involved in all elements of the move, if one service within the move plan alters, it has an impact on many other pieces that need to be amended. Day to day, tasks can vary, which keeps the role really interesting! I’d say the key foundations that we focus on on a daily basis to best service the clients are needs assessment – really getting to know employees, their families, and finding out what’s important to them. What will it take to make their move successful? And then I take that away to deliver a tailored service. Secondly, building credibility and trust, ensuring you’re prepared as much as possible with the information that we’ve been given ahead of time when going into that first meeting, so that we can demonstrate we have knowledge, experience, and that’s what’s going to add value to their move, then ensuring that we execute on those promises within the deadlines.

I also think it’s really important to think like a senior executive. They’re highly competent in their field. They want to be serviced by somebody competent in relocation. We have to be self-driven and proactive so that we can lead them through the process. They know what they want. So, we need to think strategically and aim to be steps ahead which gives them confidence in our serviceability. I also think communication is really key, so be clear, leave nothing to interpretation. Share your views and opinions based on experiences, so that you can steer them into good decisions. Remember to be sensitive and take a genuine interest in them. This is the key to success within the working relationship. So, Ali, that’s a snapshot of the primary executive role. How about we take a look at some of the extra services that we can provide to VIP executives.

Alison: As premier executives, we often handle relocations involving high value items such as art and wine shipments. So, don’t be surprised to receive an on-site QC visit from one of the premier executives to oversee the packing of these high value items in your home. The relocation of fine art and wine will involve a combination of specialized logistics, white glove service and expert coordination with vetted partners for fine art shipping. We partner with an art logistics specialist to assess each piece, to determine packing, creating and transportation needs. Each artwork is packed in custom built crates tailored to its dimensions and fragility. The artwork is carefully handled using museum grade materials such as acid free paper, foam padding and vibration resistant supports to prevent damage during transit. The packing materials used are selected to protect against humidity, temperature fluctuations and light exposure.

For wine shipments, we partner with professional wine shippers who transport the wine under temperature-controlled conditions throughout the journey. Wine bottles, especially vintage or rare ones, require shock resistant packaging, like crates or cartons with cushioning. Humidity resistant materials are used to protect labels and prevent spoilage. Also, it’s important to keep the bottles in an upright position during transit to avoid cork damage and oxidation. Shipping wine internationally involves documentation and customs clearance. We will assist with the preparation of the wine inventory list to ensure accurate documentation for customs and insurance, we will also coordinate with the insurer to provide full value protection for high value items, detailed documentation and photographs are taken before and after transit to ensure accountability.

Navin: Ali, what’s the most valuable piece of artwork that you’ve handled for a senior executive?

Alison: Oh, I do have a story to share, but I won’t disclose too much information. The most valued piece of art I’ve encountered so far was a NFT art that’s a digital art asset represented by non-fungible tokens stored on a blockchain, so, essentially a unique digital certificate of ownership when it came to purchasing insurance for shipping this piece of NFT art. We found out from the insurers that only the physical form of the NFT art is insurable and not the NFT value. So, what this means is the insurers will not insure the digital art based on the purchase or replacement value that you find on invoice. So, this is what we’re, you know, typically used to taking the value that’s on an invoice, a receipt for purchasing artwork. That’s the traditional way of ensuring using that value. But instead, for NFT art, we have to appraise the NFT art, or get it valued based at the physical print value, and we were able to obtain that through an art appraisal company in the end. So that’s a true example of how the art world is evolving to keep up with the times.

Navin: Wow, Alison, you sound like you’re the subject matter expert on NFT art. So, next time this comes up, we’ll certainly be consulting you.

I have a story of something equally as non-fungible or one of a kind. I think we can all agree that pets are just another member of the family, and we’re used to transporting cats and dogs, and occasionally horses around the world. Pets can often be the number one priority for families besides kids, of course, I had a once in a lifetime request, which started with the words – no fish, no assignment. And what that meant was the assignee would not move if we could not move their fish. When we started researching, we were told by the experts that in a commercial shipment of fish, only 80% survived, which really raised the stakes, and the pressure was on to find a safe solution. So, we reviewed the process with one of our pet transportation vendors, and they believed that they could put in place enough controls to successfully complete the move. We spent hours exploring alternative methods of transportation designed to try to minimize the discomfort whilst containing the cost within policy, we looked at custom crates, private flights, horse sized transporters, and even cruise liners, which would be accompanied by a marine expert.

After weeks of research and dozens of conversations with different scenarios, speaking to the department for agriculture, fish and wildlife, the Animal and Plant Health Agency, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, we managed to lay out a plan to send them via manifest cargo, which means unaccompanied in the hold of a commercial flight. We engaged a marine biologist on the scientific names for the fish in order to apply for a CITES export permit as a safeguard to rule out that these were not protected specimen. Once that was confirmed, we applied for a UK import permit. That process took approximately four months. A vet and aquarium expert were employed to supervise and monitor packing and transportation from the tank to the plane. And in London, a new tank was set up a few weeks before the fish arrived, to ensure that we had a suitable environment ready and waiting, so the water, pH, the salinity and temperature, all had to be balanced in line with the New York water that they were used to. I’m pleased to say they all survived and are happy in their new home learning to swim on the left-hand side.

Alison: Wow, that’s a great success story, Nevin! And a true example of how our in our role, we are required to work with many different specialists in their field and pull them all together to execute a plan.

Navin: Yeah, I think that was an extreme example of the types of things that we get involved in as premier executives. But something which occurs more frequently in the normal course of a relocation is, I guess, having to navigate the fast-paced London property market. So, both for inbound renters who are relocating to the UK on assignment, but also for outbound landlords that are moving abroad to work, we support both kinds.

For our client, we had a situation where the two scenarios collided. So, there was an outbound employee that wanted to let their home to an inbound colleague whilst they were away on assignment. Of course, that led to a conflict of interest for the premier executive, as they couldn’t really act for both the landlord and the tenant at the same property. So, we made the decision that one of the team would act. For the landlord and another member of the team would act for the tenant, we enforced what we called an ethical wall, so that information couldn’t cross between the two primary executives, which would allow them to best serve their clients. We raised the risks of such a lease with both parties, but they wanted to proceed. We ensured the transaction followed usual processes and due diligence was completed on both sides. There were some ups and downs, like any tenancy, but thankfully, due to our controls, no major disputes and the relationship was maintained.

One of the things we need to do is keep abreast of legislative changes and upcoming government processes which could impact the benefits that we deliver. So, for example, the implementation of the transfer of residents for UK imports, or the renters reform bill, or even sanctions on opening bank accounts for certain passport holders. So, working with our supply chain managers and key vendors, we ensure that the client is aware of the potential impacts of changes on their assignees and how we can mitigate delays or potential risks.

Alison: Thank you so much, Navin, for sharing your incredible stories with us. Now, one might ask, what motivates us to keep moving forward with the high standard of service that we provide.

For me, it is job satisfaction and the variety it gives. As you can tell, our job scope is all encompassing and wide ranging. No two moves are the same, there are always new challenges as we take on new assignments. I see these opportunities to explore new ways of doing things, and this keeps the job interesting. For me, there’s never a dull moment.

Navin: I agree, never a dull moment. For me, relocation isn’t just about the logistics, it’s about delivering peace of mind through trust and empathy. I think knowing that I can make a difference in somebody’s journey, whether they’re moving across the world or navigating a new chapter, that fuels my commitment to excellence. Being on site and sitting alongside the client in their environment, feeling the atmosphere, being immersed in their culture, is such a unique experience for which we as premier executives are hugely privileged to be entrusted with. We’re able to hear or provide updates live real time, which keeps us relevant, and it’s what makes the premier executive role exciting and interesting. We get a good understanding of their business, which allows us to align with their strategy and how they like to do things. Premier executives have to be highly professional, as they are empowered by Cartus to be the representative on a daily basis with a key client stakeholder. All of that drives me to maintain high standards.

Alison: You have summed that up perfectly. Navin, it’s been an amazing journey as we share the amazing stories of our premier executive role, full of meaningful moments, great people we’ve befriended and the lessons we’ll carry with us forever. We’re excited for what lies ahead, and that brings us to the end of today’s episode. We hope you enjoyed the conversation and found it insightful. A huge thank you to my amazing co-host, Navin, for bringing such great energy and perspective to the discussion. It was a pleasure sharing the mic with you.

Navin: Thanks again for having me. Alison, it’s been a pleasure sharing my journey and insights. I hope the listeners found something valuable to take away.

Alison: To our listeners, thank you for tuning in! To catch up on this season and all previous episodes, please visit www.cartus.com/podcast. Also don’t forget to subscribe, so you never miss an episode or email us at cartussolutions@cartus.com if you’d like to find out more about our services.