Bigger is better?

Dispelling the 5 mythsthat engaging a globalsupplier is better

Providers of GlobalAssignee ManagementSolutions

WHITEPAPER GUIDE

Bigger is better?

Bigger is better? – Dispelling the 5 Myths that engaging a global supplier is better

Contents

Myth 1 - “The bigger the organisation the better quality of global coverage” ……… 3

Myth 2 - “The bigger the organisation the more secure the offering” ……… 3

Myth 3 - “The bigger the organisation the better the quality of people” ……… 4

Myth 4 - “The bigger the organisation the better value for money” ……… 4

Myth 5 - “The bigger the organisation the more peace of mind” ……… 4

In conclusion ……… 5

About IPM Global Mobility ……… 5

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Bigger is better?

There is a common perception that “bigger is better”. We come across this everywhere we turn in daily life. Whether it is shopping malls, cruise ships, televisions or diamond rings, it seems that size does matter! We also encounter this opinion across certain areas of the service industry, with Global Mobility being a particular example, given the increasing requirement for worldwide coverage.

We have heard it said that no-one ever gets fired for hiring the “Big 4” Accountancy firms, and the same would go for the larger mobility firms. While there is always a place for the larger organisation, there is also the exciting opportunity for clients to work with smaller boutique firms - which offer the same or similar service proposition with a reduced financial cost and heightened customer engagement.

They supply the personal touch that many people within today’s international conglomerates are looking for. These niche firms increasingly offer the global coverage that clients demand, combined with the personal touch that clients long for.

With this in mind, we wanted to respond to five of the more common myths about “bigger” being “better” when it comes to engaging a Global Mobility provider.

Myth 1 - “The bigger the organisation the better quality of global coverage”

There is an opinion that the bigger an organisation is, there will be a consistently better global service. This is not necessarily so.

Service delivery and quality within a large organisation will be limited by its weakest location. Many global organisations will, at one time or another, see differences in quality of services provided between one branch or location of the supplier company and another branch. Sometimes, global requests may take a lesser priority than a request from a local client.

With a boutique offering, which manages service delivery through a network of specialist providers, poor quality or poor performing vendors can be changed out without disrupting the overarching contract or the client’s relationship with other providers within its service team.

Myth 2 - “The bigger the organisation the more secure the offering”

Like the Titanic, an organisation can actually be hindered by its size. Going forward, the larger providers steam ahead but when out of scope work is required, it takes a while for the organisation to turn or stop! Once a global contract is signed, a larger provider will deliver the service in line with the Service Level Agreement. There is no question that they provide a good quality steady service.

Sometimes, however, a change in direction can be an arduous process for many of the largest service providers. With a large multinational, it takes time to work through layers of management to implement service changes across the board.

A smaller agile company is more quickly able to respond to client needs and to meet one-off or other off contract requirements. They feed and

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Bigger is better?

coordinate these service changes on to their service providers who will react equally quickly. Increasingly, buyers appear to be looking for suppliers who can provide an agile, flexible service offering.

Myth 3 - “The bigger the organisation the better the quality of people”

There is no doubt that most large enterprises offer comprehensive staff training.

Often times, however, this training is dedicated to specific job roles. With a smaller organisation, Consultants will have multiple touch points with clients, assignees and service providers.

Thus clients find that their points of contact within a niche organisation would have experience of the total contract and of the technical expertise needed to run a fully outsourced global mobility programme. This service model also means that clients are protected from there being too many points of contact created for Assignees and HR teams.

Larger organisations will provide strategic input from their most senior personnel. Boutique firms will often be offering this strategic input as part of their day to day management because of the need for their client teams to have this all round knowledge. Equally, niche firms will have network providers who can provide high level input as required.

Myth 4 - “The bigger the organisation the better value for money”

In today’s market, pricing has to be competitive. Many of the larger organisations may provide certain loss leading services to gain access to the work that they really want to do. While pricing in this instance can be low, service levels can mirror this. Clients are astute enough to recognise when they are in this situation.

Today’s boutique firms have a core service offering, where they can focus totally on global mobility management. When using smaller boutique firms, you receive dedicated expertise which is not underpinned by another service. As such, these firms’ focus, and only focus, is mobility management - providing the best value for your money that they can.

Myth 5 - “The bigger the organisation the more peace of mind”

Many clients perceive that by engaging a global provider, they and their assignees will be guaranteed round the clock relocation support.

By relying on this provision as a deciding factor in the buying process, clients are sometimes missing the fact that the more nimble niche service providers have the same 24/7 capability. This is guaranteed as part of their engagement with local service providers. In this way, help is always on hand in the locations where assignees are based.

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Bigger is better?

In this way, clients will have a central point of contact and programme management, while individual assignees will have someone on hand locally to respond to their specific needs.

In conclusion

Bigger organisations may sometimes be more appropriate whilst there is a place for the smaller boutique agencies, according to your business needs.

IPM Global Mobility provides support and solutions for all the challenges listed in this guide — and more. Please remember: when you need help, we’re ready to give you a hand. Let us hear from you!

Good luck with your international assignment programme.

About IPM Global Mobility

If you are faced with managing your Mobility Programme, or are grappling with the technical problems, or associated compliance issues, you should consider outsourcing to specialists like us.

Organisations, which want to focus on their core competencies, understand the benefits of outsourcing an activity that often proves to be disproportionately resource-hungry when handled by those who cannot devote their full attention to it.

We are recognised as a leader in the provision of fully integrated outsourced global assignee management solutions.

We provide comprehensive relocation support services to a wide range of clients and their

assignees including those expanding operations to overseas locations for the first time, those experiencing a surge in global mobility from emerging markets, through to multinationals with an established global workforce.

Questions? Get in touch!

We are always here to inspire and help, so don’t hesitate to contact us if you run into any problems or have any questions along the way of your international assignment programme.

info@ipmglobalmobility.com +44 (0)845 458 5643 (UK) +44 (0)1733 364040 (International)

ipmglobalmobility.com

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