Our Annual Relocation listing.
In our annual look at the corporate relocation market and the full-service providers who cater to it, we have made some important changes this year that we hope will truly help you, the buyer, to choose the right one for your organization. This year, we contacted 57 vendors and ranked the top 13 based on
customer input.
Ranking the providers is usually pretty contentious, so an explanation of how we go about doing it will help you better understand our approach. The rankings are based on customer survey feedback data. The indices are the result of a multistep process. Our survey and editorial team contacted the providers to identify the contacts at customers they would wish to take part in the survey. Each survey respondent receives a survey instrument that asks questions about services provided, scope and scale of services, and the quality and satisfaction with the services.
The respondents provide their e-mail addresses for verification, but their responses are kept in strictest confidence. Once collected, data are loaded into the HRO Today database and analyzed to determine scores for each provider for whom we had a statistically significant sample. For this survey, HRO Today received sufficient information to index nine providers based on feedback from 92 verified customers.
Individual rankings are determined based on point assignments and weightings of questions and a predetermined algorithm that calculates the overall score based on breadth of service, size of programs offered, and quality of services. We only provide a methodology, and we do not claim that our methodology is the only ratings program available.
Questions can be directed to Editor Andy Teng at ateng@crossingmedia.com.
Prudential Relocation, Inc.
45,000
www.prudential.com/relocation
Prudential Relocation is a full-service global mobility management firm with clients including global Fortune 500 companies, smaller companies, and U.S. government agencies. Prudential Relocation, operating as Pricoa Relocation in Asia and Europe, has locations in the U.S., Canada, the U.K., France, Hong Kong, Singapore, and China.
Key Clients in 2007: N/A
Relocation Services: Home sale assistance—amended value sale, buyer value option, guaranteed offer program, and marketing assistance; Destination/home-finding assistance services—mortgage services, rental assistance, global transportation services, Prudential Home Connections, and temporary housing; Expense administration—expense tracking, expense reporting, and expense reimbursement; Program administration services—program management, policy consulting, global immigration services, spouse/partner assistance, and ongoing assignment support; consulting and training services—policy consulting, global consulting, group move consulting, intercultural training, web-based cultural training tools, and language training; additional service offerings—home management, tenancy management, visa/immigration services, repatriation/reassignment services, cost projections, and lump sum program.
*HRO Today Overall Index Rating: 92.2
Cartus
132,000
www.cartus.com
Cartus serves the corporate, military, government, and affinity markets with outsourcing, consulting, language, and intercultural training and mobility management support. We assist more than 132,000 transferees, expatriate assignees, and affinity members each year. Cartus has nearly 2,900 employees in the U.S., the U.K., Singapore, Hong Kong, and China. Its staff speaks a total of 46 languages and has living and working experience in more than 80 countries.
Key Clients in 2007: Agilent, Bristol Myers Squibb, CVS Pharmacy, General Electric Company, ITT Corporation, ON Semiconductor, Shell Oil Company, United Parcel Service, Weyerhaeuser, and Whirlpool.
Relocation Services: Cartus provides an array of relocation services, from home sale and household goods shipment to settling into new communities, as well as logistical support for employees on both domestic and global assignments, with international assignment services including specialized expertise in cross-cultural and language training and global workforce development. The company also offers development of comprehensive program support for clients, including group-move management, outsourced relocation administration, policy consulting and design, relocation accounting and financial services, international assignment compensation, and global supplier management.
*HRO Today Overall Index Rating: 90.2
Weichert Relocation Resources Inc. (WRRI)
28,750
www.wrri.com
Weichert Relocation Resources Inc. (WRRI) offers best-practice services for relocation and assignment management for some of the world’s largest companies to help them avoid inventory, increase employee home sales, enhance mobile workforce management, and reduce program costs. An independent company, WRRI offers solutions such as its Raving Fan service.
Key Clients in 2007: N/A.
Relocation Services: Consulting services (policy design and development, tax consulting, benchmarking, and policy counseling); departure services (home marketing assistance, home sale services, household goods management); destination services (home search assistance, rental finding assistance, temporary living); inventory management; group-move management; mortgage services; financial services (cost-of-living analyses, lump sum administration, expense management, gross-up processing, payroll and tax services, management reporting); property management; supplier management, and tenancy management.
International Assignment Solutions: program management (assignment planning, policy design and development, supplier management); pre-assignment services (pre-assignment counseling, compensation planning, worksheet draft, assignment cost projections, assignment letter preparation, tax planning and strategy, balance sheet calculations, visa/immigration services, cash-flow analysis, certificate of coverage, cultural and language training, departure services); destination management (home search, rental assistance, settling-in services, temporary living, tenancy management, spouse career counseling, mortgage services, exception management, banking/credit assistance); on-assignment services (update compensation balance sheet, property management, rental management, assignment allowance coordination, emergency evacuation, expense disbursement); financial management (expense management, payroll and tax services, management reporting, vendor invoice review/payments, tax gross-ups, hypothetical tax calculation, home leave tracking/reimbursement requests, exception management, tax equalization and payments, preparation of year-end statement, compensation balance sheet maintenance); regulatory compliance (tax program management, budget accruals, payroll support, host country compensation reporting, coordination of tax compliance); and repatriation/post-repatriation services.
*HRO Today Overall Index Rating: 88.9
Graebel
27,795
www.graebel.com
A full-service company, Graebel owns its own third-party relocation and move management companies, van line, forwarding operation, nationwide moving and storage centers, as well as a workplace services division. The company boasts a single source for all global employee and workplace needs. Privately owned, the company also offers web-based technology that allows clients to access data worldwide.
Key Clients in 2007: N/A.
Relocation Services: management; vendor selection, management, and administration; expense tracking, reimbursement, and management reporting; tax gross-ups; cost-of-living calculations; employee policy counseling and entitlements; marketing, home sale assistance, inventory management, and sales; property management; home finding and purchase assistance; rental and temporary housing assistance; destination services; settling-in services; spousal assistance; and real estate services including tenancy management, property management, and home sale.
International—assignment management including letter, policy counseling/administration, ongoing assignment support, and repatriation; destination services including pre-assignment visit, temporary housing, area overview, home finding, and education search; settling-in services; administration and reporting including cost projections, cost-of-living analysis, expense management, and year-end reporting; and worldwide household goods move management and administration.
*HRO Today Overall Index Rating: 88.9
Paragon Relocation Resources
11,784
www.paragonrri.com
Paragon Relocation Resources has assisted more than 100,000 families with domestic and international relocation services and continues to service Fortune 1000 clients in a variety of industries while maintaining a network of leading supplier partnerships in more than 120 countries.
Key Clients in 2007: N/A.
Relocation Services: Recruitment support services; short-term assignment coordination; relocation benefits counseling; expense audit, processing, payment, and reporting; home marketing assistance; homesale services; property management services; home-finding services; mortgage services; rental assistance; temporary accommodation services; transportation of household goods and coordination; employee and family transition and spousal assistance; travel management; and tax employee assistance program.
International Relocation Services: global move cost analysis; global assignment policy counseling and administration; visa and immigration coordination; expense audit, processing, payment, and reporting; home-sale services; property management services; worldwide home-finding and settling-in services; language and cross-cultural training; shipment or storage of household goods; dual career assistance; international banking services; security services; global employee assistance program; tax preparation assistance; travel management; and global assignment services.
*HRO Today Overall Index Rating: 88
XONEX
19,200
www.xonex.com
XONEX offers comprehensive employee relocation management with the latest technology to deliver a seamless global relocation solution. Corporate clients depend on XONEX to be flexible, guide transferring employees, and achieve global mobility goals. It is certified as a woman-owned business (WBENC).
Key Clients in 2007: The New York Times Co., Turner Construction, Mitsubishi, Compass Group/Crothall, and Flowers Foods.
Relocation Services: Program administration/strategic services—policy consulting and development; budget management; expense tracking and management; cost-of-living analysis; risk management; group move management; supplier management; performance measurement; and strategic account management. Domestic relocation services include policy and transferee counseling; domestic budgeting; marketing assistance; home sale assistance; rental assistance; destination assistance; new home purchase assistance; mortgage and financing options; temporary housing; transportation of household goods; spouse/partner assistance; expense reimbursement and tracking; expense-to-date and accrual reporting; and budget-to-actual reporting.
Global services—candidate assessment; assignee counseling; assignment cost projection; work permit/visa coordination; departure services; temporary living; home rental assistance; purchase assistance; destination/settling-in services; educational consulting; language training; cross-cultural training; transportation of HHG and logistics; HHG storage management; property management; and spousal/partner transition services.
*HRO Today Overall Index Rating: 88
The Lexicon Group
23,000
www.lexiconrelocation.com
Since its inception in 1993, the Lexicon Group has provided logistics and relocation benefits administration and delivery. Headquartered in Jacksonville, FL, the Lexicon Group provides a complete menu of mobility services to more than 850 companies around the world. During 2007, it facilitated more than 23,000 moves as well as assisting both corporations and individuals with all of their logistics needs. Through 21 offices, a staff of over 1,100 employees, and agencies in more than 100 countries, the Lexicon Group provides mobility services worldwide by employing state-of-the-art technology.
Key Clients in 2007: N/A
Relocation Services: Domestic services include policy counseling; marketing assistance; home sale programs; move management of household goods including storage; temporary living coordination; home-finding assistance; rental finding; mortgage assistance; spousal/career counseling; expense administration and tax reporting; group move management; and consulting services. International services include consulting services; global assignment services; relocation services; destination services; intercultural, business awareness and language training; and repatriation programs.
*HRO Today Overall Index Rating: 85.9
The MIGroup
15,000
www.themigroup.com
Since 1978, TheMIGroup, a global relocation management company, has been delivering a full range of domestic and international relocation services. With 14 offices located throughout the Americas, EMEA, and Asia, the MIGroup works with a global alliance of provider partners to deliver comprehensive relocation services around the world.
Key Clients in 2007: N/A
Relocation Services: Corporate policy and planning include assignment/transfer objectives; candidate assessment and selection; balance sheet and cost budgeting; compensation planning; tax planning and strategy; and relocation budgeting. Assignment preparation includes orientation; counseling; cost estimates; balance sheets; visa and immigration; home marketing; taxation planning; cultural/language training; schools research and booking; destination preview trip; exception management scheduling; offer process; completion of needs analysis; home sale program and property management; setting of expectations and estimated time lines; and destination services. Assignment management includes financial services and support; compensation and payroll support; visa management; expense tracking and reporting; rental management; assignment reporting; and management of origin residence.
*HRO Today Overall Index Rating: 84.8
Hewitt Mobility
10,150
www.hewitt.com/mobility
Hewitt Mobility operates as a service offering of Hewitt Associates LLC, a publicly traded, 67-year-old global human resources consulting and outsourcing firm, delivering a complete range of human capital management services to global companies. Hewitt integrates HRO and consulting with the delivery of mobility solutions. Hewitt Mobility (formerly ReloAction), headquartered in Pleasanton, CA, has a 40-year history of delivering mobility services and operates service centers in Pleasanton, Dallas, and Norwalk, CT, as well as in India and China. More than 300 Hewitt Mobility associates specialize in domestic and international mobility service delivery, serving more than 200 clients each year.
Key Clients in 2007: N/A
Relocation Services: Domestic services—policy analysis; relocation cost estimator; affordability and comparison tool; home marketing assistance; buyer value option; home buyout; closing services; destination area counseling; home finding; mortgage loans; household goods assistance; relocation expense management; temporary lodging; coordination; and group move consulting and assistance. Global services—policy consulting; policy review/benchmark; candidate assessment; relocation policy administration; cost projection; assignment agreement preparation; visa and immigration compensation administration; remuneration data provider coordination; cross cultural training; language training; destination services; household goods move coordination temporary lodging; education assessment; relocation expense management spouse/partner assistance; on-assignment policy administration; ongoing payroll delivery host departure services; policy administration; and tax settlement processing.
*HRO Today Overall Index Rating: 74.2
Primacy Relocation
43,683
www.primacy.com
Primacy Relocation focuses exclusively on relocation and global assignment management. From offices across the Americas, EMEA, and Asia regions, Primacy’s global systems and localized specialists provide complete in-country, regional, and worldwide relocation management and service solutions. Dedicated technology systems ensure complete, accurate, and transparent program data at all times—as well as the power to increase program efficiency in real time.
Key Clients in 2007: N/A
Relocation Services: Home sales, destination services, renter services, candidate selection, household goods move management, and overall program administration.
*HRO Today Overall Index Rating: Data not available.
SIRVA
30,000
www.sirva.com
SIRVA provides relocation solutions to a well-established and diverse customer base around the world. The company is a global provider that can handle all aspects of end-to-end relocation within its own network, including home purchase and home sale services, household goods moving, mortgage services, and settlement services. SIRVA conducts more than 30,000 relocations per year, transferring corporate and government employees and moving individual customers. The company operates in more than 40 countries with more than 3,000 employees and an extensive network of agents and service providers.
Key Clients in 2007: Dell, 3M, Delphi, SYSCO, and KPMG.
Relocation Services: Global program management; program management consulting; pre-move services; destination services; moving services; mortgage services; and settlement services.
*HRO Today Overall Index Rating: Data not available.
Royal lepage Relocation Services
26,200
www.rlrs.com
Royal LePage Relocation Services has been offering international global work mobility programs to corporations, government agencies, and individuals for 44 years. In 2007, its 450 relocation professionals managed more than 25,000 relocations, 50,000 transferee services, and more than $1 billion in client relocation expenses. The company offers a full range of global mobility services that are divided into six distinct lines: corporate, government, assignment, consulting, financial, and individual.
Key Clients in 2007: The company services more than 65 percent of the top 100 employers in Canada and is the exclusive relocation supplier to the government of Canada and to the province of Ontario.
Relocation Services: Origin solutions include appraisal; closing; equity advance; guaranteed home sale; lease cancellation; marketing assistance and management; move management; and property care services. Destination offerings include closings; community services; corporate housing; cross-cultural training; education; spousal/partner career services; home search; orientation; rental search services; virtual community finder; and international mobility insurance. Financial services cover financial services reporting; mortgage and rental; subsidy programs; mortgage brokerage program; mortgage penalty savings program; and mortgage rate buy-down program. Additional services include comparable housing/rental studies; cost-of-living report; expense management; lump sum programs; market value studies; visa and immigration services; and international services (including but not limited to origin, destination, move management services, cultural integration services, and language services).
*HRO Today Overall Index Rating: Data not available.
GMAC Global Relocation Services
22,000
www.gmacglobalrelocation.com
GMAC Global Relocation Services (GMAC GRS) is a full-service outsourcing provider of end-to-end employee relocation, assignment management, and mobility consulting services for multinational organizations worldwide. GMAC GRS serves corporations in more than 110 countries and manages more than $1 billion in relocation-related transactions. Relocation services are delivered through a single point of coordination, regionally located service centers, and a globally integrated service structure.
Key Clients in 2007: N/A
Relocation Services: Domestic—program administration; policy counseling; home sale programs; closing services; marketing assistance; household goods management; expense administration and tracking; home finding, rental assistance; temporary living assistance, area orientation; mortgage assistance, career and family assistance; and property management. International—program administration; international assignment compensation administration (including cost projections; balance sheets; tax gross-ups and year-end compensation accumulation; policy counseling; home finding; rental assistance; household goods management; expense administration and tracking; settling-in services; intercultural services; visa and immigration assistance; temporary living assistance; mortgage assistance; vehicle assistance program; policy consulting; and tenancy management.
*HRO Today Overall Index Rating: Data not available.
Crown Relocations
58,400
www.crownworldwide.com
Crown Relocations is a full-service relocation management company providing a wide range of services for more than 2,000 diverse organizations and almost 60,000 transferees and their families each year.
Key Clients in 2007: N/A.
Relocation Services: Program management includes relocation policy counseling and program administration; on-assignment support; and repatriation services. Departure services include home sales; marketing assistance; and property management. Transportation services cover shipment; storage; transit protection (insurance); pet transfer; learning and development; candidate assessment; intercultural training; and language training. Destination services include immigration; preview services; post-arrival orientations; home finding; school search; settling-in; tenant representation; and partner career support. Consulting services span policy consulting; process design; benchmarks; and surveys.
Altair Globa
l Relocation
17,722
www.altairglobal.com
Founded in 1989, Altair Global Relocation is the largest woman-owned, independent relocation management company based in the U.S. Altair offers a comprehensive selection of U.S. and international mobility solutions.
Key Clients in 2007: N/A.
Relocation Services: Departure services—policy counseling; candidate services; relocation and assignment cost estimates; city and country reports; cost of living calculations; visa and permit procurement; tax and social security briefings; home sale; property management; inventory management; lease cancellation; pre-assignment coordination; expatriation management; and repatriation management. Destination services—orientation; home finding and settling-in; home purchase; leasing assistance; host country destination services; mortgage and financial services; spousal career assistance; language training; cultural training; benefit payments in any currency; and dependant care. Logistic services—household goods move management; and travel management.
