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The fact is, there are myths all around us, and the relocation industry’s supply chain management is no exception!

With so many moving parts in the relocation process, having a professional, experienced, and quality supply chain is vital. A detailed sourcing plan and regular review of your supply chain each year ensure your mobility program avoids the risk of unhappy employees, additional costs and even potential liability.

A key component of avoiding these risks is to ensure you perform some basic due diligence before selecting your providers. This is even more important when it comes to services such as household goods or destination providers, where you have a wide range of providers from green amateurs to longtime professionals. At a minimum, you want to make sure to partner with respected companies, research these providers, ask as many questions as possible, and analyze their metrics annually.

“Prior to the selection of a supplier, Weichert’s Global Supply Chain team conducts a thorough, rigorous RFP process that encompasses several components, including an extensive questionnaire, service test, technology platform, pricing analysis and a data security assessment.  We then conduct a DSP training/accreditation program that includes processes, service expectations, compliance and data updates directly into our single-source mobility management platform, Weichert Go.”

Mary DeVeau, Director, Global Supply Chain

“This helps us meet the service delivery needs of our clients across all of their global locations in a consistent manner,” continues Mary. However, common misconceptions about Mobility Supply Chain risks can impede the effectiveness of your provider selection and management processes. Our team of mobility mythbusters is poised and ready to help you debunk these fallacies with tried-and-true best practices to ensure your supply chain process keeps your teams and talent humming!

Myth #1 – “We’ve worked with our supplier for ten years and never had a problem, there’s no point in looking elsewhere.”

Companies and people change over time, and so does the world of work! Think back just a decade and consider the many technological advancements that have surfaced since then. Just because your partner has worked well in the past doesn’t necessarily mean that they can adapt to (and embrace) the changes required to stay competitive today.

Our annual Supply Chain Risk Assessment ensures we receive the most up-to-date feedback on supplier performance by surveying our assignees. We recognize that the company we partnered with 10 years ago could change greatly over the years with new employment, new locations and new management. As part of this assessment, we also analyze, rate and assess financial risk and provide recommendations for our supplier partners. This also helps us proactively spot any red flags that may impact our relationship or the quality of service delivered to transferees. These processes are critical to minimizing risk and ensuring trusted partnerships.

Myth #2 –“I’ve heard of that company before, so they must be good.”

 Name recognition doesn’t mean much when it comes to truly understanding the values of a company and the quality of its services. Really, it’s often just a reflection of their marketing team.

Kyriako (Rocko) Bouris, Vice President, of Global Transportation Solutions, shares his top best practices for searching for supply-chain partners (and looking deeper than the company name):

• Ask the right questions: Start with the basics such as, how long have they been in business, review their key performance metrics and how they measure them, ask if you can speak to their references, and move to the more complex questions such as, how do they handle service issues, how are they evolving as a business and how do they ensure compliance?
• Stay in your (traffic) lane: Focus on your traffic lanes. If you’re moving employees from particular areas, make sure your supplier is located close by. Play to your suppliers’ strengths rather than have them utilize their own supply chain partners.
• Ask industry peers: Ask your colleagues, post in a LinkedIn group, or check the industry associations.
• Focus on the quality of the services: Do they take the necessary steps to ensure your relocating employees’ satisfaction and how can they guarantee their performance
• Trust an Expert: When in doubt, use an RMC. This is particularly helpful if you have a small to medium sized mobility program where you might not have visibility into bigger, broader issues. Likewise, it provides you with a vast network of prequalified supplier partners rather than just one or two that may not have the capacity to service your business come peak season.

Myth #3 – “There’s no point paying more if we can get the same thing for less!”

We all know that “you get what you pay for,” yet when it comes to our businesses, we’re often quick to ignore the ramifications of certain cost-cutting measures.  Yes, a lower price may sound attractive at first, but when it comes to service delivery, chances are you’ll have to pay more in the long run for additional services, claims, or unhappy employees. While this isn’t always the case, in a service-focused industry, cheaper doesn’t always result in the same quality of service.

Relocating your mobile workforce is a significant investment in time, effort, and money. Selecting the right providers to ensure you and your employees receive quality, timely, and cost-effective services is a key component of your mobility program and can ultimately impact your recruitment and retention efforts. So don’t get caught up in a supply chain myth; invest the time to dig deeper!