The challenges of international mobility: when expansion collides with the realities on the ground
The client faced significant challenges with its globally mobile workforce. Employees sent abroad to work on projects for six to twelve months experienced a lack of support during their relocation.
This impacted their experience, their integration, and as a result, their work performance. Many returned earlier than planned, unable to adapt to new climates and cultures, find accommodation, or even open a bank account. These failed assignments not only drove up costs, but derailed progress towards business goals.
The client approached multiple global mobility service providers for help. While they offered the needed level of cultural support, it was only available as part of a traditional full-service relocation package. Given the number of employees involved, this solution was simply unaffordable.
The strategic turning point: choosing AGS to revolutionise global mobility
Faced with a growing assignee population, the client turned to AGS Relocation for a non-traditional solution. One that would provide genuine support without the costs of a traditional relocation programme.
By listening carefully to the client’s needs and thinking out of the box, the AGS Relocation team was able to design a relocation solution that matched the client’s priorities and budget.
AGS Relocation’s full-service relocation management app, IRISE, played a key role in making this possible. Available on Apple and Android, IRISE is developed entirely in-house at AGS, enabling a degree of customisation that external software providers don’t offer.
Plus, with a well-established global network active in over 100 countries, AGS Relocation is one of the few global mobility providers capable of supporting an assignee population spread across multiple continents, such as Europe and Africa.
A modular and scalable service architecture
The assignee population consisted entirely of employees under 30 years of age. All had advanced technological skills, but knowledge of culture and daily life outside India varied greatly from one assignee to the next.
To best meet the needs of this diverse group, AGS Relocation developed an online solution centred on the IRISE app.
Comprising three tiers of support, it allowed the client to assign a relocating employee to a tier according to their seniority, the level of support they required and the duration of their assignment.
Minimum level of assistance (Low Touch)
For assignees who have some experience living and working outside India:
Via the IRISE app and a unique login, assignees have access to a personalised guide that sets out everything they need to know about their destination.
Accessible 24/7, the guide details how to find accommodation, sign a lease, open a bank account, fulfil obligations to local authorities, obtain a local identification number (if applicable), use public transport and navigate the health insurance system.
It also explains the do’s and don’ts of local etiquette, as well as where to find communities with similar cultural references for additional support.
The information contained in the guides is specific to the assignee’s destination city to be as concise as possible.
Intermediate support (Medium Touch)
For employees who have previously travelled outside India
In addition to the IRISE guide, employees assigned to this tier benefit from two hours of virtual assistance.
Specialist consultants answer any questions the employee may have over a series of sessions totalling 120 minutes. Employees select the topics for which they would like support from a menu of options.
These include:
- Accommodation
- Opening a bank account
- Legal requirements (address registration, town hall)
- Obtaining a local identity number
- Health insurance
- Cultural awareness
If the employee selects accommodation, for example, they are assisted by a housing consultant in the destination city. Once the employee has decided where to live based on the discussion of their needs, the consultant provides them with a list of three estate agents who can help them find accommodation in that specific area.
This gives the assignee is a significant advantage, as they no longer have to find their own accommodation from scratch.
Comprehensive support (High Touch)
For assignees with no prior experience abroad
Employees in this tier receive all the benefits of the Low-Touch and Medium-Touch tiers, as well as comprehensive support on every aspect of their relocation. This includes in-person assistance from the moment they arrive at their destination airport, cultural training and a detailed briefing on what to expect in daily life.
At all levels, assignees can choose to pay for additional relocation services themselves, such as lease negotiation and rental management. The client can then elect to reimburse these expenses, employee seniority depending.
Exceptional service: validation of an innovative approach
The client’s response to this tailored solution was overwhelmingly positive.
They were especially impressed by its modular structure, which succeeded in offering real support tailored to each assignee’s needs while overcoming the cost constraints of standardised relocation packages.
Combined with the case-by-case reimbursement of additional expenses, this innovative approach not only gives an added layer of cost control, but also aligns with the client’s cultural norms, where seniority plays an important role.
The focus on cultural adaption, included to help assignees avoid the adaptation failures of previous assignments, was just as well received.
This part of the solution was incorporated into the IRISE app. Available 24/7, IRISE was praised for its ability to offer assignees digital continuity, ensuring they can stay connected to familiar resources without service interruptions during international travel.
Tangible results that transform the economic equation
A comparative cost analysis of a typical assignment in Portugal reveals that the three-tier programme has resulted in substantial savings for the client, fundamentally transforming the economic equation of their international mobility programme.
In the low-touch tier, where assignees receive app-based support exclusively, the client saves a remarkable 84.69% per assignee compared with traditional support.
Combining app support with virtual assistance results in a still significant saving of 78.8%.
These exceptional results are accompanied by a marked improvement in the assignee experience.
Employees who are better prepared and supported according to their specific needs have significantly higher success rates. Not only does this avoid the costs associated with failed assignments and emergency replacements, it also translates into a better achievement of the client’s commercial objectives.
AGS Relocation delivers tailored, scalable mobility solutions that balance cost efficiency with genuine employee support. From digital self-service through our IRISE app to fully managed relocation programmes, we help businesses deploy global talent seamlessly and sustainably.
Contact AGS Relocation to discuss a solution tailored to your mobility needs.