Navigating a move, whether across the country or internationally, can be daunting. You’ve got a lot on your plate—finding a new home, settling into a different community, and ensuring your family is comfortable in their new environment.
That’s where destination services come in.
Destination services are designed to smooth the transition by helping you and your family acclimate to your new location. Unlike relocation services that focus on the logistics of the move—like shipping your belongings—destination services are all about making your new place feel like home.
From finding the right neighborhood and schools to arranging language classes and cultural orientation, these services provide personalized support tailored to your needs.
In this article, we’ll break down what destination services are, how they differ from relocation services, and why they could be the key to a successful and stress-free move.
Whether you’re an individual, a family, or a company looking to relocate employees, understanding these services will help you make informed decisions and ease the transition process.
What Are Relocation Services?
Let’s talk about employee relocation. When a company decides to move a new or existing employee from one location to another, we’re talking about completely uprooting their life—uprooting families even! Some might be moving internationally.
It’s no shock that over 60% of companies fully outsource the relocation process, while another 30% outsource selected aspects of it. There are a lot of tiny, yet vital, details that can’t be missed. It’s so strategic, timely, and sensitive that even travel managers need extra assistance.
So, what exactly do relocation services cover? Here’s a breakdown:
- Coordination of Moving Logistics: Arranging for movers, shippers, and storage solutions to ensure all personal belongings are safely transported.
- Temporary Housing: Securing furnished apartments or other temporary accommodations until a permanent home is found.
- Real Estate Assistance: Helping with the sale or rental of the current home and finding a new one in the destination city.
- Travel Arrangements: Booking flights, managing itineraries, and arranging ground transportation for the employee and their family.
- Documentation and Legal Support: Assisting with visas, work permits, and other necessary paperwork for international relocations.
- Family Support: Helping find schools, healthcare providers, and community resources for the family.
- Cultural Orientation: Offering training or resources to help the family adapt to the new culture and environment.
Companies providing relocation services manage all these processes, making sure no stone is left unturned. After all, relocating internationally is no small feat—there’s a lot to consider, and missing even a single detail can cause major headaches down the line.
Learn how our furnished apartments can simplify your relocation process.
What Are Destination Services?
Depending on what you need, where you’re relocating, and who you’re relocating with, Destination Services are used to personalize your specific journey, building your own relocation plan of sorts.
Different tasks on the list include:
- Arranging necessary documents (visa, long-term stay permissions)
- Finding permanent homes
- Finding school systems for children
- Finding a job for the partner or “trailing spouse”
- Arranging a language teacher for the family
- Introductions to local culture
- Arranging long term transportation
The good thing about Destination Services is that it can be custom-built like an a-la-carte menu. They’re sectioned off into different categories and needs. This helps the personalization process be more digestible and timely.
Here are a few examples:
Pre-Arrival Guidance
To best prepare an assignee for the move abroad, manage expectations, and ease anxiety, prior to arrival we contact the assignee and prepare a needs assessment. From our initial meeting our Destination Services team prepares a custom program specific to the assignee.
Area Orientation
We understand that the most successful relocations are about personalizing the attention and services to the transferring employee and their families. We provide comprehensive details of all aspects of life.
Residence Finder
We help find appropriate housing with attention to: budget, commuting times, schooling needs, space requirements, length of stay, pets, and lifestyle.
Educational Guidance
We recognize that one of the first priorities of any relocating family is finding the right school for the children. With the goal to assist enrolling their children in the most appropriate schools, our services include education and leading the assignee through the entire process.
Settling In Services
Our Destination Services Consultant will ensure a smooth transition by providing comprehensive, personal assistance, advisement & guidance by ensuring proper US Documentation is obtained, utility set up, medical information, etc.
Departure Services
Our full cycle departure services aid and support when your employee’s assignment is coming to an end. With a goal to ease the transition process, we ensure a smooth departure by assisting and guidance on cancellation of utilities, leases, mail forwarding, etc.
Relocation Services Vs. Destination Services
Simply put, relocation companies help the person or family bring all their goods to their new location. Relocation companies, also like to be your assistant in a way. They schedule all of the movers, shippers, and storage pods, and also help you coordinate real estate needs, temporary housing and all travel that you and your family may have.
Most of the time, they will work directly with furnished apartment providers (us) and destination service providers to offer a complete package.
Destination Services are a layer within this. A destination service provider (DSP) will do things that a real estate agent legally can’t – like tell you about the crime/safety of an area or which city has the best schools. Offering services like area orientation, home find assistance, school searches, foreign language training, and cultural assistance. A DSP’s goal is to help all the family members acclimate to their new area.
Why Not Just Talk to a Real Estate Agent?
If you know you need relocation guidance, a real estate agent isn’t going to solve all your problems. While they can help you find a permanent home (or sell your existing one), they won’t be able to assist with the fundamental aspects of relocating.
They’re also legally limited to be 100% transparent with you. They can’t disclose things such as bad neighborhoods, school systems, etc., which is usually make or break information, right?
While Real Estate Agents aren’t able to give you that information, relocation specialists are. That’s why a lot of people are using relocation experts to house them in very comfortable, home-like furnished apartments while collaborating with Agents to find them a permanent home if needed. They’re then able to get the transparency they deserve, while also getting professional real estate services to close the deal.
Bam. Best of both worlds.
Putting it into Perspective
Take Compass for example. We are a Corporate Housing company. However, once knowing all these different avenues of how we can help people, we’ve expanded. We brought in the big guns, partnering with not only real estate professionals, but relocation and destination service counselors, as well.
Don’t get us wrong, we have many clients that don’t require relocation needs at all. We assist them with short term rentals and acclimate them to their new location no problem, but for those that do have relocation needs, we didn’t want to leave ‘em high and dry.
We’ll build them a custom package to provide as much or as little assistance based on the employees needs, budget, and location.
Then, depending on if they’re planning on buying permanently, we’ll bring in our real estate team. Once the resident has a good grasp on their new location, preferred neighborhoods, and are ready to formally settle in, our destination service counselors will work hand-in-hand with our real estate agents, making sure they end up in their forever home that perfectly aligns with their lifestyle.
Ready to make your move seamless? Explore our fully furnished apartments tailored to your relocation needs.
Real-Life Examples and Case Studies
Case Study 1: Tech Company’s Seamless Employee Relocation
Background: Sarah was a senior software engineer at a major tech company in San Francisco. Her company decided to open a new office in Austin, Texas, and Sarah was selected to lead the new team. This meant relocating not just Sarah, but also her husband and two school-aged children.
Challenge: The family had lived in San Francisco for over a decade and had deep roots in their community. They were concerned about finding a neighborhood in Austin that offered good schools, a safe environment, and a similar lifestyle. Additionally, Sarah’s husband needed to find a new job, and they needed help navigating the legal aspects of the move.
Solution: The tech company outsourced the entire relocation process to a professional relocation service provider. The provider handled every detail, including:
- Housing: Arranged for a temporary furnished apartment in Austin while they searched for a permanent home. A real estate agent, in collaboration with a destination service provider, helped them find a home in a neighborhood that met all their criteria.
- School Search: Assisted the family in finding top-rated schools for their children, even arranging school tours and interviews.
- Job Assistance: Helped Sarah’s husband find job opportunities in Austin through a network of local contacts and recruiters.
- Cultural Orientation: Provided resources and orientation sessions to help the family acclimate to the new city and its culture.
- Legal Documentation: Managed the paperwork for the move, including changing driver’s licenses and registering the family in the local healthcare system.
Outcome: Within three months, the family had settled into their new home, with the children enrolled in school and Sarah’s husband starting his new job. The smooth transition allowed Sarah to focus on her role at the new office without the stress of managing the relocation process.
Case Study 2: International Executive Relocation for a Global Retailer
Background: John, an executive at a global retail company based in New York, was promoted to a key leadership role in the company’s London office. The move was crucial for the company’s expansion plans in Europe, and John’s presence was needed as soon as possible. He was moving with his partner and their two pets.
Challenge: The move involved numerous complexities, including visa applications, finding a pet-friendly home in London, and ensuring that John’s partner, who worked remotely, could continue her job without interruptions. Additionally, the couple was unfamiliar with the London housing market and wanted to live in a neighborhood that offered a similar lifestyle to their life in New York.
Solution: The company engaged a relocation service provider to handle the entire process. Here’s how they managed it:
- Visa and Legal Support: Facilitated the visa application process for both John and his partner, ensuring they had the right work permits and legal documentation to live and work in the UK.
- Pet Relocation: Coordinated the safe transport of their two pets, making sure all the necessary paperwork and vaccinations were in order for international travel.
- Housing Search: Found a pet-friendly furnished apartment in London’s Notting Hill neighborhood, known for its vibrant culture and proximity to green spaces—similar to their former neighborhood in New York.
- Partner’s Job Continuity: Ensured high-speed internet and a reliable home office setup were ready upon arrival, so John’s partner could seamlessly continue her remote work.
- Cultural and City Orientation: Provided a city orientation package that included information about public transportation, local shops, healthcare facilities, and cultural attractions. The couple was also paired with a local guide for a personalized tour of the city.
Outcome: John and his partner settled into their new life in London within weeks. The pets adjusted well to their new environment, and John was able to start his role on schedule, contributing to the company’s European growth plans without any delays or personal stress.
Not sure where to begin? Want to talk shop? That’s what we are here for, whatever your needs, we have your back – request an apartment or schedule some time to chat with a crew member today.
About The Author
Lauren
Lauren, a passionate marketing professional from Vancouver, Canada, has an insatiable love for travel. Whether it’s camping off the grid in a secluded forest or enjoying the bustling streets of Manhattan, New York, she embraces every adventure with enthusiasm.