The FIDI DSP seminar returns

The pilot of FIDI Academy’s DSP seminar took place at the end of November last year, in Milan. Held in the city’s Navigli waterside area, the intensive three-day course featured many interactive, hands on activities that allowed participants to network and, in true FIDI Academy tradition, make lifelong connections and friendships.

Among those who attended were CEOs and owners who want to expand their business into destination services, and DSP consultants who provide services to company clients.

The programme was delivered by Lead Trainer Sara Lyrum Kronkjaer and her team of Andreas Eibel, Kim Ngoc and Robert Cormier, who brought different training styles and a wide variety of personal experiences to share.

The course covered the five core DSP services that the FIDI DSP module certifies: orientation, home search, school search, settling in, and departure services. It included first-hand experience from guest speaker Maria Molteni, who spoke about the real impact a DSP consultant can have on the relocation experience – with an emphasis on exceptional customer service and managing expectations.

There was also a session on visas and immigration (V&I), by Stefano Pacifico, an expert from ECA Italia, who explained the importance of understanding local V&I rules when managing a relocation. During the three days, everyone also had the opportunity to build on their creative and presenting skills, developing their soft skills in addition to learning the subject matter. After the final exam on day three, the seminar closed with a formal dinner and a fun night out in Milan.

The Academy has incorporated feedback from this event into the next DSP seminar, which will take place in Vienna in February 2025. The event has been extended from three to four days to allow more in- depth discussion and interaction with guest speakers and participants. It will also include role play to help participants deal with challenging situations with transferees, corporate accounts and suppliers.

Next year, we are also including an orientation tour in the centre of Vienna and will look at the budgets –which may be an eye-opener for students from other continents. We are also aiming to meet with the director of a local international school to discuss the challenges faced by transferee children.

This four-day seminar is a must-attend for FIDI Affiliates who want to diversify into relocation and global mobility, or for FIDI Affiliates who are planning to apply for the FIDI DSP certification.

FIDI DSP Seminar, Vienna, Austria

• Opening dinner: Sunday 23 Feb 2025
• 4-day seminar: Monday 24 Feb – Thursday, 27 Feb 2025
• Final evening dinner: Thursday, 27 Feb 2025
• Departure: Friday 28 Feb 2025 Investment: €2,950 (including 5 nights’ accommodation, F&B)

Target audience:

• Relo consultants
• Relo coordinators
• Salespeople
• New hires in the relo business
• Anyone involved in the relo business

Content:

• A full 360° approach to the relocation process (HR, mobility desk, corporate account, RMC, transferee and service providers perspectives). You will hear from visa and immigration specialists, HR specialists, mobility desk representatives, and RMCs, and a nomad worker will explain to you the challenges they face when moving abroad with their family.
• DSP history and overview
• FIDI DSP quality seal
• Your customers – who they are and how to sell to them
• The HR-mobility desk objectives
• Deep dive into the transferee experience
• Needs assessment
• Orientation tour and field visit
• Home search, lease negotiation and field visit
• School search
• Settling in and departure services
• Cost of relocation and bundle fees
• Soft skills (individual values vs cultural values, interpersonal communication)

For more information or to book your place on the next FIDI Academy DSP Seminar, please contact Chantal Fera at: academy@fidi.org