Introducing the FIDI Academy DSP seminar

More than 60 per cent of FIDI Affiliates have diversified into the relocation services (DSP) arena, with some companies also identifying as larger relocation management (RMC) firms.

With this trend ongoing for several years now, many Affiliates are applying for the new DSP certification, launched by FIDI in 2019 to cater for the needs of new and developing DSP businesses.

This is an industry quality standard, which is additional to FIDI FAIM certification and ensures that Affiliates are benchmarked against the same level of rigorous quality measures as they are for the other mobility services that they offer.

Accordingly, the FIDI Academy team has launched a new course, which sets out to help them become specialised in this expanding area.

The Academy aims to offer a unique 360° experience in global mobility, which includes the perspective of not only the DSP providers, but also the suppliers and transferees.

Only when service providers understand the challenges of transferees will they be able to offer truly outstanding services.

As with the Academy’s well-known Essentials in International Moving (EiM) seminar for movers, Affiliates will now have the option to expand their knowledge and competence through the various DSP and relocation programmes developed for, and by, the relocation industry.

Topics and learning objectives:

DSP history and overview

• The history of relocation services provided today
• Different relo services and how they are linked
• Why relocation services have become important for FIDI Affiliates
• The challenges when providing these services: history and overview

FIDI Quality Seal

• The philosophy and basics of FIDI DSP certification

Your customers

• Types of customers that may ask for your services
• How to deliver a bespoke sales approach to match your customer needs
• Communication planning – how, why and to whom

Deep dive into the transferee experience

• The challenges of a family relocation
• The impact of a relocation on the whole family
• Your role as a relo consultant

Needs assessment

• A good relo starts with a great needs
  assessment
• How to manage expectations
• The importance of good timing and a timeframe
• How to manage objectives

Orientation tour

• The importance of the needs assessment for a great orientation tour
• Good planning is key
• The importance of allocating enough time to the orientation tour

Home search and lease negotiations

• The complexity of rental markets and the main players
• Negotiation process for both parties
• Interests of each stakeholder (company legal team, transferee and property owner)
• Clauses that would appeal to leaser, leasee and company (co-signer)
• Non-negotiable aspects of a lease
• Legal standard clauses in some countries
• The importance of involving your legal department in the lease negotiation

School search

• Different education systems
• Cultural and language issues
• Pros and cons of public vs international schools

Settling in and departure services

• The difference between settling in and area orientation
• Key elements of settling in/departure
• How to customise your list of settling-in/departure elements for each client
• How to prepare and tailor the settling in/departure programme
• Standard forms that will facilitate the process
• Settling in vs departure
• The challenges of departure scenario
• How to handle difficult situations

Costs of your relocation and bundle fees

• How to calculate the total cost of a DSP file
• Differences in cost types for move vs                    
  relocation files
• The difference in mark-up vs management fee
• Why profit is important for a company
• Pitfalls for movers going into DSP in terms of margin

Cultural awareness, attitude and etiquette

• Your role as a DSP partner
• The Dos and Don’ts
• Why it is important to know your client
• How to have adequate attitude to develop your relationship
• The basic understanding of intercultural differences
• Learn to respect different cultural values
• Cultivate a positive approach towards cultural differences
• Communicate more effectively

The DSP trainers team

• Alexandra Schmidt                                               
• Andreas Eibel
• Kim Ngoc                                                                
• Sara Lyrum

‘With FIDI Affiliates diversifying into other relocation-related activities, it only makes sense for FIDI to adapt its Academy offering and include DSP services’

Jesse van Sas

‘DSP: Diversified – Specialised – Personalised. A new chapter for FIDI Academy and its Affiliates!’

Kim Ngoc

‘Another strong pillar in the FIDI Academy portfolio, on top of the well-known EiM and MiM seminars. The “must have” 360° immersion (or experience) in Global Mobility for FIDI Affiliates’

Chantal Fera

Photograph courtesy of Sterling Lexicon UK