5 Things You Need to Know
About Supporting the Experienced or Tech Savvy Assignee
In this month’s Mobility Matters podcast, we sat down to chat with Jeanne Turner, Seattle Destination Consultant, as well as our Destination Consultants across the country to discuss how they best support younger assignees who are typically tech savvy as well as independent. Here are the top questions and concerns we receive from both our authorizers and consultants regarding supporting this type of assignee.
Here are the: 5 Things You Need to Know About…
Supporting the Experienced or Tech Savvy Assignee
Many assignees we are seeing are not only tech savvy but really independent. They often act like they do not need Destination Services. Any advice?
We know that everyone can “Google” something if they need to but what about the information that is not found in a search engine? IOR’s Destination Consultants can educate and advise based on what they have learned from experience such as which property management company is best to work with, which apartments offer the best deals mid-week, what are the best neighborhoods to live in, even the noise level based on the proximity to the train. This is not information you will find on Google.
My assignees may have strong tech skills, but they definitely need help with their everyday “life skills”. In some cases, this is their first apartment on their own.
IOR Destination Consultants often report that, in addition to helping assignees find the right property and providing settling in support, they have assisted their assignees with basic “life skills” such as understanding a lease contract, writing a check or even how to work their new appliances so they are not relying on Grubhub or Doordash.
How do IOR Destination Consultants effectively communicate with this type of assignee?
Flexibility is key! Whether the Destination Consultants are Zooming, Face Timing, or using various other platforms, they are showing that they are ready to support, eager to respond to meet the assignee’s expectations and do a wonderful job of keeping everyone in the loop.
With the number of younger assignees receiving Destination Services support on the rise, do you predict there will be an increase in virtual or unaccompanied programs?
Absolutely! Many of our RMC partners are recognizing the need for virtual/ unaccompanied programs more and more based on the assignees they are supporting as well as their need for specific, task based items. This can be anything such as locating a dog daycare, local on-line grocery service, massage therapist, hairstylist or helping them with a new Driver’s License.
What if they would like to live with a roommate and cannot afford to live on her own, can IOR still support?
Definitely! In larger cities, before the pandemic and social distancing, many assignees were requesting a roommate or roomshare opportunity. Companies such as Bungalow* furnish single family homes with communal living spaces. This can help assignees move into a “roommate” situation but with their own lease. IOR Destination Consultants can help tour properties as well as support with a non-legal lease review to ensure the assignee is clear on the terms of lease.
*IOR does not have any affiliation with nor is compensated by Bungalow.
