To quickly relocate is always complex.
Expatriates are faced with problems such as finding a new home, choosing a school for their children, understanding public administration procedures. Obviously these are obstacles that can be overcome, but they are source of loss of time and waste of energy.
Time spent in these searches often entails a stressful emotional state and is taken away from the new professional activity, the main reason for the relocation itself.
The most important approach for providing excellent and successful relocation assistance is to understand the client’s needs and requirements. Sometimes there is a gap between what is available and what is ideally required. It is therefore up to the relocation company to explore the client’s needs to make sure the proper solutions are proposed within the agreed cost range.
Once client and relocation specialist have fully agreed on all the criteria, work can start.

Usually the main available services are:
- geographical orientation;
- cross-cultural sessions on business and social life;
- assistance with housing accommodation search;
- aid in arranging housing accommodation set-up;
- help in closing accommodation deals;
- support in school placement;
- guidance in administrative procedures and follow-up assistance.

Geographical orientation :
An introduction to the city and its main features, as well as information on public transportation, shopping, entertainment and residential areas, is carried out to enable the new settler to better understand his / her new surroundings and locate the area in which to live.

Cross-cultural sessions :
Cultural understanding can make a difference in a successful or poor adjustment to the new country.
A broad picture is usually sketched on historical background, present issues, business and social culture, local customs and accepted manners. All do’s and don’ts are pointed out. For instance the perception of time is not the same in France and Anglo-saxons countries. To arrive 15 minutes late at an appointment, is perfectly acceptable. When invited to dinner, you are expected to show a little later than the given time. Never put too much pressure on co-workers or subordinates at work ; you will achieve the opposite result. Deadlines are not perceived in the same way as in the States.
Information is provided on insurance matters and opening bank accounts.
French classes, as well as cross-cultural programs, are proposed so that cultural differences can be better understood.Assistance with housing accommodation search :
This is one of the primary purposes of a relocation company and usually, after the client’s needs and requirements have been assessed, the relocation representative takes the expatriate to visit a number of pre-selected accommodations. Home hunting is no longer a nightmare.
Although the situation with housing in the destination location is mostly outside the control of the relocation services provider and home specifications may very well be difficult to match, the relocation agent’s role is to interface between real estate agents and landlords and the transferee, to come out with the best available housing accommodation.
Also a representative is present when of the lease is signed and makes sure that all terms are fully explained and understood.Assistance in arranging housing accommodation set-up and deals closing :
The relocation company provides registration for house utilities, including electricity, telephone, cable TV, and finds handymen, plumbers and painters if needed.
At this point the the relocation specialist / client relationship has become almost friendly.
The client knows whom to call when an emergency pops up.
Assistance in school placement :
When the expatriate has a family and children of school age, the relocation company can assista in making the proper school selection.
Assistance in administrative procedures :
Dealing with bureaucracy has never been an easy task. Dealing with bureaucracy in a new country can be a confusing and frustrating process.
Most, if not all relocation companies offer this kind of service or can refer you to good professionals, such as attorneys or accountants, who can help in administrative dealings such as visas or working permits, as well as car registration or other procedures.
When arriving in a new country, even if the expatriate speaks the language, dealing with all these problems can be very difficult. To have a reliable person explain what is needed, what to do, and getting it done on your behalf is a relief.

Follow-up assistance :
Once settled in the new home, the transferee is faced with new problems, mostly created by language and culture barriers.
Follow-up phone assistance is therefore usually proposed. This “hot” line, available during extended business hours, gives the expatriate the opportunity to ask all the questions which arise during the first months after moving-in.
This is very helpful, both practically and emotionally, because it is like having a friendly counterpart whom you can call, who gives you tips and assists in finding solutions, such as getting a good plumber or a social club or a delicatessen or a grocery store.
In short, a relocation company is there to assist you and make sure that your relocation goes smoothly.
It has become very common for Human Resources Managers to outsource the relocation of transferees to relocation services providers.
Many reasons contribute to this choice. In fact, besides making the relocation process less stressful and smoother, by using relocation companies H R avoid diverting human resources professionals from their usual work and the resulting loss in productivity.
There is no need for the expatriate to spend days in home hunting, or making more than one or two trips to the new location. Problems to be solved about his day-to-day life do not crop up. The expatriate can integrate very rapidly into the new working environment.
The same services are usually available for office accommodation searches and set-ups.
The founders of Acta International Services have experienced first hand, both for personal and professional reasons, all the problems that relocation entails.
They now use this experience to assist companies and their executives to successfully and smoothly implement their relocation.