SIRVA Global Mobility Case Study - Schneider Electric (Pacific)

Global Mobility Administration: Partnering with specialists and program customization key to meeting Schneider Electric’s mobility needs

As one of the world’s leading providers of energy management solutions, Schneider Electric (SE) is a global company, operating in over 100 countries, with assignees across the world. Being a global company has its advantages, but also its challenges—namely, managing multiple relocating employees at any given time, numerous employees seeking exceptions and a complex relocation spend.

Schneider Electric’s Pacific operation was looking to centralize its mobility model and gain more consistency, control and insight into assignee activity and mobility costs. Specifically, Schneider Electric wanted to simplify its mobility process by reducing the number of mobility vendors it worked with, reducing exceptions and the strain on internal resources, and becoming more proactive to employee needs.

Strategy is Everything

To meet its mobility objectives, Schneider Electric needed a mobility provider that could help transform its transactional-based mobility framework to a progressive, seamless model.

Schneider Electric undertook research into potential providers, focusing on the following key aspects:

• Delivering a strategic, complex mobility framework
• Delivering a complete portfolio of mobility services, specifically – transportation of household goods, destination services and mobility coordination

Schneider Electric identified a unique opportunity in SIRVA, having reviewed alternative options. As both a relocation and moving services company, SIRVA has operational control over the entire global mobility process, so Schneider Electric knew it would be working directly with SIRVA—not a third-party or a sub-contractor—throughout every facet of its program.

SIRVA also has a flexible approach to building mobility solutions and could customize technology to meet Schneider Electric’s unique needs.

Operational Improvements

SIRVA began by assessing SE’s Pacific program, gaining a deep level of understanding of its processes and policies. Through effective collaboration, SE Pacific and SIRVA then implemented significant program improvements, including:

• Reduced the number of mobility vendors  involved in the complete process
• Standardized mobility administration and management of visa services
• Implemented a customized mobility web  portal, enabling comprehensive, real-time reporting 

Exceptional Results

Accurate Cost Projections:

By minimizing the number of vendors involved and choosing to work with one mobility provider, with control of the entire process, Schneider Electric is now able to forecast and predict relocation costs with a high level of accuracy. With clearly defined cost projections, Schneider Electric can identify its relocation costs over the long term, better budget for future moves and adjust mobility policies where necessary to align with financial goals.

Enhanced Reporting: 

Using its customized web portal Schneider Electric can generate a variety of reports, including exception reports, which the company can use to make more strategic decisions, improve processes, and control costs. For example, Schneider Electric’s new visa management reporting capability allows the company to monitor sponsorships, work permits and individual passport details so they know what’s set to expire three months in advance and can prepare proactively. The ability to produce and customize comprehensive reporting has increased Schneider Electric’s corporate productivity, as HR can now spend more time on value-add tasks.

Increased Cost Savings:

With the process improvements made, Schneider Electric is now able to meet its financial goals. By working with SIRVA to develop and improve the mobility strategy, Schneider Electric plans to save $75,000 a year in accommodations alone by taking
advantage of preferred rates. In addition, Schneider Electric projects significant cost savings from fewer exceptions, vendor consolidation and greater clarity into relocation cost-saving opportunities.

Higher Quality of Service:

Employee satisfaction is another key benefit. Relocation ranks among the most stressful situations an individual is likely to experience. Improving this process means employees arrive at their destination engaged and ready to focus on their new roles—increasing the likelihood of a successful relocation.

Employees are already seeing a difference with Schneider Electric’s Pacific new mobility approach. Employees who routinely move (as much as four times in 11 years) have stated the move under SIRVA’s management was the best relocation experience they have had.

Recently, an assignee’s spouse was struggling with moving again. SIRVA’s team was so closely integrated with Schneider Electric’s team that they recognized her uncertainty and offered spousal assistance to help her through the transition. The result was a successful relocation and a happier assignee, spouse and family.

A Benchmark for Others to Meet

Schneider Electric’s Pacific operation had been battling to manage a broken mobility process and unhappy employees. Today, through the collaborative effort and close relationship between Schneider Electric and SIRVA, its new mobility program is such a success that it’s considered a benchmark for future Schneider Electric operations.

Managing global mobility services for assignees presents a wide variety of challenges. Working with a relocation provider like SIRVA can make this process simple

To learn more about SIRVA’s global mobility services, call 800.341.5648/ +44.1793.619.555/ +852.2104.6668 or visit www.sirva.com.