RELOCATION
Experts view Worldwide ERC’s Global Workforce Symposium.
Earlier this month, over 1,800 mobility professionals from around the world gathered in the nation’s capital for Worldwide ERC’s (Employee Relocation Council’s) annual Global Workforce Symposium.
To provide a local perspective, I asked several Houston relocation directors to discuss why their attendance and participation in Worldwide ERC events is important to the work that their companies do in assisting people who are moving in and out of the Houston area.
Here’s what they had to say:
Lynn Breedlove, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Premier Properties: “One of the benefits of attending Worldwide ERC conferences is that I get to experience the global business model that this industry has continued to grow in. Since Houston is such a global city, it is important for me to participate in ERC events. Relocation management companies and vendors in this industry, have embraced global growth in order to accommodate the needs of the global employee.”
“I think the common thread is technology. I see it as the main driver for vendors to be able to stay in this business environment. For example, real estate affiliates have to beef up their web sites in order to enhance the experience for the global consumer. Their web sites need to have the capability of being translated into several different languages, as well as a way to convert currency and common property measurements. They also have to create a more userfriendly experience.”
Tess Chaney, Martha Turner Sotheby’s International Realty: “The conference theme was ‘Mobility Reimagined!,’ which strengthened the mindset of revamping strategies and systems to open doors to new ideas with the intent of improving customer satisfaction. At MTSIR, my team and I are constantly researching and testing new processes for this exact reason.”
“This year, Worldwide ERC looked to young professionals within the industry to lead that discussion. In fact, ERC’s YP40 group reported the highest attendance for any event in the group’s history!”
“Mick Ebeling, CEO of Not Impossible Labs, kicked off the conference with an awe-inspiring speech about dramatic changes in the lives of Sudan amputees based on the perseverance of invention and technology. He stated, ‘Do not accept no for an answer — especially from yourself. Setbacks are ramps, not road bumps.’ Being in a leadership position, I approach all situations from the standpoint that you have to reflect on the why something turned out to be positive or negative in order to successfully approach future challenges. This process of constant evaluation motivates me to always strive to achieve higher goals and provide better service.”
Anne Incorvia, John Daugherty, Realtors: “The conferences are very informative platforms that offer exceptional opportunities for attendees to share insights and trends on topics impacting the relocation industry and the mobility of employees.”
“I was honored to be given the opportunity to be a speaker at the ERC Conference. The topic of the presentation, ‘Business Development, Now and in the Future,’ allowed me to share best practices for servicing clients, identifying new market strategies, and how to communicate the value of services. There was a lot of valuable information shared in this highly interactive session, which allowed attendees to learn new ideas and garner additional insight about the real estate and relocation industry.”
“These conferences allow everyone in the real estate and relocation industry the ability to stay abreast of the many, everchanging facets and complexities in our industry. It allows us the opportunity to expand our expertise and vision in implementing the best experience and service for our clients.”
Mary Piper, Bernstein Realty: “The sharing of knowledge and the discussions about the changes in the market, technology and industry were invaluable. Sharing information about other U.S. markets, and other countries, provides more of a global outlook on the issues impacting the industry as a whole. Because of the ideas shared by my peers from other cities, I am able to implement and offer additional services to our clients in Houston.”
“I attended a workshop that was made up of representatives from corporate HR, tax advisors, household goods movers, realtors and mortgage providers. We might all have differing ideas and perspectives based on our roles, but we are all involved in the relocation chain, and we all have the same goal in mind. We are all moving people, and not commodities or machinery. As such, communication is and will always remain a key component that never goes out of style. At the same time, technology continues to change rapidly, and always needs to be embraced, and not feared.”
Worldwide ERC is the marketplace and the source for talent management and global mobility knowledge, worldwide. For more information, visit www. WorldwideERC.org.
Michelle Sandlin is an award-winning writer, journalist and global mobility industry expert. She is a frequent contributor to Worldwide ERC’s Mobility magazine, and is vice president of creative strategies at AMBER Lodging Co. Follow her on Facebook: www.facebook.com/TheMichelleSandlin and on Twitter: @MichelleSandlin. Also visit “On the Move” at blog.chron.com/onthemove.