Dive into this case study showcasing how one client used Experience Management (XM) data to validate their mobility program overhaul. 

Through listening and recognizing feedback from mobility managers and relocating employees, our client, a leading multinational computer software company (hereafter known as “Client”), learned that their program wasn’t providing the kind of relocation experience they had hoped to. The Client faced four key issues:

Consistency and administrative ease. Inconsistent policies made it difficult for mobility managers and relocating employees to know what to expect. This led to frustration and wasted time.

Overall experience expectation. Employees had high expectations for their overall relocation experience, but the Client was not meeting those expectations. This was largely due to a lack of communication and coordination between mobility managers and relocating employees.

Cost. One of the biggest internal complaints from mobility managers was that there was a gap between expectations for mobility spend and what services actually cost.

Flexibility. Employees felt strongly that their mobility program should offer flexibility and choice, with policies that could meet individual needs.

In order to improve the employee experience and the success of their mobility program, the Client partnered with Altair Global to begin a ground-up overhaul of their policies.

The Client and Altair Global began a consulting project in 2018 to research and evaluate a number of new program makeups, such as Core/Flex, and to analyze budget forecasting. Through this work a unique tiered system was implemented called Choose Your Own Experience. Now, mobility managers gained the ability to select the desired relocating experience for the employee, revolutionizing their mobility program approach as well as allowing for cost-saving opportunity within.

The new program required significant stakeholder buy-in and alignment internally. Luckily, at the same time that the consulting project began, Altair was rolling out their first-of-its-kind-in-mobility Experience Management (XM) service philosophy, which took a deeper look at the experience of the customer and combined experience data (X data) with operational data (O data). Altair’s XM platform validated the effectiveness in improving overall satisfaction, as seen in OSATs and year-over-year statistics, which essentially let the data speak for itself in the organization trusting the sweeping changes.

The launch of Altair’s X-checks, which are pulse surveys sent to the customer at key moments that matter, played a vital role throughout the program’s changes. The X-checks provided additional insights to address immediate issues brought to light throughout the mobility experience, refining the way in which both the Client and Altair addressed speedbumps throughout a relocating employee’s journey. Altair took a trial-and-error approach, leveraging XM data to measure performance and make necessary pivots. Stakeholder buy-in was facilitated by establishing a relocation philosophy and presenting the concept as a means to provide consistent, high-quality experiences while ensuring administrative ease.

The Client’s revised policy framework was structured around different tiers and named to reflect the experience provided. From white-glove, full-service tiers to a flexible cash-out option, the adjusted policy tiers enabled employees to tailor benefits according to their specific needs—all paired against data on what worked with previous mobility experiences.

Altair emphasized the importance of data-driven decision-making and continuous improvement at the core of bettering the mobility program. With policies and guidelines in place, the Client experienced a transformation in administrative efficiency and consistency, even allowing for cost-saving opportunities like cashing out benefits such as household goods and rental car packages, saving the company money while simultaneously enhancing employee satisfaction.

The Client has experienced fantastic results, consistently achieving strong OSAT scores on their year-over-year assessments. And the program enhancements haven’t stopped. A benefits utilization report was launched in late 2022 to provide valuable insights into the number of employees opting to cash out on benefits versus utilizing them – an added benefit for the finance team in managing and optimizing the program.

Quarterly XM reporting enables ongoing measurement, monitoring, and refinement of the Client’s mobility program. By analyzing data at the policy level, the company can identify areas that may require adjustments or improvements, ensuring the program remains effective and tailored to meet always-evolving employee expectations. The Client is actively leveraging XM data to enhance its program, and actively partnering with Altair to leverage the insights and drive future improvements.

This XM-driven approach has allowed the Client to keep a real-time pulse on their relocation program. It enables them to make individualized moves and quick programmatic pivots when necessary. Emphasizing the importance of customer feedback, the Client actively encourages employee involvement to drive program enhancements in the future.

Through this partnership, the Client and Altair Global have successfully addressed mobility program challenges, driving improved employee experiences, gaining stakeholder buy-in, and earning cost savings through flexibility and data-driven policy enhancements.

“This transformation could not have been possible without the critical support provided by Altair!

They were a partner in every sense of the word, from the moment we began this initiative through the multiple evolutions, and that partnership continues strongly today years later as we leverage the updated policies. The XM data was instrumental in proving the value of the policy changes we implemented, giving us the instantaneous impact feedback that we were seeking and allowing us to address any issues that did happen to arise immediately.

One size does not fit all, and our new model and approach balances manager choice, cost containment, employee flexibility, and administrative ease for all support teams involved, to ultimately provide a great relocation experience. Nearly four years after the launch of our first updated policy, I can say with great confidence that the changes were well received and have been wildly successful overall, which continues to be reinforced by both the XM data and internal stakeholder feedback.”

– Senior Manager, Global Mobility