1. Look-See Trip (Orientation, Pre-acceptance Trip)
1.1 Preparation prior to arrival
1.2 Welcome / Transfer
1.3 Area Tour
1.4 Schooling overview
1.5 Housing overview
2. Househunting program
2.1 Preparation prior to arrival
2.2 Welcome / Transfer
2.3 Area Tour
2.4 Schooling assistance
2.5 Househunting
2.6 Lease Negotiations
2.7 Pre-Occupancy Inspection
2.8 Furniture
3. Settling in assistance
3.1 Furniture and appliances
3.2 Utilities
3.3 Insurance
3.4 Car purchase / Lease / Registration
3.5 Banking
4. Household Goods Coordination
5. Tenancy Management
6. Departure Package
7. Visa process and Country specific documents
8. Document Legalization in HOME Country
9. Spanish or Portuguese classes
10. Cross Cultural Training
11. Personal Security Training
12. Reports
DESCRIPTION OF THE SERVICES
Look-See Trip (Orientation, Pre-acceptance Trip)
In a pre-move visit we familiarize the assignee with the new area, arrange sample home viewing and school visits, and offer invaluable information.
1.1 Preparation prior to arrival
Based on needs assessment given by assignee through our pre-assessment questionnaire, we will identify house/apartments and schools, scheduling appointments of viewing.
According to each company’s policy and the assessment, we will customize programs to budget, market availability and other pertinent factors (i.e. public holiday on day of visit). We will also describe to the assignee local customs, deposits, restrictions, what is or is not covered by Client.
1.2 Welcome/Transfer
Meet employee at Airport and transfer to hotel.
Confirm itinerary for any last minute changes.
Hand over package of information.
Information package include:
Map – City
Emergency information:
Basic instructions of area codes/ international calls / others
Police phone #
Dentist phone /Doctor / Hospital #
Emergency doctor phone #
Embassy or consulate phone #
Taxi Service phone #
Currency exchange information: (rate, familiarization with notes and coins, where to exchange money, documents required)
Information on U.S. food equivalents (what they are called and where they can be purchased)
Information on safe/unsafe food and drinkable water
Safety guidelines Do's and Don’ts:
Where to walk/shop and how to get there
Tips and tipping. What is the use?
1.3 Area tour
Develop & relate tour to needs assessment
Typical expert areas advantages/disadvantages
Show major features of the city to establish for Employee
Area tour must be representative of the whole city:
Parks
Churches
Museums
Leisure facilities
Transportation facilities
Shopping, food, other ( market specialties )
1.4 Schooling overview
Provide addresses, name of principal and telephone number as appropriate of:
Preschool
Private tuition
Parochial
Public
International / American
Coordinate appointments with principals and accompany as necessary.
Provide information on potential schools to meet child's needs/interests (i.e. schools with concentration on athletics, academics, and arts.)
Advise employee of required forms and paperwork etc. to meet local requirements (I.e. immunizations / residency certificate, etc.)
1.5 Housing overview
Tour limited to pre-selected 3 or 4 specific neighborhoods
Accompany employee and family to all scheduled appointments
Preview all properties where possible
Describe major positive and negatives of each property and area
2. House Hunting Program
Objective: Working proactively according to company’s policy, we help assignee identify and acquire suitable, comfortable housing.
The assignee is settled in more quickly and on the job sooner.
As described item No. 1.1.
2.2. Welcome / Transfer
As described item No. 1.2.
2.3. Area tour
As described item No. 1.3.
2.4. Schooling assistance
Provide addresses, name o f principal and telephone number as appropriate of:
Preschool
Private tuition
Parochial
Public
International / American
Coordinate appointments with principals and accompany as necessary.
Provide information on potential schools to meet child's needs/interests (i.e. schools with concentration on athletics, academics, and arts.)
Advise employee of required forms and paperwork etc. to meet local requirements (i.e. immunizations / residency certificate, etc.)
Where possible negotiate admittance.
2.5. Househunting
Tour limited to pre-selected 4 or 5 specific neighborhoods.
Accompany employee and family to all scheduled appointments.
Preview all properties where possible.
Where such properties of the nature and budget exist, consultant will show properties until appropriate property is found that meets the needs of transferee and family.
Describe major positive and negatives of each property and area.
2.6 Lease Negotiations
The LARM consultant will attempt to negotiate favorable lease terms, explaining to the landlord that the tenant is a relocating employee and that, even if not a party to the lease, the employer will typically stand behind the rental payment.
Where possible negotiate a clause into the lease allowing the employee to terminate the lease early (i.e. upon 60 days prior to written notice) if the employee is transferred by his or her employer to another area.
In the benefit of the employee, negotiate favorable conditions. (i. e. lease term to match the needs of the employee and family, pets, deposits, repairs & maintenance, extermination/cleaning.)
The LARM Destination Consultant will request legal advisors to review property lease prior to signing.
Lease translation available for separate charge.
2.7 Pre-Occupancy Inspection
Coordinate inspection with real estate broker/agent/estate agent
LARM Consultant walks through property
2.8 Furniture:
If furnished, check inventory content and condition. Make notes as appropriate, sign and date inventory to prove record.
The real estate (house/apartment unit, grounds and outbuildings) – Check condition and note all obvious defects-make notes as appropriate and sign and date inventory to prove record.
Copy of inspection and inventory for employees ready for arrival.
3. Settling in Assistance
3.1 Furniture and appliances
Purchase: From list provided by assignee, recommend stores and suggest typical prices for each item. Provide addresses and telephone numbers of suitable stores.
Rental: From list provided by assignee, suggest one or more furniture rental providers (name, address and telephone number).
Consultant will accompany the Assignee or his family to selected stores to provide assistance, interpretation and translation (when necessary).
3.2 Utilities
Contact all necessary utility companies.
Arrange and coordinate: Connection, billing address, requirements and payment arrangements
3.3 Insurance
Contents/Renters/Liability/Car
Where possible obtain English translation of contract.
Names, addresses and telephone numbers of providers.
Provide assistance to complete the necessary forms. Accompany to translate.
Advice on minimum insurance requirements to be obtained by local legal representative of employee. Accompany to translate as necessary.
3.4 Car purchase/Lease/Registration
Identify 3 or 4 reputable local new or used car dealers.
Accompany family to the dealers selected.
Provide assistance / interpretation / translation.
Provide names and telephone numbers of reputable insurance agents and introduce.
Accompany family to any appropriate vehicle registration authority to complete forms, etc.
3.5 Banking
Advice assignee what documents are needed to open accounts.
Name, Address and Telephone Number of suitable local or international banks.
Accompany to bank to provide assistance / translation.
Provide assistance to complete necessary forms.
4. Household goods and personal effects shipment
Bidding with household goods moving companies.
Help assignee prepare the valued inventory for insurance purposes.
Contact with household goods moving companies at origin and destination.
Coordinate and instruct assignee preparing paperwork for customs clearance together with Client guarantor’s paperwork (departure and arrival)
Monitoring of packing and forwarding with origin and destination moving company, according to assignees needs, including visit during packing dates.
Certify the moving company properly closes the bond of guarantee signed by the Company on behalf of Assignee.
Monitoring of customs clearance and delivery, including accompany of a counselor during shipment delivery at residence.
Administration of claims (if any) together with assignee and Insurance Company.
5. Tenancy Management
Repairs, maintenance, extermination/cleaning, accidents, and all aspects of day-to-day life.
We can assist, always in benefit of assignee and his company, performing researches, developing advice and hiring suppliers by phone or in case of a major problem, be present at assignee's residence for assistance.
Payment of monthly services – rent, utilities, garden, maintenance
6. Departure Package
Inspection and inventory as necessary.
If furnished: content conditions (note defect and sign and date inventory).
Property condition (note defects and sign and date inventory).
Contract break administration, including hiring and management of repair / painting company for property return according to Terms and Conditions of contract signed by assignee and Client upon arrival.
Notify post office / Real estate of change of address.
Accompany assignee to local relevant authorities (clubs, schools, etc.) to complete forms to exit country.
Utility cancellations/final billing coordination
7. Visa process and Country Specific documents
LARM Coordinates Visa requests with Client/Assignee, authorities, lawyers and/or brokers. This is a delicate process that has to be handled by experts to have a successful outcome in a standard period of time. Sometimes when companies handle this process without any previous experience, the process can take years to be completed.
LARM counselor can pick up Assignee by car and accompany him to the offices/service providers. Will advice on required documentation and process.
These are some of services:
• Work Permit (temporary visa)
• Work Permit (permanent visa)
• Residence Permits
• Period Extension with Labor Agreement
• Transformation of temporary visa to permanent visa
• Income Tax Registry
• Drivers License
• Other specific documents require by each country’s authorities.
8. Documents Legalization in Home Country
LARM Coordinates the collection and translation of all required documentation to process Visa/Work permit in Host country. We then legalize and/or notarize all required documentation at the appropriate government office and forward to client/attorney for processing at host location.
9. Spanish/ Portuguese classes
Coordinate and arrange for prestigious Language Schools for individual/Family/Group lessons or Private teachers.
All our programs can be adapt to the Client schedule, needs and advance knowledge of the language.
10. Cross Cultural Training
9.1. Cultural Shock / Introduction
Cultural Shock is a term used to describe reactions which individuals experience when they are abruptly removed from a familiar environment and placed in a foreign culture. This term also describes the psychological trauma experienced when this happens.
It is difficult to assimilate the foreign culture and this does not happen automatically. What gifts to give and how the gift is perceived can many times become a major dilemma. Office protocol, how to supervise and importance of privacy are part of the unknown.
Cultural shock is developed when one has compound episodes of not being able to comprehend events in the context of the foreign environment. The conflicts accumulate and multiply and, as a result, frustration and anxiety are many times vented through problems in marital relations, over-eating, psychosomatic illnesses, hostility, aggression, drug abuse and poor on-the-job-performance.
Minimization of culture shock, and its effects should be the goal of every individual relocating to another culture. But what strategy and positive steps should one take to reduce the effects of such phenomenon?
Cultural Program
• Introduction to the Destination Country
• Managing the transition to new culture
• Values, attitudes and behavior – How people differ from Home Country
• How to get what you need when you need it
• How to get on with people and how to upset them
• Understanding cultural chock and how to deal it.
10. Personal Security Training
• Inform about criminality levels and higher risk areas on the greater city.
• Explain how to proceed on defensive conduct and procedures that can be adopted to assure personal and familiar safety at home, on a ride, on trips, at school and at work.
• Teach how to prevent, recognize and avoid urban danger situations and how to behave in situations of danger and emotional stress.
• How to proceed when assaulted or kidnapped.
11. Reports
Reports may be sent to Client weekly or monthly via e-mail, fax and/or mail. These reports provides information regarding process and results of each assignment. This information can be very useful for HR Departments to underdstand more about the challenges of the relocation process.
