By Mark J. Burchell
Without question, global mobility today has become more complex. At the macro level, geopolitical issues, trade wars, shifts in immigration policy, and global security all have a very direct impact on global mobility and an increased level of risk and cost.
At the micro-level of mobility, companies are dealing with multiple mobility issues such as more flexible programs and policies, increased focus on cost, “workations,” employee-driven moves, the potential for more gig workers in the global workforce, and the overriding need to balance flexibility and choice with an ongoing duty of care.
With this very fluid environment, it is little wonder that a recent 2025 Mercer report showed that 69% of companies surveyed stated that their global mobility programs were either somewhat or not really aligned with the global talent strategy, and therefore, likely with the overall company strategy.
Given this background, and with my over 30 years of experience in managing and leading account management and client service teams on a global scale, the simple fact is that a one-size-fits-all approach to account management does not work or support long-term, sustainable client support.
The Arpin 5xP account management approach is a framework built on the foundation of the following five key elements.
Programs
As we have seen, transferees are demanding more choice and flexible policy benefits. This means that to remain relevant in today’s market, service providers must adapt their service delivery models and options to meet the diverse needs of individuals who may all work for the same company but under different policies. In some cases, we have seen business units within the same global company that have a different focus and therefore ask for policy benefits to be applied or interpreted differently.
At Arpin, we have developed a range and mix of service options that can support the individual needs of transferees and the policies they are being managed by. So, whether it is managing “trunk-like shipments” for interns, providing payment plans for cash allowance moves, or auditing and reducing unnecessary accessorial charges that are often seen with traditional moving companies, Arpin can fully optimize every moving program we manage. Our experience and approach in providing a flexible range of services while capturing and reporting the relevant data behind the usage provides a key element in helping clients build out their mobility ROI position.
Performance
When thinking about mobility ROI, the measurement of performance is a fundamental component of how to demonstrate the effectiveness of a program. Setting the right KPIs, aligned to the relevant strategic goals and objectives, is just the start. At Arpin, we work with our clients to build out KPIs not just for our service category but to ensure that what we are measured by supports and complements the other partners in the mobility supply chain. Our multi-award-winning customer service accolades and reputation are built not just on strong performance but also on our ability to help align well-defined KPIs across the client's mobility ecosystem in a holistic approach that benefits both the transferee and the corporate client.
People
Every company claims to have the best people—rightly so. However, at Arpin, we focus on the culture that allows our people to be the best version of themselves. We empower them to make fast, front-line decisions, using client-specific data, their extensive operational and customer service experience, and a full understanding of the client’s overall mobility goals and objectives. In terms of building out a business case on mobility ROI, we take the position that while hard facts, data sets, and financial analysis play a key role, the ability to articulate and codify (where possible) the softer elements of a clients mobility program and how that translates in to the overall ROI of a program cannot, and should not, be over looked or missed.
Partnership
Without question, our most successful, sustainable, and rewarding client engagements at Arpin are the ones built on a foundation that is a true partnership. For new client engagements, we work diligently at the implementation stage to learn as much as we can about the vendor ecosystem for each client. We map out the workflows, identify the touch points with other vendors, and, where available, review the transferee feedback data that can point to improvement opportunities across all aspects of the mobility program. Our account management teams support open engagement with other vendors to enhance the overall experience of transferees, as well as the corporate HR and mobility teams. We strongly support collaborative, joint vendor meetings, where we collectively work to improve the mobility program, standardize the data captured, and develop meaningful reports aligned with the required mobility ROI business case.
Purpose
At Arpin, we are very clear about our role and support for the planet and our communities. However, we also understand the impact of the ebb and flow of politics and regional differences, which are influenced by different economic cycles and levels of development. Notwithstanding these issues, we feel that every mobility program has the opportunity to give something back. Since 2013, Arpin Strong has donated over $2.38 million to charities across the globe. Our giving spans disaster relief, hunger prevention, health care research, wildlife conservation, and climate resilience. These initiatives include funding the construction of an eco-sanctuary, greenhouses, solar irrigation systems, and food preservation technology in the Philippines; supporting agricultural and educational programs in Haiti; and delivering trauma-informed care training to 382 participants in East Africa.
At Arpin, we also helped Malawian women gain economic independence through sewing and entrepreneurship training and underwrote a tech-equipped community center for education and empowerment. For like-minded clients, we engage with them through our Arpin Strong program to determine the degree to which they would like to support environmental and social programs and how to capture that support through meaningful data, further supporting the case for a positive mobility ROI beyond just the numbers.
Summary
There is no doubt that AI will have an increasingly important role to play across many facets of global mobility and ultimately will help build out robust business cases to demonstrate the true ROI of global mobility in the future. But we are, in my opinion, a long way from that being the norm today. There are still too many issues surrounding the sharing of personally Identifiable Information, incomplete historical data stored across multiple systems, and even restricted access for mobility teams to common AI tools due to security reasons.
In the meantime, therefore, working with partners in a program that can support a holistic approach to help build out your business case for continued investment in global mobility through a robust ROI approach will be critical to the ongoing success of the program. Capturing both hard and soft data will bring the necessary balance to your business case with measurable KPIs aligned to the overall business strategy.
At Arpin, we recognize that we are just one element in a complex ecosystem that works to optimize the talent strategy of a corporate client. However, by taking our multi-level, unique 5xP approach, we believe we can help support customers build out their ROI business case for ongoing and relevant investment in global mobility.