A couple of reports we covered recently both have sections specifically dedicated to artificial intelligence (AI) and other technologies. Results from the EY 2024 Mobility Reimagined Survey revealed that most “evolved” mobility programs are nearly twice as likely to already use generative AI (GenAI) routinely, compared to programs that are deemed “effective.”
Currently, 71% of mobility functions only use GenAI at times, with 22% using it routinely. About 79% of employers say GenAI will have a positive impact in areas like ways of working in the function, ways of working flexibly, employee experience, and enabling new job opportunities. Among evolved mobility functions, 27% routinely using GenAI at work, compared to 14% of functions that were deemed effective.
EY also found that, over the next two years, 80% of mobility professionals plan to increase their investment in mobility technology. The vast majority see automation and digitalization as beneficial for the function, with the top three benefits found in process simplification, process standardization, and compliance with tax and immigration policies.
The second report, from Cartus, found that 57% of respondents to its survey foresee the potential of AI to positively influence global mobility programs, with most expressing the belief that AI “should augment existing relocation services rather than replace the human touch.” Respondents said AI could help in cost containment, tailored policy creation, streamlined processes, and improved accessibility for employees and stakeholders.
When respondents considered the administration of their global mobility program, the areas of technology they considered as most important to their organization included:
- A single source of truth for all mobility
- Integration with all suppliers and human resources information systems
- Self-service cost estimator tool
- Accessibility (e.g., multilanguage, screen reader support)
- Chat capability (e.g., instant messaging functionality)
- Self-service payment options
Also, during the 2023 WERC Global Workforce Symposium, Deloitte engaged talent mobility leaders on GenAI. Participants brainstormed ways to leverage GenAI across the talent mobility life cycle, focusing on elevating mobility professionals’ roles, enhancing employee and stakeholder experiences, and reducing administrative burdens.
To continue exploring this emerging trend, we asked Mark Burchell, SGMS, vice president for global sales and business development at Arpin International Group and chair elect of the WERC Board of Directors, and Robert Gallucci, GMS, senior vice president for client engagement and business development at Hilldrup, about their companies’ experiences with AI and automation and how they see the technology shaping their industry.
AI’s Utility in Moving Services
Burchell has witnessed the use of AI in helping clients with FAQs, reviewing policies, and processing standard, basic documentation, as well as in digital/video pre-move surveys. The next phase, he believes, is AI’s adoption in pricing and cost evaluation.
“Companies have already completed the work in analyzing the literally hundreds of thousands of moves and cost estimates they have on file,” he says. “We are already at a point where larger movers in the U.S., and possibly mainland Europe, will not do a pre-move estimate at all. They will just need an origin address and destination address, along with five to seven key questions, and they will be able to provide a realistic price. The issue is how to manage the moves or individual elements that create the ‘outliers’ to the data and how those are managed and paid for—but we are very close!”
Gallucci cites Yembo’s AI virtual property inspection technology as a good example of how technology is transforming the industry. The tool allows transferees to do their own in-home survey on their mobile device, “which has been working successfully and has streamlined the process eliminating in home surveys and associated costs,” Gallucci says.
AI and Automation’s Impact on Customer Service
Gallucci says automation has made Hilldrup more customer centric by allowing the company to communicate with clients in the manner they prefer, not simply via a traditional phone call. It also provides more autonomy to customers to choose the timing of their interactions.
“Customers need choices, and we are now better able to offer them options in the way they receive information,” he says. As an example, he cites automated “drip” communication that allows Hilldrup to present smaller pieces of information to a customer in a way that makes sense for their move, as opposed to giving them one overload of information at the beginning of the cycle. “Reminders throughout the time between registration and packing help keep the customer engaged and let them know we are maintaining connection,” Gallucci says.
Burchell says that AI takes over the more mundane, repetitive, rules-based work of front-line teams, allowing them to give more personal attention to clients. Additionally, he notes that some firms are already working with sentiment analysis and customer reactions/responses to focus on relocations that are proving difficult for clients. “AI can help prioritize which of these moves gets the most immediate reaction,” Burchell says. That allows a customer service team member or an AI customer service bot to help pinpoint the problems and potential solutions.
Tech’s Role in the Future of Mobility
Burchell is excited about technology’s future role in the talent mobility industry. “Robot packers in the home, ships with no humans on board, trucks with no drivers, an entirely digital transaction and interaction, all managed through cryptocurrency in the block chain,” he proffers as a vision. “Perhaps the intersection of 3D printing and AI means we don’t need to move anything at all in the future.”
Gallucci, meanwhile, sees more movement toward a customer portal in the national account arena, allowing customers more self-service at their fingertips, similar to what is offered by van lines for residential customers. “In order to gain efficiencies, we need to embrace automation,” he says.
Whatever view you take, there is no doubt that automation, AI, and other technologies are impacting society at every level, at an ever-increasing rate. As talent mobility professionals embrace the technologies beneficial to their industry, the ones that can most augment the employees—who serve as the backbone of the industry—will gain operational and cost efficiencies, while boosting the customer experience.