Corporate Housing Providers Association - CHPACorporate Housing Providers Association - CHPA
Over the years, corporate housing has become synonymous with traveling business executives whose work has taken them from place to place. Corporate housing, however, serves many more customer segments. There are many opportunities for which corporate housing is a good fit: long-term medical care, temporary accommodations during career and life transitions, insurance housing, and disaster relief housing.
According to the 2008 Worldwide ERC® “Family Issues Survey,” about six in 10 transferees have dependent children and nearly three-fourths are married. In fact, family concerns are the primary reason transferees choose to commute rather than relocate their households.
Corporate housing is one solution that helps alleviate these concerns because of the comfort and quality it affords for those traveling with families. There is no denying that traveling with families can be stressful, and corporate housing provides families with the space and amenities needed to be comfortable during their temporary stay. With the apartment fully furnished and the utilities turned on, everything needed for a comfortable stay is already available and nothing is left to chance.
From Down Under to a Mile High
When Natasha Sinclair learned her family would be moving from Melbourne, Australia, to Colorado for her husband’s one-year contract assignment, the task seemed daunting. Not only were she and her husband moving, their daughters were going along as well. Having never been to the United States, she did not know where to start.
An astute real estate agent from Fuller Sotheby’s International Realty, Denver, Colorado, recommended she contact a corporate housing provider at Gables Corporate Accommodations, Highland Ranch, Colorado. This advice was far more beneficial than Sinclair realized at the time. Not knowing anything about the area, Sinclair relied on her corporate housing provider to guide her to the perfect place for her and her family to settle in as they looked for a longer-term rental home.
“We really had no idea where we wanted to be for the year,” Sinclair said. “We knew we wanted to live in an area that had good schools, a lot of activities, and a safe environment. We also had to find some place that would allow my husband to do his work, since he didn’t have an office.”
Gables Corporate Accommodations placed the Sinclairs in a three-bedroom, three-bathroom apartment that was fully furnished, including all accessories and housewares. The property offered a clubhouse, fitness center, and playground for Sinclair’s daughters.
“We literally showed up with our suitcases and everything was taken care of,” Sinclair said. “The utilities were all squared away, the Internet worked immediately, and we didn’t have to worry about any bills. I was quite amazed at the contrast between the hotel room we stayed in on our arrival and our apartment.
“Each daughter had her own space and they were individually decorated, as opposed to a hotel. It was so convenient to be able to cook meals, do laundry, and feel comfortable. We actually became quite attached to the apartment.”
Corporate housing providers often hear that clients enjoy their accommodations so much they do not want to leave. Sinclair and her family stayed in the apartment for more than a month before finding the perfect location in a great school district where they are renting a home.
“I would definitely recommend using corporate housing for a temporary stay,” said Sinclair. “It allowed us the flexibility we needed to find what we really wanted and was the perfect solution for us. Everything was taken care of for us so all we had to do was show up.”
The Sinclair’s story is an excellent example of how corporate housing can work for families needing a solution to a temporary stay problem. Corporate housing can work for nearly any scenario and can serve as a one-stop shop. In addition, given the level of comfort and space corporate housing provides, it often is a convenient solution for families, especially those traveling with children.
The Mobility Professional Becomes the Corporate Housing Client
In May 2010, Worldwide ERC® named Peggy Smith, SCRP, SGMS, its new chief executive officer. Smith came from software giant Microsoft Corporation, Redmond, WA, where she was director of global mobility with responsibility for more than 5,000 annual global moves. With her new position, however, Smith became the client as she planned her own cross-country move and used corporate housing in the process.
Smith and her family actually used corporate housing on both ends of the move to accommodate their needs. Smith was not only moving with her husband and daughter, but they also were relocating their two pets. “Using corporate housing on the front end allowed us to keep our pets with us, and gave the movers and stagers the opportunity to prepare our Seattle-area home for our departure,” said Smith.
Even though she initially did not intend to use corporate housing in Virginia, it turned out to be the best solution. “Being completely unfamiliar with the area, we wanted to make a solid choice about where to put down roots in a new community,” said Smith. “We looked at houses first, but didn’t find anything we liked that we felt comfortable making a long-term commitment to.”
Given Smith’s knowledge of the model and services provided with corporate housing, she quickly realized the convenience it would afford them, as all their housing needs were coordinated in their new home state. “We didn’t come into this move planning to use corporate housing,” she said. “But once we knew we weren’t going to buy right away, and we found a property we really liked—close to my daughter’s school and with a straightforward commute to the Worldwide ERC® office—it became apparent that going through a corporate housing provider would make the transition much easier. They handled furniture rental, utilities setup, property negotiation with the rental company, and a variety of other arrangements.”
Another benefit that Smith found invaluable was being able to get into the property as soon as they arrived at their final destination—even though it was close to midnight. “We showed up at the concierge desk and just picked up our key—it was that simple. We didn’t even have to stay in a hotel that first night,” Smith said.
“The ease of getting into our new home, being able to turn in for the night without much fuss, and not worrying about anything was enormously gratifying,” she said. Smith and her family plan to stay in their apartment for at least six months, and possibly longer.
The Smith family’s move provides an excellent example of using a traditional resource in a non-traditional manner. “We were thrilled with being able to leverage the services offered by a corporate housing provider,” says Smith. “It has been a fantastic experience. Knowing the mechanics was helpful because it made the logistical transition so easy.”
Corporate housing has long been the perfect solution for temporary accommodations for traveling business executives, and the industry continues to evolve to be a solution for a variety of uses, especially when traveling with families. The convenience it provides eases the transition, reducing the stress and anxiety for many families. Corporate housing also accommodates a number of unique needs such as pets. With most properties located in residential areas, families are close to recreation, entertainment, and necessary facilities such as grocery stores, medical offices, and schools.
In addition, corporate housing is flexible. The Smiths’ experience demonstrated that corporate housing organizations can provide as much or as little assistance as needed. It is a full-service solution customized for the client’s needs. That kind of flexibility can lead to more successful relocations and work-life balances, which in turn create more satisfied and successful employees.
Over the years, corporate housing has become synonymous with traveling business executives whose work has taken them from place to place. Corporate housing, however, serves many more customer segments. There are many opportunities for which corporate housing is a good fit: long-term medical care, temporary accommodations during career and life transitions, insurance housing, and disaster relief housing.
According to the 2008 Worldwide ERC® “Family Issues Survey,” about six in 10 transferees have dependent children and nearly three-fourths are married. In fact, family concerns are the primary reason transferees choose to commute rather than relocate their households.
Corporate housing is one solution that helps alleviate these concerns because of the comfort and quality it affords for those traveling with families. There is no denying that traveling with families can be stressful, and corporate housing provides families with the space and amenities needed to be comfortable during their temporary stay. With the apartment fully furnished and the utilities turned on, everything needed for a comfortable stay is already available and nothing is left to chance.
From Down Under to a Mile High
When Natasha Sinclair learned her family would be moving from Melbourne, Australia, to Colorado for her husband’s one-year contract assignment, the task seemed daunting. Not only were she and her husband moving, their daughters were going along as well. Having never been to the United States, she did not know where to start.
An astute real estate agent from Fuller Sotheby’s International Realty, Denver, Colorado, recommended she contact a corporate housing provider at Gables Corporate Accommodations, Highland Ranch, Colorado. This advice was far more beneficial than Sinclair realized at the time. Not knowing anything about the area, Sinclair relied on her corporate housing provider to guide her to the perfect place for her and her family to settle in as they looked for a longer-term rental home.
“We really had no idea where we wanted to be for the year,” Sinclair said. “We knew we wanted to live in an area that had good schools, a lot of activities, and a safe environment. We also had to find some place that would allow my husband to do his work, since he didn’t have an office.”
Gables Corporate Accommodations placed the Sinclairs in a three-bedroom, three-bathroom apartment that was fully furnished, including all accessories and housewares. The property offered a clubhouse, fitness center, and playground for Sinclair’s daughters.
“We literally showed up with our suitcases and everything was taken care of,” Sinclair said. “The utilities were all squared away, the Internet worked immediately, and we didn’t have to worry about any bills. I was quite amazed at the contrast between the hotel room we stayed in on our arrival and our apartment.
“Each daughter had her own space and they were individually decorated, as opposed to a hotel. It was so convenient to be able to cook meals, do laundry, and feel comfortable. We actually became quite attached to the apartment.”
Corporate housing providers often hear that clients enjoy their accommodations so much they do not want to leave. Sinclair and her family stayed in the apartment for more than a month before finding the perfect location in a great school district where they are renting a home.
“I would definitely recommend using corporate housing for a temporary stay,” said Sinclair. “It allowed us the flexibility we needed to find what we really wanted and was the perfect solution for us. Everything was taken care of for us so all we had to do was show up.”
The Sinclair’s story is an excellent example of how corporate housing can work for families needing a solution to a temporary stay problem. Corporate housing can work for nearly any scenario and can serve as a one-stop shop. In addition, given the level of comfort and space corporate housing provides, it often is a convenient solution for families, especially those traveling with children.
The Mobility Professional Becomes the Corporate Housing Client
In May 2010, Worldwide ERC® named Peggy Smith, SCRP, SGMS, its new chief executive officer. Smith came from software giant Microsoft Corporation, Redmond, WA, where she was director of global mobility with responsibility for more than 5,000 annual global moves. With her new position, however, Smith became the client as she planned her own cross-country move and used corporate housing in the process.
Smith and her family actually used corporate housing on both ends of the move to accommodate their needs. Smith was not only moving with her husband and daughter, but they also were relocating their two pets. “Using corporate housing on the front end allowed us to keep our pets with us, and gave the movers and stagers the opportunity to prepare our Seattle-area home for our departure,” said Smith.
Even though she initially did not intend to use corporate housing in Virginia, it turned out to be the best solution. “Being completely unfamiliar with the area, we wanted to make a solid choice about where to put down roots in a new community,” said Smith. “We looked at houses first, but didn’t find anything we liked that we felt comfortable making a long-term commitment to.”
Given Smith’s knowledge of the model and services provided with corporate housing, she quickly realized the convenience it would afford them, as all their housing needs were coordinated in their new home state. “We didn’t come into this move planning to use corporate housing,” she said. “But once we knew we weren’t going to buy right away, and we found a property we really liked—close to my daughter’s school and with a straightforward commute to the Worldwide ERC® office—it became apparent that going through a corporate housing provider would make the transition much easier. They handled furniture rental, utilities setup, property negotiation with the rental company, and a variety of other arrangements.”
Another benefit that Smith found invaluable was being able to get into the property as soon as they arrived at their final destination—even though it was close to midnight. “We showed up at the concierge desk and just picked up our key—it was that simple. We didn’t even have to stay in a hotel that first night,” Smith said.
“The ease of getting into our new home, being able to turn in for the night without much fuss, and not worrying about anything was enormously gratifying,” she said. Smith and her family plan to stay in their apartment for at least six months, and possibly longer.
The Smith family’s move provides an excellent example of using a traditional resource in a non-traditional manner. “We were thrilled with being able to leverage the services offered by a corporate housing provider,” says Smith. “It has been a fantastic experience. Knowing the mechanics was helpful because it made the logistical transition so easy.”
Corporate housing has long been the perfect solution for temporary accommodations for traveling business executives, and the industry continues to evolve to be a solution for a variety of uses, especially when traveling with families. The convenience it provides eases the transition, reducing the stress and anxiety for many families. Corporate housing also accommodates a number of unique needs such as pets. With most properties located in residential areas, families are close to recreation, entertainment, and necessary facilities such as grocery stores, medical offices, and schools.
In addition, corporate housing is flexible. The Smiths’ experience demonstrated that corporate housing organizations can provide as much or as little assistance as needed. It is a full-service solution customized for the client’s needs. That kind of flexibility can lead to more successful relocations and work-life balances, which in turn create more satisfied and successful employees.
