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Eight employees, two relocation projects, and over 14 hours of back-and-forth later. Airport transfer and car rentals turned into a logistical nightmare for a Fortune 500 HR team. Curious how it happened? Continue reading!
In our last article, we introduced ExpatRide as more than just a transportation provider: but as a true global mobility partner – built by expats, for expats. Whether it’s airport transfers, long-term leases, chauffeur services or a VIP that needs assistance, we deliver tailored, reliable support for assignees and the teams managing their relocations. We work with your preferred RMC, operate in 175+ countries, offer concierge-level service, and one central point of contact, we simplify the complex logistics of international mobility, so your team doesn’t have to.
But why does this matter so much?
In this article, we’ll explore 12 key reasons why HR and global mobility teams around the world choose ExpatRide, and hen follow it with a real-life case study showing what happens when a relocation doesn’t have the right transportation partner in place.
1 Transportation specialists in Global Mobility
At ExpatRide we are 100% focused on the global mobility industry. DSPs are designed for a broad aspect of local services. Business travel platforms are designed for expense reporting. Booking platforms are designed for tourists. These are not designed for global assignees’ transportation. ExpatRide is. We have more than a decade of experience working with global mobility programs, delivering high-quality service every step of the way.
2 One Partner for all transportation
Where DSPs and platforms only offer a segment of the transportation often needed, ExpatRide offers centralized coordination of various services across 175+ countries, ensuring consistent quality, accountability, and service worldwide. We can coordinate car rentals, airport transfers, car leasing, bus services, chauffeur services, chauffeured orientation tours, armored vehicles, and VIP services! We are your one-point-of-contact for all global transportation services.
3 Vetted global supplier network
ExpatRide curates a global network of 200+ transportation partners to ensure service quality, safety, and alignment with your corporate standards. We know which suppliers offer the best terms and support across the globe. We hold our suppliers to a high standard, and are not afraid to escalate things when necessary. A DSP would only be able to escalate things locally, whereas we have fast escalation via our global vendor partnerships.
4 24/7 Live Support by Mobility Experts
If something goes wrong with a local booking, you’re stuck in a call center queue, where you have to answer 5-6 questions with an automated service, before being passed on to an offshore support center, where they will ask you to contact the rental branch directly. ExpatRide gives you a dedicated global team monitoring service and supporting your assignees in real-time, around the clock. You could think of it as a concierge service, like a 5-star hotel, whereas the platform offers less personal assistance than a hostel. We have offices both in Manila, Prague and Miami to ensure everything goes smoothly – even on the weekends!
5 Expert, personalized booking support
When you send us the details of your relocation case, we get to work. Your dedicated booking specialist dives into the specifics and finds the best-fit solution. Many of our employees have expat experience themselves. We know how it is to be new in a new country, and therefore can assist your assignees with full empathy and a practical approach. We will highlight what you may have missed and offer smarter alternatives. For example, instead of booking a long-term rental car at the airport, we might suggest to book an airport transfer followed by a rental at a local branch. This change not only saves money but also ensures a more comfortable and convenient experience for your assignees. Insights like this we have gained through years of experience.
6 Direct Billing and invoicing in your currency
Booking through DSPs or locally require each rental to be paid upfront by the renter, leading to scattered receipts, reimbursement headaches, and unnecessary extra work for your HR department. ExpatRide solves this with centralized, direct billing in your preferred currency. We offer tailored billing; Adjusting each invoice to accommodate multiple billing addresses and employee information. This ensures clean expense reconciliation, reduces internal processing time, and gives finance and HR full visibility and control over mobility costs.
7 Compliance and Duty of Care We understand the regulatory and legal implications of international assignments. ExpatRide ensures that all services comply with local laws, licensing requirements, and safety standards. For example, did you know that to rent a car in Japan as a foreigner, it is necessary to get an International Driving Permit (IDP)? We do! And we will make sure to inform you and the assignees about all necessary regulations.
8 No surprise fees – ever
What looks like a cheap deal through a DSP can quickly become more expensive with insurance, mileage limits, fuel charges, airport surcharges, and add-ons. ExpatRide uses fixed, all-inclusive pricing to ensure financial transparency.
9 Dedicated VIP services
Is it a VIP that needs services? We have a department that is fully dedicated to VIPs, ensuring you get that white glove experience.
10 We work with your preferred RMC
We work together with all the major RMCs, making all our services available through your RMC, thereby giving you access to our over 200+ suppliers already today! We have been servicing RMCs for more than a decade and we have received several awards for our services.
11 Focus on sustainability
At ExpatRide we have a big focus on sustainability – almost 10% of our team is dedicated to sustainability, we have published two whitepapers offering ground breaking insights into making global mobility more sustainable. Did you for example know, that under the right circumstances, it can be better to relocate an employee than not? Curious? You can read more here. Last but not least, we have our unique EcoRide program, that prioritizes Electric Vehicles and Hybrids when available. We vet all our suppliers, and we push and motivate greener choices. At ExpatRide, sustainability is always a central focus.
12 For expats, by expats
What truly sets ExpatRide apart is our people. Most members of our team has either been an expat or is currently living as one. We bring a unique level of empathy and understanding to the table, because we’ve lived the complexities of international moves ourselves. This perspective shapes every decision we make, from booking strategy to customer support. We don’t just know the challenges your assignees face, we’ve been there ourselves!
Do you see now why partnering with ExpatRide would let you offer better, integrated services to your assignees? Not fully convinced? Take a look at the case below, and hopefully you won’t be in doubt anymore!
A Real-World Example: When Good Intentions Meet Reality
The Global HR department of a Fortune 500 company had to assist in managing a temporary move for eight of their employees; five to Houston, Texas, and three to Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
Each employee needed transport from the airport to their hotel and a rental car for the six-month project. “No problem!” thought the HR manager in charge, and went straight to a popular rental platform to book the first five cars in Houston for pickup at the airport. But what looked simple quickly turned complicated. The total cost far exceeded the budget authorization. With no flexibility on funds, she tried to find a workaround, eventually arranging separate airport transfers and booking vehicles at a local branch instead, so they did not have to pay the airport fees on the rental cars. This meant coordinating with multiple providers and changing plans for all five employees. They first experienced some issues with the airport transfers, the driver wasn’t there! And since the assignees arrived on a Saturday, no one was in office to assist them, so they ended up taking a taxi to the hotel. When the employees picked up their cars, almost all of them ran into issues. One assignee received a car that smelled heavily of smoke, triggering a long back-and-forth with the branch to secure a replacement. Another reported that the car was not ready, despite the confirmed booking. For the third one, a car bumped into her car at the supermarket, so they had to pay for the repairs. These issues meant spending hours on the phone and on hold, while trying to get ahold of someone who could solve the issues. Luckily, there was no issues with the last two assignees and their car rental. In total, the HR manager spent over 14 hours on emails, phone calls, and coordination across four vendors to resolve what was meant to be a straightforward task.
But for the next three employees in Fort Lauderdale the HR manager knew better. Wanting to streamline logistics, she reached out to a local Destination Services Provider (DSP) to coordinate airport transfers and rental cars. Instead of spending several hours on it, she wrote one email with all the information and the task was passed on.
Unfortunately, things didn’t go as planned.
The first issue arose immediately upon arrival. The group’s flight was delayed, but the airport transfer service wasn’t updated. The driver arrived on time – but the assignees didn’t. With no one monitoring the flight or communicating with the transfer provider, the driver left. Stranded at the airport, the assignees decided to take an Uber. The car was too small to fit them and their luggage comfortably, and to make matters worse, the driver smoked out of the window during the ride. Not the beginning of the project they had imagined.
Things didn’t improve with the rental cars. Two of the three vehicles were delivered without major issues. The only issue they had, was that the assignees had to renew their contracts with the rental company every month – an inconvenience, but it was manageable. But the third assignee had bigger problems than that. Upon returning from dinner one evening, they found the rental car had been towed. When the HR manager contacted the DSP, the issue was escalated locally, but without meaningful follow-up or resolution. The car remained impounded for days, and the assignee was left without reliable transportation, having to manage taxis, carshares, and the kindness of his coworkers.
This experience highlighted a hard truth: while DSPs can offer helpful local services, transportation logistics require specialized, hands-on coordination – something beyond the scope of most relocation providers.
Had she partnered with ExpatRide, a single request would have covered the entire solution: airport transfers, car rentals, zero deductible coverage, and real-time support for each assignee. No unexpected costs. No bouncing between suppliers. No wasting time.
Relocation is complex enough – transportation shouldn’t add to the chaos. As the case study shows, even with the best intentions, relying on general providers or patchwork solutions can lead to delays, added costs, and stressed-out employees.
Why risk the hassle when a better solution is just one request away?
Simplify your next move with ExpatRide. Because your assignees deserve better, and so does your team.
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