“I am surprised to see some companies still choosing to work with a provider that offers expat partners a Needs Assessment for free.”
Must be tempting but…
“I realise the temptation of receiving that all-important first step (helping the expat partner define their real support needs) for free. But, unless you decide to work with a voluntary organisation, believe me, there really is no such thing as a free lunch.
Penny wise
I say the devil is in the details. You will receive a bill in the end. This ‘freebie’ will lead you to a costly partner support offer. To me, much more importantly, this does not lead to addressing real spousal support needs, only to selling services for which the provider can send you an invoice.
A solid Needs Assessment
If you intend to seriously support your expat partners, it pays off – both for you and for the expat partner – to invest in a solid Needs Assessment. This cannot be achieved by asking the partner to fill in an online ‘tick a box’ form, or by skipping a professional discussion, led by a professional consultant, who has no incentive other than to focus on genuine support demands.
Good news
The good news is we have seen that fewer and fewer multinationals are getting lured into accepting a ‘free’ initial offer. Instead they are willing to focus on ‘the big picture’, and invest in a solid professional partner support programme from the get-go.”
