In Focus – Fonterra

Fonterra Mobility Case Study

Crown has a varied portfolio of clients who look to us to guide, shape and deliver their employee mobility programs. These programs can help unlock new possibilities for their businesses, and create amazing development opportunities for their people.

But its important to remember at the heart of every program are the people, their families and their lives, that are being relocated. Its critical to ensure the move is a success for everyone even when reacting to unforeseen and unique market challenges.

Its therefore just as important for clients that their relocating employees are put first, as well as themselves in their dealings with Crown.

Fonterra feedback 1

Setting the scene

Fonterra is the world’s largest dairy exporter. Headquartered in Auckland, New Zealand, they proudly share their products with a billion people every day. To help maximise their performance, they move people all over the world to manage strategic projects and encourage innovation. For the last 15 years Crown World Mobility has been one of their preferred suppliers.

Nicola Spencer has worked at Fonterra for three years and in international mobility for eight years. With all this industry experience, Nicola is used to the many challenges that a Mobility Team must deal with. Her team faces great pressure to deliver an outstanding personal service for their people, often with a limited budget. Business expectations are huge as they need to move people quickly, navigate tax and immigration challenges, and make sure employees are motivated and ready from the moment they land in their new role.

Customer perspective

Each year Nicola’s team deal with approximately 80 international assignees, as well as permanent local and short-term moves. Nicola said:

“I’ve dealt with several different mobility companies during my career. Their performance can make or break the wellbeing of our staff as they start work on an international assignment. If they aren’t on the call, it can increase the pressure on my team. Any problems mean we will have disgruntled executives wanting to know why their staff have had a bad experience. It can be really stressful when it goes wrong but hugely rewarding when it works well”.

The Crown experience

Nicola could not speak highly enough of the support Crown provides:

“We have a brilliant relationship with Sharon Brandt at the Crown Office in Auckland. We are in contact every day and they are always proactive and flexible. If they feel someone needs extra support they will tell us. They’ve moved so many people; singles, couples, families – they know what they need to do and have early conversations to make sure our people are prepared for the move.

We are lucky to have them. I’ve worked with other relocation firms but they don’t seem to grasp the effect they can have on people. Crown though get it, they’re amazing.”

Sharon Brandt

Putting the customer first always

With coronavirus (COVID-19) spreading across the world, mobility teams are under pressure to keep employees safe. Recently, Fonterra had to repatriate one of their employees from overseas. Nicola explains: “An employee had to be evacuated at short notice from the Philippines. Marna was able to secure accommodation for their family, organise correct car seats for three kids for the airport transfer, and arranged a basket of goodies on arrival. She went over and above with added support on the self-isolation requirements in New Zealand. It’s a fantastic example of Crown’s incredible customer service that prevails even at the most difficult of times, like this.”

Employee at Fonterra said: “We’re all safe and sound, and settled into the apartment. We appreciate everything that Crown did, and providing grocery essentials was a great gesture given we came in late at night, and most importantly they were Fonterra products as well!”

To contact our World Mobility team call: 0800 243 578, or (+64) 9 415 7300, alternatively email: [email protected] or complete a contact form.

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