Google Maps and the relocation sector

I wrote last week about Google’s launch of a property search service within its Google Maps application, and the potential impact this would have on the UK’s estate agent community. Broadly speaking, agents will more than ever before be required to demonstrate the value they provide for their fee.

One area that I didn’t discuss, however, was the relocation sector and the impact, if any, that the new property search will have on relocating assignees and agents acting on their behalf.

Moving to the other end of a country, let alone to a different one on the other side of the world, is a pretty daunting experience. For many years, good relocation agents have calmed nerves and assuaged fears, offering a truly comprehensive service to help assignees set up a new life and get settled as easily and quickly as possible.

So what effect will Google’s property search have? On the face of it, a significant one.

Google Maps has made it easier to not only identify available properties in specific locations, but also to remotely see what the neighborhood is like. A couple of clicks and Google Street View effectively lets you wander round an area to get an effective feel for the place. If you like the look of somewhere, a further click puts you in touch with the estate agent letting the house. Job done.

Or is it? One of the huge benefits of using a relocation agent is the local knowledge that they bring to a move. An area can look fine from Google Street View, but what are the local schools actually like? The roads look clear in the middle of the day, but are they a rat-run during rush hour? Are the parks as pleasant as they look, or dangerous to go into after dark?

And even if the house is sorted, it still leaves important items such as registrations with schools, councils and utility companies. What about sorting out a car? Where are the nearest doctors and dentists and do they have space on their books?

The truly comprehensive service offered by the best relocation agents offers real added value and is something that Google Maps can never compete with. Increasingly, furniture provision is a vital part of this comprehensive service. Especially when moving to a different country, it is impossible to know the type of furniture that will suit a specific house or way of living. And, if existing furniture is being shipped, it is very difficult to put a guaranteed time on their arrival. Delays, damage and cost with trans-ocean transport are all factors that should be considered.endemic.

Furniture rental is the ideal solution, for both tenants and the agents representing them. It is all about providing a full service, compared to the part solution provided by Google Maps. And a full and effective service is something that will always be in demand.