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Tim Metcalfe

Specialist companies are offering a range of services to  the army of expatriates descending on 'Asia's Las Vegas'
As the world's major hotels and casinos descend on Macau, followed by a host of supporting industries in their wake, the business of relocating executives and entire offices is not surprisingly brisk.
Like many peripheral businesses capitalising on the birth of 'Asia's Las Vegas', relocation specialists have been quick to identify opportunities.
'Macau relocations soared by 50 per cent in volume last year with business continuing to boom as key managers arrive for the construction, hotel and gaming sectors,' said Patrick O'Donnell,  managing director of Links Relocations.
Clients for relocation services in Macau extend beyond hotels to gaming and other industries related to the Macau boom. Significant among these is construction, with the arrival of an army of international architects, engineers and builders.
With a growing inflow of expatriates, Macau's facilities are catching up to meet the demands of their needs. 'Macau is changing quickly,' Mr O'Donnell said.
'A few years back the choice of luxury accommodation was limited, but that has improved with new property developments coming online. Similarly, more schooling options are available but they are not as diverse as Hong Kong.'
Ensuring expatriates arrive in a foreign place with peace of mind and productive in their new roles is a major concern of relocation services operators.
Sherry Liu,  general manager for Crown Relocations Hong Kong and Macau, said: 'We offer a comprehensive settling-in service to help our clients adjust to life in Macau, from home search to schools for children, orientation services and introductions to business and social networking groups.'
The company established the Macau office three years ago, offering a full repertoire of household moving, general relocation, records management and logistics services.
'Our services are tailored to the specific needs of companies or clients to make the transition easier and promote a positive outlook,' she said.
'No one wants a key employee to arrive disappointed and catch the first return flight home, so the relocation process starts well before the assignee even lands in Macau, with our services designed to help set the right expectations.'
In previous years, Crown had been serving a growing number of Macau-based corporate customers such as the Hyatt, Westin and Mandarin Oriental.
Because much of the business involves close personal contact and liaison, communication and people skills are a key attribute for those interested in making a career in relocation.
'In this industry we look for dynamic individuals focused on providing top-level services and care to our demanding customers,' Ms Liu said.
'People who speak multiple languages and who have experience working in multinational companies often prove to be particularly effective.'
However, because many companies are finding it difficult to recruit the right talent in Macau, competition for staff is acute, especially given the relatively high salaries offered by casinos and hotels.
'For companies outside of the hotel and gaming industry, it can be difficult to attract local talent,' she said.
Due to continual expansion, Links is constantly seeking top industry professionals to join its inspired team. 'More clients mean we need more trained staff. The search for talent in Macau is heating up and we are looking for people,' Mr O'Donnell said.
The company provides an intensive six-month training programme for newcomers to the industry, and is especially on the lookout for 'overachievers', while packages are 'extremely competitive, designed to attract and reward the very best candidates in the industry'.
With incoming management from a diversity of backgrounds and nationalities, customer service has become an essential element of the winning formula for relocations companies, but experienced local staff are hard to come by to meet the ever-growing demand. Lance Allen,  managing director for moving and relocation service at Santa Fe Relocation Services, said: 'They are our primary target, but everybody else is looking for those type of people. They are in big demand.' The firm opened its Macau office 18 months ago and business has continued to grow since.
'This is a big challenge in Macau. With so many jobs available in the casinos, hotels and construction, there is a limited supply of local staff. That is why so many companies have to bring in people from overseas,' Mr Allen said.



It's a moving experience