How Churchill Living Helped a Fortune 500 Technology Giant Solve Their Intern Housing Objectives

Monday, December 18, 2017

In the summer of 2017, Churchill had the opportunity to work with a leading, well-respected Fortune 500 technology company in helping them solve a challenge on how to best support their intern housing needs. Our Client regularly relies on summer internship programs as a means of recruiting high-potential employees from top-tier undergraduate and graduate programs worldwide. A Bit of Background: In 2016, Our Client elected to house their interns mostly in college dormitories. The accommodations were far from exceptional and the post-program intern assessment reflected this. Our Client’s objective for 2017 was to “give a better first impression” to its interns, in an effort to present a more professional and engaging projection of their first-class organization. Luckily Churchill Living was able to offer the perfect solution. Once a decision was made to utilize Furnished Apartments for the 2017 intern program over the dormitories, they elected to partner with Churchill Living directly due to its Flex-Smart inventory, and customized one-on-one client service. Churchill’s Flex-Smart Inventory provides the ability to meet specific housing needs in all major markets, by offering customized property selections for each client’s unique requirements. Additionally, it allows clients direct communication with Churchill, without working through a relocation company, travel manager or other administrative party. Churchill’s parameters for managing the program included: Churchill would source properties to meet Our Client’s specific needs based on location and predetermined budget. We were able to scale with client needs, even when the initial request of 25 units grew to 65 units. Churchill would assist Our Client in roommate matching and property choice for individual interns. Example: To add value, the MBA interns were housed as a group in a 5-Star property in a convenient and local New Jersey town with easy access to Our Client’s location. Churchill would tailor-split the group, putting the undergraduate interns into A+ Furnished Apartments and the MBA interns into brand new A+ Furnished Apartments. Churchill provided all Interns with our Mobile “Front Desk” app providing them access to real time apartment and property amenity information, local neighborhood’s guides, services and 24/7 access to Churchill customer service just like the front desk of a traditional lodgings option. Churchill would establish a seamless process, starting with a face-to-face meeting for all interns at their property, customized packets to welcome interns to the apartments, and guidelines which presented Our Client’s Intern policies and procedures. Churchill would maintain weekly communication with Our Client for the duration of the interns’ stay to ensure interns were satisfied with the properties and Churchill’s 24/7 guest services, and to respond to any service requests in a quick and efficient manner. At the end of the Intern Program on August 12, 2017, Churchill would follow the laid-out plan to efficiently manage the intern check-out and post-program assessment. The Results Are In! Our Client’s management praised Churchill’s service in a statement, “The management of the program and the feedback received from the interns regarding the apartments was exemplary and it helped show that (Our Client) is an organization that values its interns and helps recruit the best candidates to our Leadership Development Program.” Ultimately, Our Client was so thrilled with the feedback they received from this year’s interns, they have expanded both the number of units and the number of locations for next year’s summer program, adding programs in Texas and California for Summer 2018. Churchill Living — Turning Challenges into Successes Every Single Day! The above is one Churchill Living success story, but there are literally hundreds of others to share. Many companies find challenges in choosing the right accommodation for their employees or interns for a short-term stay, whether it is a desirable location, lack of space, houseware/kitchenware, and furniture or transition expectations. Furnished Apartments offers the right solutions to such requirements, while providing products, services and accommodations. By choosing to partner with a provider — like Churchill Living — there will be only one contact for everything. Let Churchill assist you with your summer 2018 internship programs and we’ll ensure your interns will feel At Home, Anywhere™.