If you were a bit dazed and confused during the October Surprise storm, imagine people who were transferring or relocating to Buffalo from outside the area on that fateful weekend.   Some of whom we as relocation professionals helped through an unexpectedly challenging (to say the least!) settling-in period here.

            Relocation professionals worth their weight in, well, snow, know that being flexible, proactive and focused on the mission at hand is what separates average from exceptional service. A federally declared disaster such as this can really put relocation specialists to the test.

            Take the case of a family that was moving to town from the Midwest. The van line was loaded, they said their goodbyes – but the usual “welcome to Western New York” was replaced with non-stop buzz about downed trees, driving bans, and power outages. The van lines were generally aware they’d not be able to unload – but how do you ask a family to put its life on hold because of a freak snowstorm?

            A professional relocation specialist will proceed undaunted, adopting a “life goes on” attitude and committed to finding solutions, even against such seemingly insurmountable odds, courtesy of Mother Nature. It often comes down to old-fashioned communication.

            For instance, a dutiful relocation pro would check a newcomer’s new house to determine if they had power, to see if their sump pump was operational, and to generally survey the neighborhood’s condition. Clients would look to their relocation contact for this kind of service. That’s how relocation teams can become true lifelines to transferees, which is typically what they would need most in a situation like that which occurred in the Buffalo area on the weekend of October 12, 2006.

            Whether clients planned to come to Buffalo to house hunt, or were actually en route here to set up permanent residence, the aim should remain the same: to be their communication link. They should be checked in with every 24 hours, and we know from experience how relocating families genuinely appreciate this kind of familiar connection, right from the start.

            In some cases my firm dealt with, we c hecked to see if area hotel rooms were available, r ecommended that our clients stay about an hour outside the Buffalo area and lodge there, p rovided them with toll-free phone numbers of hotels and motels, a dvised them to gas up their vehicles outside of the Buffalo area, due to long lines at the stations,  and u rged them to buy groceries on the way, well before they got to our snow-socked region.  

            With newcomers to our region being sort of instant pioneers during the October Surprise – coming into a new territory, and now one temporarily knocked for a loop – their transitional period was all the more difficult. What they needed most was a communication link to those things that could help them get acclimated.

            I recall another case where a family from Brazil was considering moving to the area. The husband – who was witnessing the Buffalo disaster live on CNN – didn’t want his family to see it, fearing they’d harbor negative feelings about Western New York, just two weeks before they got here. It wasn’t long, however, before the family adjusted quite easily to their move.

In fact, the custom of Halloween was explained to them, and in no time their children were on the streets trick or treating – in the same neighborhood where they eventually purchased a home.

Another family – this one from Germany – was taking a tour down Buffalo’s main streets and was saddened by what they saw. Their concern, however, was over the destruction of so many precious trees. Yet they were quick to note how impressed they were by the way residents and officials came together to weather the storm.

Life indeed goes on. People are resilient. In the world of relocation assistance, that sometimes means taking “dazed and confused” and turning it into “home sweet home” Reputable relocation specialists should be happy to help.