White Glove Service: The Hill Move-In Concierge

Since opening its doors in 2008, The Hill at Whitemarsh has gone above and beyond to make the experience of moving as seamless as possible for incoming residents. Moving has long topped the list of the most stressful life events, but the team at The Hill works diligently to take care of all the details, both large and small, so that new residents feel nothing but excitement and bliss on their move-in day.

“Residents want a personalized experience, and our concierge service is customized to their needs, providing them with special attention throughout the whole process,” says Christine Dwyer, Director of Sales and Marketing for The Hill. “Our seasoned Concierge Sales and Relocation Team bring over 75 combined years of experience in the senior housing and customer service industry. There’s a lot of collective value in that.”

With over 30 years of experience in the senior retirement community space herself, Chris has witnessed the ebb and flow of many trends within the industry and notes that the downsizing experience is no longer about compromise. Those who are in the market for a top-tier retirement community like The Hill have high expectations and desire the ability to truly make their new home a space that reflects their design aesthetic, comfort level, and lifestyle choices.

Seeing this shift continue to expand, The Hill took its concierge service to a whole new level in 2019, when Relocation Specialist Susan Mazzarelli joined the team.

“In short, I make sure that all of the dreams that residents have for their new home can come true,” Sue says when asked how to describe her role at The Hill. “As long as the request won’t cause a structure to collapse, we can make it happen. We’ve opened walls, ripped out stairs, renovated kitchens and bathrooms. And that’s really only a small piece of what we do for new residents.”

When new residents decide to make the move to The Hill, Sue works alongside them to coordinate the entire move, from start to finish. In the decade-plus that The Hill has helped residents remove the stress from their move, no two requests have been exactly alike. Both Sue and the leadership team, which includes Chris, have stressed the importance of being able to customize the experience for every resident who walks through their doors.

“We help them articulate their vision and then execute on it,” says Chris. “Each process is unique, but we’re able to accommodate nearly every request that comes our way. Some residents choose to bring in their own team, and others opt to work with our network of preferred partners. No matter whom they want to work with, our team manages the process to ensure 100% satisfaction for our residents.”

Sue’s years of expertise and knowledge allow her to direct residents in the most efficient and productive way so as not to waste their time and energy on things she knows won’t work for the space. She has worked as both a closet designer and a downsizing expert, which means that residents are in very capable hands with Sue.

“I can play an integral role in helping people facilitate their vision for the new space and for the move itself,” says Sue. “I make different recommendations about colors, textures, and window treatments, and depending on the depth of their needs, I can make recommendations about whom they should work with. Our preferred partners know The Hill intimately, and we hold them to very high standards when it comes to delivering for our residents.”

“Our main objective is to encourage residents to really make The Hill at Whitemarsh their home, tap into their creativity, and enjoy the adventure of the move.” – Chris Dwyer

While there is no official menu of services for new residents to consider, over the years The Hill has helped facilitate everything from creating floor plans for the new space to interior design to packing and unpacking belongings. The Hill covers the expense of the moving company and also can stock refrigerators with residents’ favorite foods prior to their arrival.

One of the most popular tasks that The Hill helps new residents tackle is downsizing. Many people get overwhelmed by the thought of having to downsize, but The Hill works with specialists who can help new residents figure out what to get rid of, what to donate, what to sell, and what to bring to their new home.

“Trying to get rid of things can be a lot harder than you might expect,” says Sue. “It’s really important to have a transition company to manage the process. Moving is one of the most stressful life events you can experience. I always tell the residents not to stress or worry about anything, though, because that’s my job.”

The Hill has been recognized as one of the premier retirement communities in the region, and it takes both dedication and attention to detail in order to maintain that status. Over the years, Chris has found that this kind of concierge service is actually less of a service and more of a state of mind – one that goes beyond just the move and embodies the entire experience of living at The Hill.

“Our main objective is to encourage residents to really make The Hill at Whitemarsh their home, tap into their creativity, and enjoy the adventure of the move,” says Chris.