Moving to a new office can be a stressful time, especially if it is not done right and planned ahead. A swift move is the key to making sure that profit is not lost and your down time is minimized, so your clients can continuously have access to you and your business. Moreover, making the move to a new office takes more work when compared to moving to a new house. There are more bulky office equipment, expensive machinery, and supplies to pack up.
Clearly office relocation entails a lot of hard work and logistical strategies because you can’t exactly shut down your operations just because of this change. If you are attempting to move to a new office anytime soon, reading and following the ten tips hereunder will surely help you make the moving process be as painless and as smooth as possible.
Start Planning In Advance
When it comes to an office address change, you just can’t decide to do it on a whim. Being haphazard and careless about the move can mean losses for your business. You have to start early and iron out the details such as who will be doing what task, how is this going to be conducted, how much will it cost, and when can it get done.
Remember, moving to a new office address takes a lot of time. You may even need months to efficiently prepare for the relocation. Don’t forget to check out the blueprints of the new office so you can figure out how to design your lay out and prep what you need.
It is very important to iron out these details so nothing gets left behind. Leaving things up the last minute will just increase your stress levels. Most of all, figure out your working budget because you need to know how much money you will spend to transfer, so you won’t get an unpleasant surprise once the bill comes.
Figure Out in Advance If All your Equipment Will Fit
You need to do an ocular inspection of the new place to make sure your things will actually fit. To be more prices about it, you can even take measurements. Doing these steps ahead of time will save you the time, effort, energy and money of transporting items that will never work and fit in your new space. Be sure to evaluate everything, especially the big items like the conference table, the double fridge in the break area, the large electrical hubs, and the like.
Assign A Move Manager To Handle The Nitty-Gritty
It is critical to appoint a move manager who will facilitate and coordinate all the details of the move. This manager can follow up on each step indicated in the plan to ensure that things are progressing based on your set calendar of activities. You can ask the help of your administrative assistance or ask someone who has had a previous experience with commercial relocations.
Do Your Best Efforts To Find The Best Moving Company
This is a crucial component to your moves because you need a moving company that you can trust with all your precious office belongings. It is vital to do research by reading online reviews, asking for referrals, and even checking with the Better Business Bureau for legitimacy, so you can get the best moving company with a proven track record in getting things done efficiently.
Interview several moving companies before you decide on which one to hire. Ask them as many questions as you possibly can, especially about their insurance details. Because moving is risky, some items may be damaged along the way, so you need to find out if they will take responsibility. In addition to that, you need to get an approximate quote after they survey your office space. This ballpark figure will give you an idea of how much money you need to prepare.
Remind Everyone To Pack Up Their Own Desk
The moving company will come to take care of the big stuff. However, the small stuff in each office desk or cubicle must be packed by the owner of that space. Give your staff the go signal when it is time to begin packing their belongings. Be sure they have ample time to get things done because you don’t want them cramming. They have to take responsibility for getting their own things in order.
Set Up IT In Advance
In this digital world where everyone is dependent on technology, making sure that you are connected once you transfer is super important. Disconnecting your tech from the old office and reconnecting it to the new one are actually the biggest complications that come with moving to a new office.
During the planning stage, you have to ask your IT department for their own specific plans on how to get the computers, servers, printers, network hubs, etc to the new location. This is a big job that cannot be outsourced to anyone because it contains critical and sensitive company information. Moreover, the move has to be seamless with all the providers in place so downtime of the business is minimized.
Find Out The Building Rules
If you do not own the building where you are moving to, you will need to get access to the building rules on their policies about relocation. Some have strict requirements that moving can only take place during non-business hours. Additional considerations include gaining access to the service elevators for all the bulky office equipment. Getting these rules form the building manager will influence the logistics during the big moving day.
Make Changes in Your Address Known to the Stakeholders
Update important documents with the new address ahead of time. After all, it takes time to order new business cards, letterheads, envelopes, return labels, etc. Don’t forget to update the Post Office with this new address change, so that you avail of their mail forwarding to ensure that all your mail is delivered to the new location.
Most importantly, it is vital to update all your clients regarding this change. Give them the new contact details, and make sure they know what date you are moving to the new location. It is important to get this done because the last thing you need is to lose your clients.
Exercise Diligence In Labeling The Boxes
Labeling the outer part of the box with all its contents is a smart move to do. For maximum efficiency, add where the box is going so the movers can place it where it needs to go. You can also assign corresponding numbers to each box, along with a detailed list of items, in a spreadsheet, so you can easily keep track of what has gone missing. Doing all these steps will save you a lot of time and confusion during the day of the actual move.
Move The Non-Essentials On Your Own
Typically, there is a timing overlap on the lease, so take advantage of that at begin moving non-essential items on your own. You can make moving day a lot easier if you can be responsible for things like plants, office supplies, visitor benches, etc. You can even bring some of the staff with you, so they can set up their own desk spaces ahead. Engaging their help will keep them enthusiastic about moving to your new place.
Moving to a new location is a stressful time for everyone so be generous with saying “thank you” to let your staff know that you are grateful for all their hard work and effort. It would be extra nice to start your first official day in the new office with a welcome luncheon as your way of showing appreciation. This will make your staff feel valued and it will boost positive vibes. A happy office environment can increase productivity and is a significant predictor of your success.
