First time relocating an office? I bet you are pretty excited and pumped up! Why wouldn’t you be? This only means you are going in the right direction. By now you have already envisioned the finished project, everything is shiny and new, the shelves and desks are perfectly organized, and everyone in your company is cheerful. Sounds like a dream, right?
Then all of a sudden the panic strikes you. You realized that moving an office isn’t going to magically happen overnight. This isn’t a job for one person, nor for a few inexperienced persons. This is a job for a professional moving company.
However, if you are an owner of a very small office most of the work you can do all by yourself, with the help of your coworkers. To figure out and to prepare everything for an office move can be very frustrating and complicated for a first-timer.
Don’t fret we are here to save the day. We’ve made a list to get you ready to handle every aspect of your first office relocation.
Handling Office Relocation Like A Pro
Office relocation involves an overwhelming number of literal and figurative moving tasks. This means you will have to simultaneously handle moving all the stuff, reorganizing of system, transitional workflows, and be prepared for a slow adjustment period.
Even though this might sound like a short horror story to you, I guarantee you that all this is easy to overcome with the right guidance and a well-written plan. So shall we start with the basics?
Plan on time and with the utmost care
The most important factor when it comes to any kind of moving is to start early. We get that sometimes due to certain occasions you don’t have the time, but please make sure you start your planning as early as you can. Relocation stress is not a made-up thing, it starts with late organization.
Once you’ve found a perfect place for your new office, you should immediately start planning the move. Usually, you will need three months to do all the multiple facets. The first step is planning the complete layout of the entire space.
Ask yourself if you are going to be in an expansive warehouse-type office, or do you prefer occupying multiple floors? The second step is to check the important details such as the number and location of electrical outlets, windows, and storage areas. If these numbers are low you will have to hire contractors like carpenters and electricians which will prolong the move.
The date is crucial when relocating an office!
Proper scheduling is very important. Take some time to think about when you need to have everything ready and functioning. Can you move during office hours, or maybe on the weekend? Make sure you coordinate this because if you are moving during office hours you will need to notify your clients that you will be unavailable for a day or two.
In case there are too many things to do you can always move your belongings in phases. When you move in phases naturally you will move the most important things on the first day and set up the temporary office.
Hire reliable moving and cleaning companies
Another important part of the planning is hiring a moving company and a cleaning crew. When you are about to hire a moving company, think about their services. If you want to do most things on your own, you will only need labor workers, make sure your chosen movers have these services as an option.
In case you are relocating a huge office then you will need someone who can handle everything for you. Moving professionals will do everything, from boxing, and wrapping (your equipment and furniture) to and then unwrapping and unpacking them at the new address. Keep in mind that these services will cost more, but this is the price you want to pay for experienced and qualified workers, especially if they will handle sensitive equipment such as computer servers.
You don’t want to move into your new office that is full of dust and dirt. Cleaning an office space is a time-consuming job so the best thing to do is to hire a reputable cleaning crew. They will leave everything spotless, and if you want they can also take care of your rubbish and recycling.
Good packing skills are crucial when relocating an office!
No matter if you are hiring a moving company or not, you still have to be on top of the packing game. All your boxes and crates must be properly inventoried and labeled. This will make the moving-in process and sorting things way easier.
Organize them in groups, and pack all the supplies and equipment accordingly to that. Once you move in you will easily find everything you need and set up the working space with ease. Teach your staff to do the same. Give them enough time and supplies to pack their belongings. In most cases, they won’t need more than a couple of hours to pack.
Assign a coordinator
Consider appointing a moving team or coordinator if you can’t handle all these things on your own. Their role is to ensure that everyone and everything is ready for the move on time. Also, they will be the point-person in case anyone has questions regarding the schedule, or if they have some difficulties in the process.
For large companies, we do recommend assigning more people to be the coordinators per department, this way you will avoid panic and disorientation.
Inform all your clients, partners, and companies about the relocation
Moving offices is not just packing up your things and there you go. You will change address and that means a lot of paperwork and phone calls are awaiting. You will need to inform everyone that needs to be informed.
This includes clients, partners, banks, labor unions, and utility companies. The most common practice is to notify them in advance, and then notify them again when you moved and settled into the office.
Also what most people forget to do is to pre-order business cards and other promotional material items with the new address. So they end up in a new office with the old business card. This isn’t some devastating mistake, but it can be a bit frustrating if you get a new client and you don’t have the right business card ready.
Getting Ready For The Big Day
Relocating an office takes a lot of tedious work and effort if you want it to run smoothly and on time. Most people don’t know how to handle all that pressure and obligations on their own so they choose to hire professional help.
When hiring a Zenith Moving Company you can be sure that your moving day will be stress-free and risk-free. Our team of professionals can handle all kinds of commercial relocations, all you have to do is schedule a call with us so we can make a comprehensive relocating plan according to your needs.
You can send us an email or give us a quick call, we will answer all your questions asap.