Relocating your office can be a good deal more complex than you might think, and it is important to get it done effectively and in a timely fashion. After all, the time you spend dealing with relocation is almost certain to be time when your business is generating no income, so you want to make sure things go as quickly and smoothly as possible.
There are certain mistakes that almost every company makes in the course of their first office relocation. Some companies go on to repeat those mistakes with subsequent relocations, and that is unfortunate, because they are easily avoided. Forewarned is forearmed, as they say, so if you are moving your office, be aware of these mistakes, and how you can prevent them.
Moving your office is a process, and like any process, it is best undertaken knowing exactly what will be needed, setting realistic deadlines, and having your people in place. You should create a plan, and put it in writing – this could involve creating checklists and spreadsheets, and perhaps even a project planning manual including every single task that needs to be done, and every step required to get each individual task completed. You should identify any teams or individuals who will be responsible for specific tasks, and make sure that they know the timeline for completion.
You really cannot begin planning your office move too far in advance. Ideally, you should begin thinking about your move a year or more in advance. If you think there is a chance that you will not be renewing your lease, start investigating new locations. If you own your building but have outgrown it, begin looking for new quarters long before you think about putting up the “For Sale” sign. Make sure you have enough lead time to explore all your options. This would also be a good time to identify who will be mainly responsible for coordinating your move, so that they can get a good head start getting the necessary people and processes in place.
You may think that it is going to be less expensive if you just assemble your staff on moving day and put them to work hauling out files, supplies, equipment and furniture onto a rented vehicle, but this is essentially a false economy. For one thing, your office staff are not likely trained in effective ways of packing and moving. For another, when heavy objects need to be moved, you are running the risk of someone being injured. Then your workers’ compensation rates could go up, and of course you will also be without the services of the injured person during the time it takes for them to recuperate.
In addition, the move will almost certainly not happen nearly as quickly as you think it will. From packing up to unpacking and getting set up in your new location, you could lose several days during which you could have been generating income, and your workers will still have to be paid for the time that they are devoting to the move.
When you are moving your office from one location to another, you want to be sure that you do it efficiently and economically. This is best done by engaging the services of professional movers. Getting your office relocation done right, with help from a professional moving company, can actually save you money. Trying to go it on your own can do just the opposite.
