Relocating To A New Office? These Are The Things That You Need To Think About

Moving to a new office is an exciting time for any business, but it can be extremely stressful for those overseeing the move. A recent survey found that moving office premises is the second most difficult task managers have to deal with. It is exciting, sure, but the overwhelming stress that is involved means that a whopping three-quarters of businesses delay moving, choosing to remain in cramped, inefficient, and expensive premises just to avoid the hassle.

If you are overseeing any kind of office relocation, it is important that the upheaval is kept to a minimum and that new facilities meet the present and future needs of your business. Relocations that are important to your company and employees, so it is up to you, as the manager,  to plan, coordinate and procure any part of the transfer with as much precision and as smoothly as possible.

To help you to avoid the most costly mistakes of the relocation process, we have put together five essential things you need to remember to successfully handle a relocation project:

Budget

When moving offices, the costs will stack up very quickly. Budgets can rapidly be surpassed simply because of delays, misjudgments, and unforeseen problems popping up.

Here are a few of the things that many people overlook when setting a budget:

• The cost of disrepair or of reinstating the space that you are vacating.
• Any rented or specialized equipment that requires special handling. This could also include collections of art or chemicals.
• Access or scheduling constraints that will affect the cost of your relocation

It is important that you determine the full costs of your office relocation before you start. Significant costs can be misjudged– and this can cause huge problems.

Utilities

Services such as gas, electricity, and water providers need to be looked at to make sure that you are getting the very best deal. You also need to make sure that you let your existing provider know the date of moving and the final meter reading so that you are both clear on how much you need to pay to settle your bill.

You also need to take into consideration any other services that you use – cleaning companies, commercial bin hire, caterers, etc.

Make your service providers aware of your transfer as early on as possible. You may need to serve notice periods on some of these, so it is important to review your contracts and examine how to properly inform them.

Also: don’t forget to let your financial institution and insurance companies know that you are on the move, as well as any neighboring businesses or residents.

I.T. and communications

How are you transferring your electrical equipment and I.T., or are you taking the opportunity to switch to a new I.T. package?

When considering the redeployment of I.T. equipment, there really is no shortage of points you need to take into account. Since they are vital to the operation of most modern companies, it is important that you take appropriate steps to take care of this equipment and prevent them from being damaged.

Each setup of your coworkers I.T. setup will be unique in terms of configuration. Once you switch, you will need to check the equipment set up and make sure that the equipment is ready for use in your new office. After these have been transferred very carefully, they need to be linked to sometimes complex network infrastructures. Such systems host sensitive data that needs to remain secure, which is why it is important that you use specialists to reconfigure your equipment.

Servers that host company-critical data need to be moved very cautiously and securely, with downtime reduced to the bare minimum. Migration needs to be smooth, stable, and optimally planned to minimize downtime.

Breaks, crashes, or misuse of data can be enormously expensive. Equipment must be supervised in transport and transported using specialized packaging to keep it safe and avoid static build-up.

You’ll need to allocate plenty of time to make sure that your phone systems and internet access is live in your new office from day one. Whether you are using a new service provider or sticking with your current one, you need to make sure your connection is not lost in the switch between offices. Make sure you are in a position to find, address, and solve problems before the day you move.

Old equipment and furniture

Moving offices is the perfect opportunity to have a declutter, sort old files, and get rid of unwanted furniture and outdated I.T. equipment. There is little point in wasting time and budget moving things that you do not need anymore.

However, getting rid of these items may prove to be costly. If you have unwanted furniture, I.T. or electrical appliances, it is easy to dispose of these items responsibly and sustainably, saving you on disposal costs and prevent waste. You can donate office furniture, I.T., and electrical equipment or even resell items that you no longer need. If things can not be reused, responsible recycling will still ensure that costs are reduced.

Communication

Effective communication is important to the success of the relocation project. It is important to have a plan in place to spread the word about your move. There are many different ways you can inform your clients, vendors, landlords, and other contacts, including:

• Handing out flyers or updated business cards with customer receipts and invoices
• Send an email or direct mail campaign
• Post a notice on your website
• Add a P.S. to emails
• Social media posts

Don’t forget to update your business address on your website, office stationery, and Google listings!

The success of a relocation project mainly depends on the human element of the transition. Keeping your employees on your side and in the loop is an important part of alleviating any anxiety associated with moving offices. Listening to their suggestions will also help you fix some of the problems associated with moving around and make sure that you’ve covered every component.

You might also like to read:

• Make A Move: Perfectly Planning Your Relocation
• Essential Office Equipment You Should Have When Starting Your Business
• Creating the perfect office when you’re self employed
• Things To Consider Before Moving Into A New Office
• Money Matters: saving on business transactions