If you’ve found a better location for your office – go for it as soon as possible. Location is one of the deciding factors in success of almost every business. It determines the proximity to your target audience, makes it more or less difficult for your employees, partners and suppliers to reach you, etc. Location of your business also determines the costs, but better location can also mean higher revenue. However, business owners are sometimes nervous about this step. Moving an office can be challenging, as it involves everybody you work with, and can cause significant downtime. But, there are ways to avoid these issues. Here are the best tips for moving your office without losing productivity and making sure everything goes as planned.
Start your preparations early
You want to have a smooth commercial relocation? Well, you need to have everything under control. And to do that, you need to make plans – and you need to make them as early as possible. It takes a couple of months to organize everything for your move. This period will depend on the size of your office, but consider three to six months considering the size of your space, number of people involved, etc.
Compare the floor plans
To make sure you move your office without losing productivity, you need to ensure everything fits well once you arrive so everyone can start working soon. Compare the floor plans of old and new office and make sure the furniture and other items you bring there fit. Take measurements and check if any of the items need replacement. In case some of them are too big or too small, or the shape doesn’t fit anymore, consider replacing them before you start packing. Sell or donate the old items and order the new ones to the new address. This will help you save some money on moving costs, but also simplify the whole process.
Talk to your team
No matter how big your office is, make sure you talk to your employees about the move. Moving office smoothly means all the people involved have no issue with it, and are ready for this step. That’s why you need to inform them about the most important details and see if there are any changes after the move. Your employees are also the key to moving your office without losing productivity. They can take care of their desks – clean, declutter their areas, and help with the packing. If they deal with their own boxes, they will be able to unpack much easier and faster and know where each items goes.
Remember to remind everyone of the efficient packing techniques. Decluttering your office is the first step. Also, packing items into boxes should have a system. Pack all the items by categories or by the drawer/shelf they should go. Label each box so the unpacking goes much faster.
Update the address
Updating your contact details wherever necessary is an essential step to moving your office without losing productivity. It is essential to let people who support your business know about the time aof your move, as well as the new location. Inform your suppliers, partners as well your customers/clients. Use social media to announce your move, send newsletters also update your contact details wherever your office has online presence. This will also require you create fresh marketing materials – contact cards, flyers, social media materials, etc.
Finally, do your homework and deal with the official transition – update your address, utilities and other technical tasks. Make sure you set up the office’s internet and telephone and everything else your employees need. This will ensure minimum downtime and the ability to start working as soon as you arrive.
Think two steps ahead
It’s important to take control of the moving process so everything goes smoothly. However, problems are a common thing that happen when moving an office. That’s why you should always think ahead, and have a plan B. Think about the most critical steps of your move, and potential problems that can happen. Also, make sure you always plan your move in the way there’s always room for some delay. Delays are common in commercial relocations, but you can minimize them if you are well-prepared.
Hire trustworthy professionals
Every serious task needs to be done professionally and with proper skills and tools. So, to ensure there’s minimum risks of complication and maximum productivity – hire professionals to help you out. Also, Slattery Moving and Storage experts suggest you pick a moving team that has a lot of experience with commercial moves. Furthermore, movers that you hire should offer a complete range of services you need. Beside safe transport of your items, you might need packing services, packing supplies, storage services, and more. It’s better to have everything at one place – this will make the move much faster and easier.
Stay positive
Commercial moves can get stressful and unpredictable, that’s why you need to keep up a good spirit throughout this process. Moving your office without losing productivity is possible – just follow these tips to plan everything well and stay focused on your goal – brand new location and office.
