6 Tips for Moving Your Office

Did you know that commercial moving is as involving as residential moving? There will be lots of packing and unpacking. You’ll do a lot of heavy lifting and at the end of the day, you’ll be very tired. You need to have a strategy before you move so that things can go smoothly.

Plan

To avoid doing things last minute, plan. Before your current lease expires, and your new lease begins to take effect, assign roles to everybody in the office. Let your employees know when you’ll be moving and prepare themselves.

Plan the packing and unpacking. Which office will you clear first? Which one will be the last one? When things arrive at the new office, which office will you unpack and set up first? Planning will help you save time and resume operations as soon as possible.

Nominate and Appoint a Move Administrator

There should be someone managing the move so that everything goes according to plan. Your office administrator is best suited to handle this job. They will have a checklist of everything that needs to be packed. Their job will be to make sure that nothing is left behind or damaged during the move.

Choose the Best Quote

Office moves can become really expensive because of the equipment involved. To get the best deal, do some research. Compare quotes from different companies.

Unlike house moves, commercial moves can be complicated. The movers have to send representatives to see the scope of the work before giving you a quote. If it’s your first time moving, ask for a recommendation from a friend. That way, you get a competent company.

Supervise the Packing and Movement of IT equipment

Laptops, desktops, servers, printers, and networking equipment can be a logistical nightmare. First, you should make sure the dimensions of the server room in your new office space are the same or bigger than the current one. Do that before signing the lease form. Everything has to be the way it was or your company will have a crisis.

Since your servers have sensitive customer information, you have to be present when they are packed and accompany them to the new offices. Don’t let them out of your sight.

Since the IT equipment is the main lifeline of your organization, they should be the first items to be moved, unpacked, and set up in the new office. You should involve the IT department in the relocation planning and moving because they know how things work and can minimize damage.

Use Building Rules as a Guide to Plan your Move

Ask the management of the new building to tell you their rules. Some property managers restrict moving during non business hours. They do so to protect the other tenants. If that’s the case, you have to move on a weekday when most offices are open. Since there’s going to be a lot of foot traffic on that day, plan how you’re going to make the move less stressful on tenants and clients.

The service elevator on most commercial spaces is operated on special request. Ask for permission so that you can use the service elevator on the day of the move.

Update your Address and Celebrate your Accomplishment

Make sure you update your physical address both online and offline. Tell suppliers about your new location. Inform the utility company that you are changing addresses. Do a thorough audit of everything that has your old physical address and update accordingly.

Once you’re done with the move, thank everybody for doing their part and hold a small celebration. This action will boost the morale of your employees and prepare them for the unpacking.