Relocating your business can be an overwhelming job. That’s why many people decide on enlisting a moving company. Others, on the other hand, do it themselves.
Regardless of your decision, there are some things that you can do to make this transition painless and successful. That is having a plan and being organized.
A good idea is to have a schedule as well. The relocation of a business takes time, so make sure you have enough time to do all that you need to.
First Stage – Planning
Once you decide that you’re going to move your business you will need at least 6 months to organize and plan everything out before the actual move.
What needs to be done in those six months prior to the move is to gather a group of people – a team, who will help you out with the move. You’ll need people who will be in charge of the move and to whom you’ll be able to delegate.
Many business owners find that hiring a moving company can be much easier and more effective. However, before deciding which company to hire, you’ll need to get quotes from several companies and gather information about their service area and if their costs fit your budget.
In case your company owns many bulky and heavy machinery, find out if the moving company has the appropriate equipment to move it.
Then comes the budget planning. It’s really important to have a budget set at this stage of the planning. This way you can prevent unnecessary overspending.
Second Stage – Communication
Once you have all the above done, and you have finally set the moving date, you’ll need to inform everyone about the move.
This means that you’ll need to notify and give the official notice to your landlord. Then inform your moving team about the final moving date and the location of the new office and make sure everyone knows their exact responsibilities.
Compile a list of all the people who need to be informed about the new address. Additionally, make sure that your list of employees is current and that you know their exact number. Also, your client list should be up to date as well.
The next really important thing is to find an answer to the question: “Are there any accounting firms near me?” The answer should be yes there are several good accounting firms. And even though you may wonder why physical location matters in this digital day and age – you should know that it matters a lot. Having a good accounting firm close to your office can be very convenient in the event of an emergency.
What comes next is making a reservation with a moving company that complied with all your requirements. Also, your partners and suppliers should be informed about the move as well. Letting them know that you won’t be available in a certain time period is really important both for their and your business. In addition, you should let them know your new address.
Third Stage – Preparing the move
At this stage, you can decide to hire an interior designer who will help you design an ideal floor plan for your office. Then create an inventory of the existing furniture and equipment. This too will help you with deciding on a certain office layout. Maybe you will need new furniture, so it would be ideal to order those in advance so that they can be delivered on time.
A cleaning company should be hired and informed of the moving date so that they can clean everything up before the equipment and furniture is moved.
Hire a company that will install your phones and the internet once you move to the new location and let them know about the moving date.
Your staff should be given a detailed plan that they should follow on a moving day. Everyone should know which desk and equipment are theirs. This way everyone will be in charge of their own working station.
Fourth Stage – The actual move
By the time the actual moving day comes everything needs to be prepared and it needs to work like a well-oiled machine.
The first things that need to be moved are computers, copy machines, phones, and other tech equipment. The company that provides phone and internet installation comes in next. Then your IT team is supposed to set everything up.
Staff members should each set up their working stations and desks so that everything moves along nicely.
Once everything is set up, check for any damage or if case anything has been lost or missed out during the move. During the move, a lot can happen, so it’s important to know the situation and the extent of the damage.
Fifth Stage – Settling in
And finally, the moving is over. Congratulations, you made it! You managed to relocate your business and set up a really cool office design and you did it all without a hitch.
What comes next is to hand out new passes, keycards, and keys to your employees. Update your website, check all payments and invoices.
Do all the paperwork regarding the insurance, leases, deposits and so on. Once again, inform everyone, from partners and clients to suppliers, that the move has been made and that they can find you on a new address now.
Then, make a team that will be in charge of making an office-warming party. This kind of event is really important as you want everyone to know that you relocated your business. Additionally, these kinds of parties are great for bringing in new businesses, to thank your staff for the great work they’ve done during the moving process and to show off your new space.
Relocating a business can be a very complex thing to do. However, nothing is that complicated if you have the right plan of action. Assigning a team of people who will help you, having a detailed plan and being organized is crucial when you are moving your business.
This way everything would go easy and without bigger complications. Remember to do everything according to this five-stage plan and you’ll be just fine!