Moving office is a critical point on the timeline of your business. It can be a time of uncertainty, stress and possible losses. There are just too many things to think about apart from the move itself. You do not know how things will turn out in the new office, you do not know when you will fully settle, and you do not know how seamless everything will be. The key to a smooth move that only slightly disrupts your business is preparation. Here are 7 tips to prepare for moving office.
- Understand the state of your business
The first thing you have to do is to understand the state of your business to see how the move might disrupt operations, and what you can do to minimise any possible problems. Check what orders are pending and see whether they have to be delivered before the move or they could possibly wait.
How will the move affect your employees? Some of the staff may find it impossible to continue working for the business after the move. You have to make provisions for replacements if you want a seamless relocation. The same applies to your customers and suppliers. Will the relationship still be sustainable after your move? If not, try to see how you can find new suppliers to fill the gap and. For the customers you might lose, make preparations accordingly.
- Inform all your suppliers
Once you are certain that you are moving, inform your suppliers and other businesses you deal with. This will give them time to consider whether continuing the business relationship after your move is a viable idea or not. If they decide to continue, they will then have enough time to adjust their delivery program and routes in time for continued delivery to your new location without any hiccups.
- Inform your customers
Your customers might appreciate a heads up before your actual move. Imagine a client of yours rushing into your old office only to find themselves at the wrong company. Once it becomes certain that you are moving, leave notices everywhere- your physical office, your website, and your social media pages. It is also necessary to inform the customers when the business might be down and when it is expected back up.
- Schedule your internet connection
Internet providers never show up the moment your book a connection. They might take a week, two, or even a month before linking you to the grid. Imagine going into your new office then having to work for weeks without proper internet. The disruption might be damaging. This might also be a time to consider changing your internet provider. Things may have probably changed and your current provider might not be the best any more. Try to see what other options you have.
- Engage a good removalist
The actual move is better left in the hands of a good removalist. Partnering with moving companies with a solid reputation will help you manage the entire process from start to finish. This will free up your hands for where they are needed the most – your business where things are basically running chaotic at the moment. A good removalist will see to a safe and quick move, reducing the downtime of your business.
There are a few things you can do to make sure the mover you get is reputable. The first thing is to just check some reviews online. What do people have to say about them? You can find good reviews on Facebook as well as sites such as Google Reviews.
- Reduce on new commitments
Part of preparing for your office move is reducing on commitments that might fall in the time you will be in transit. If a commitment cannot be moved to a different date, you are better off just not taking it up instead of inconveniencing the client and losing them possibly forever.
- Trim your load
The time to move office could be a time to get rid of any unnecessary furniture. You will also make the move faster and cheaper since your removalist will make shorter work of the move. You have three main options for your purge: give away, sell, or simply throw away. If you decide to sell, you could advertise on eBay or similar sites such as Gumtree and Craigslist.
The better you plan, the more seamless the move will be and, therefore, the less business you’ll lose. Be sure to engage the right movers as they can make a huge difference.
