Business planning

What to Think About When Moving Your Business

vtrgtThere are plenty of good reasons to move your company from one location to another. Maybe the local market has run dry, and it’s time for you to move on to greener pastures. Maybe you can save money in the long term by moving to a different space. Maybe you’re moving for personal reasons, and you want to take the SME you’ve started with you. In any case, moving a business is entirely within the realm of possibility. It does, however, come with its fair share of challenges.

That’s not to say that relocating your business isn’t worth it. In fact, many people agree that a change of scenery can make you and your employees much happier. Happier workers mean—you guessed it—increased productivity. An article in the Huffington Post refers to this as “relocation therapy,” and discusses its ability to help people approach their work with a refreshed attitude.

You still have to make it there first, though, and it’s true that moving is often an intimidating experience. That’s why a little strategy can really help you out. Planning your move well ahead of time is an extremely important part of making sure that you won’t have to deal with unnecessary stress. When you’re moving business, you’ll want to keep certain office relocation factors in mind at all times, so that you can make the process as efficient as possible. This will help you avoid wasting time so that you can get set up and return to work at your earliest convenience.

So, what are the office relocation factors you should always bear in mind? Let’s take a look:

Proximity to Essential Assets

You don’t want your move to put you in an inconvenient position—literally or otherwise. For this reason, it’s important that the location you intend on moving to is near suppliers, customers, or essential personnel. Imagine being stuck so far away from your target market that none of your customers could easily reach you. That definitely wouldn’t be good for business.

Reputation, reputation, reputation

One of the most often overlooked office relocation factors to consider is how your change of address will appear to potential clients. Are you moving to a high-profile area typically associated with successful companies (such as the middle of Manhattan or Silicon Valley)? Or are you packing up and shipping out to somewhere in the sticks? Forbes has written pretty extensively on the situations where this may (or may not) matter, but it’s something you’ll want to consider if you’re moving.

Keeping your customers in the loop

This one is huge, and practically every list of tips for smooth office moving makes a point of mentioning it. The absolute last thing you want is to pick up stakes and leave before the people who depend on you for service know what’s happening. It can make you look sketchy, disorganized and inconsiderate. It’s always much better to mention the move weeks (or even months) ahead of time. Use your newsletters, email blasts, social media, and every other tool at your disposal. Just make sure the word is out there.

Researching the new location

You don’t want to arrive in a new office and find out that it can’t accommodate your company’s needs. Unfortunately, that’s what happens far too often when people don’t examine the infrastructure of their new space before signing the paperwork. You’ll want to look at basic things, like utilities and power levels. That way, you’ll know that your employees can work in comfort and that your equipment will be supported.

Hiring experienced movers

This one might sound like common sense, but it’s extremely important. Some moving companies are experienced with office relocation factors and will work with you to make sure that your move is easy and worry-free, but others can lose or damage your goods. Moving your company can be a big investment all by itself, and you probably don’t want to add the cost of new equipment to the list of associated expenses. Whoever you choose, you’ll want to be sure they know what they’re doing. Ask them what they focus on when moving the contents of an office, and see if their priorities align with yours.

If you have any questions, please ask below!