Relocating an office is something most companies never want to do by choice. The upheaval is huge, and the time, effort and costs involved can be mammoth. The fact is, that it is likely to happen at least once in a long-term company setup. There can be many reasons an office needs relocating including:
- Growth
- Streamlining & Downsizing
- The office has become unsuitable
- A change in rental contracts
- An increase in rental costs you can’t/don’t want to meet
- A need for a location change
- Logistical needs change
- A better office elsewhere
No matter what the size of the company is, it might be the case that an office move is needed at some point. If you’re facing this kind of move, it is important that you carefully plan the move of both the online and offline aspects of the office.
Both of these include a wide range of options, considerations and potential risks. So it makes sense to think well in advance of your move to ensure that it can go as smoothly as possible.
Let’s take a look at the key considerations of both your online and offline office move to help you get a head start on a successful company relocation:
The Online Essentials
The online essentials of a company and office are much more delicate than the offline essentials in that they involve a lot more risk and disruption to the company. The move of the online needs to be considered in depth. Here are some things to consider when it comes to moving your online essentials:
Security
Security is the most important aspect of your online office move. Online security is so fragile, even with the best systems and let alone when you’re having to move locations. The important focus for you is ensuring your security remains protected throughout the move. If you need an IT expert to come and help you with this, then it will be money well spent. Cloud storage is a low-risk and flexible way to back up your data.
Online security breaches cannot just cost a company a lot of money, but literally bankrupt and ruin a company, depending on the circumstances. You should also think about any computer systems you do not plan to take with you. You may wish to store the physical hard drives and computers in secure business storage until you are able to properly destroy them and backup the contents.
Customer/Client Use
You should think carefully about the period of time where there will be a challenge to the usual customer/client service that you offer. Will there be a period of time that your services have to be offline? If so, could you plan that time and let customers/clients know? The more in advance that you can let your customers know when your services are down, the better.
Sometimes it is possible to reduce services by splitting your office team, with a few employees moving to your new location first with a smaller setup with your computer systems and phone systems, and when you are ready to shut down at your old office the new office is setup to continue to take at least some calls/ enquiries.
The Offline Essentials
The offline essentials of an office relocation can be a logistical nightmare, especially if you have staff. Depending on the size of your company, you may be faced with a relocation that should be done over the space of a few weeks, but that instead has to be squeezed into a few days. It can be very stressful, but there are lots of ways to ensure that it runs as smoothly as possible. Here are some things to consider when it comes to moving your offline office essentials:
Removal Companies
It is essential that if you are using a professional removals company, you choose a company that is able to properly relocate your office. Using the wrong company could cause you to suffer with a chaotic logistics issue, with damaged office goods, and with the delay of company services being resumed. Do choose a company that is used to working with a company of your size, get quotes and get recommendations.
Utilizing a ‘Midway Storage Space’
Business self-storage can be so helpful when you move office because it provides you with the maneuverability you need to complete the job efficiently. Perhaps there is a planned intermediary time where the company does not hold a physical office, in which case you can store items until you can move. Perhaps you need to store some old furniture before resale, or new furniture for the new office before you get the keys. Having a midway storage space can be extremely handy and cost effective in the midst of an office relocations.
Communication
One of the most important aspects of relocating an office is communication. It only takes one employee unaware of the new location moving dates, one IT person with the wrong information or one removals company with the incorrect information to result in issues. A high level of communication needs to be the focus during your move. Consider utilizing apps and systems that are based on project management to help keep communication flowing.
Plan Your Office Relocation Well In Advance
As with most aspects of life, planning is always a good idea to help ensure the success of the project. As early as you can, plan your move both online and offline as efficiently as possible. The result will be a move that runs as smoothly as possible for employees and customers alike. Soon enough you’ll be settled in a brand new office that support your company goals for the future.
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