How to Make an Interstate Move Less Painful Than It Has To Be
Moving to a new place can be a pretty daunting experience. Even the thought of moving to an unfamiliar place can be quite scary. New faces, new places...
Read moreMoving to a new place can be a pretty daunting experience. Even the thought of moving to an unfamiliar place can be quite scary. New faces, new places.
When you are expanding or downsizing your business, or shifting your focus, transferring to a new location can be an inevitable part of the equation. Any company that has gone through this experience will tell you, moving to a new office without proper planning and coordination is a logistical nightmare.
Throughout the process of office removal, you would not want:
Stress, confusion and chaos are often inevitable during transitions, but the hassle can be significantly reduced. What’s more, you can avoid disrupting your workflow and prevent business downtime.
You can save on time, money, effort and resources, as well as prevent unnecessary stress for your employees and clients, if you plan and execute the transition period for your office relocation well.
Here are six things that you should do to avoid costly distractions and ensure a smooth transfer to a new office, particularly for large office relocations.
Unless you have a very urgent reason to transfer to a new location, you should plan to spend at least three months facilitating the transition phase.
Your employees should be properly briefed about the crucial reasons, the new location, important dates, the different stages and timelines of the removal, and other details about the office transfer. Explain whether different arrangements for the employees must be made in order to get the removal process going without putting a halt to all business operations, like choosing certain employees to transfer to the new location ahead of time to get the business started there.
More time can be allotted if your current office has a high volume of customers. When there is no rush, the company can be go through the process with care and avoid making impulsive decisions that could negatively affect operations or the removal itself, or add to the moving costs.
You should organise a transition team that will focus on the details of office relocation and perform crucial tasks. For instance, the team may scout for possible new locations and compare the rental fees, floor sizes and amenities. This way, the company can be sure to put their money on the best new home for their business that offers the right value.
A transition committee can also coordinate with the removal company. The committee members may help in packing business materials, tagging furniture and equipment, planning the order in which the items will be transported, and providing the removalists with all the information they need to know for a smooth removal process.
If you want to get the best value for your money while also receiving top-notch service, it’s best to ask for a detailed quotation. Comparing the different rates for specific services will allow you to choose the best company for your needs. You may also negotiate based on the bulk of the items that you need to transport.
You may need both removals and storage solutions in order to transport equipment as well as temporarily store other important office items. Adams & Rofe can cater for both of these needs with ease.
Instead of transporting all the furniture and office equipment, aim to sort through everything and donate, sell, recycle or throw away what is no longer needed in the new location. You will be able to save on storage space and upgrade services this way.
When it comes to old but still functional electronic office equipment like desktop computers, laptops, and mobile phones, make sure to delete all company data. You should not compromise your business by allowing your data to be accessed by strangers through discarded devices.
Clients, customers and suppliers must be made aware of the impending relocation and provided enough opportunities to adjust and prepare accordingly.
You may send mail, emails or text messages, make some calls, post updates on social media, and post printed notifications at your office in order to properly spread the word. Also, consider allocating funds for advertising in newspapers or running ads on radio and television to ensure that all concerned parties are informed of the company’s plans.
With several months earmarked for completing the removal process, make plans to transport the company’s files, equipment, furnishings and other essentials in different stages. This will help ensure that business can go on as usual, with some minor adjustments, even if the removal is underway.
You may first transfer the least essential items and back office operations. Some back office like auditing and data management can be transferred to and set up in the new location ahead of the more vital functions so as to cause the least disruption.
Other office operations that can be accomplished through telecommuting can either be temporarily done by employees in their own homes or at the new address. These include computer programming and online marketing.
Better organisation can prevent the employees and staff from going back and forth between the two locations, which can rack up more expenses.
You can have a smooth office removal if you have ample time to prepare and coordinate your efforts well with everyone in the company as well as the suppliers and partners. This way, you avoid distractions that could impede the move, and even save money in the process.
For greater success, choose the best removal company for your needs. Adams & Rofe offers removal and storage services at very reasonable rates. Get in touch with us and get your price quotes today.
But moving can also be quite exciting. The new location allows you to explore and experience new things. You can establish new relationships and put down new roots. You can also look forward to having a renewed perspective and vigour for life.
Get a free quote online now, speak to a moving expert on 02 4607 2450, or drop in for a chat.
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