Moving offices is a big decision. Your customers know your business at its current location, and you’re relying on your team to be able to make it to the new space.
On top of that, the moving process is hard for companies. You have countless things to keep track of and can’t afford to make mistakes that cause downtime.
If you have a big office move coming up, it pays to learn how to handle the office relocation process the right way. Below are seven mistakes with relocating offices that you need to avoid.
Not Taking Inventory
With how much stuff you have to account for during an office move, there’s always the chance of leaving items behind. People can miss boxes are leave stuff lying around that should be in the new office space.
Create an inventory list well before you plan to move. Doing this means you can check items off when packing for moves to ensure you bring everything with you that’s supposed to be there. It also means fewer expenses because you won’t need to rush and purchase replacement items for the stuff you leave behind.
Failing to Make a Budget
When you make a big office move, you don’t just have the cost of a new building. You’ll also have many expenses when you pack up and move all your stuff.
If you want your team to help, they won’t be able to get any work during the day. That’s a salary you need to pay for and lost revenue for the work they don’t do.
And if you decide to hire contractors, that’s an additional expense you didn’t have before. You’ll also have the cost of packing supplies and transportation rentals.
Look at all your expected costs and set a budget.
Moving Too Slowly
If your business is booming, you may not have much time to handle the move. You have too many moving pieces in your company to handle each day. This means you may not prioritize getting ready for your move.
The problem is that moving a business takes a lot of time. You have a ton to pack up and load onto moving trucks.
Try to avoid doing this. Set aside time each day or week to handle some of the preparations. If you tackle a little of the move at a time, you’ll eventually get a lot done and be ready on your moving day.
Not Working With IT
The chances are good that you have a lot of computer equipment to move. If that’s the case, you don’t want to move without first consulting with your IT department.
This is especially true if you rely on your network to function and make money each day. The longer your infrastructure stays down, the more cash your company loses.
Work with your IT department to minimize downtime as much as possible. Try to move pieces of your infrastructure instead of everything at once to set up a minimal network at your new office. This will keep your team online there while your team moves the rest of your equipment.
It’s tempting to overlook how functional your new office is on day one. The previous occupant may have had everything running — but that doesn’t mean things will work for you on day one.
Take time to visit your office to check its condition. Make sure parking is in order, utilities are turned on, and essential services are ready.
Not being ready can cause delays and make your team unable to work at your new location. A short trip can avoid all those problems since you can find whatever you’re missing and make calls to get your new office in working order.
Bringing Everything Along
The chances are good that you have a ton of stuff you don’t need in your current offices. You have old documents, equipment, supplies, and other items that are just taking up space.
Moving is the perfect time to get rid of those things. As you take an inventory of your property, take note of the things you don’t use anymore.
Use that time to set those things aside in a pile to get rid of. Once you have your pile ready, check with anyone needing those items to see if they are worth keeping.
If they aren’t, don’t hesitate to get rid of them. This will reduce the moving prep you have to do and free up space at your new location.
Doing Everything Yourself
It’s tempting to take the DIY approach when moving offices. You believe you’ll save money because you don’t have to hire movers. But you also have to ask yourself, can you do everything correctly and not waste more time than necessary?
In most cases, it makes more sense to hire professional packers and movers. Pros will understand the best way to pack your items, load them onto trucks, and transport them safely to your new location.
Hiring a team of movers is usually more cost-effective. It means you don’t have to spend time handling the move and can focus on making your business money.
Don’t Make Mistakes With Relocating Offices
Moving to a new office location isn’t the same as moving to a new home. You have much more stuff to move. And depending on the industry you work in, some of those items may take more care to move.
That’s why you can’t afford to make common mistakes with relocating offices. You need to make sure you find the perfect place for your business and your property gets there in one piece. Remember the mistakes above to make your new office relocation project a success.
Do you plan on improving your new office space to make it a more productive environment? Check out the blog to learn more about creating a well-run business.
