Your business is switching buildings, and that means one thing: office moving is next on your agenda. How can you make the process easier on everyone involved?
Create a Budget
How much are you willing to spend on your move? Unlike a home move, the office version affects your business's bottom line. If you're not sure where to set your budget, talk to other office managers or business owners in the same (or a similar) industry. A few informational interviews can provide you with the essential facts, when it comes to a realistic move budget.
Get Quotes
Now that you have a budget, don't wait to get quotes for office moving services. Start a few months before you need to switch office spaces. Unless you plan to move yourself (which often isn't advisable), you'll need plenty of professional help. Chances are you won't get the best price or the date you want, if you wait until the last minute to shop movers.
Assign Activities
Who is responsible for your office move? Instead of tackling the entire list of tasks yourself, designate the activities. Put someone in charge of:
- File review. Do you need to take every piece of paper or file with you? Ask a staff member to review the paper items you'll bring with and decide what to bring. This staff member can also organize and pack the files too.
- Paper shredding. Proper disposal is the next step after you decide what not to bring. Ask a staff member to shred anything that's sensitive or confidential.
- Furniture assessment. If the office furniture will come with you, someone needs to decide how it will travel. A staff member can decide which pieces to disassemble, which ones to leave behind, and which ones to leave to the moving professionals.
- Packing devices. Fragile technological devices (such as computers and printers) require special attention. Ask a tech-savvy member of your team to pack these items for the move.
- Creating an inventory. Avoid mid-move losses with an organized inventory. Your staff can create a spreadsheet that lists everything that's moving and where it goes when it gets there.
- Communicating with the movers. If you aren't the primary contact, assign a staff member to communicate with the movers. This includes setting up times to move and handling mid-move issues.
Office moving is easy when you're organized. Start early, plan ahead, and get plenty of help from your team to make the most of this transitional time.
