People move businesses for a number of reasons. Some look for better working conditions, some look to branch out, others are looking for places with less competition, and then there are some businesses that are looking for better tax policies. All of these reasons are pretty valid and justified. Whatever your reason is, know that relocating a business is not an easy task.
Moving a company is not something that you do out of the blue. Careful planning and preparations are required if you want everything to go smoothly. With that in mind, we have created this four-step guide that will help you relocate just about any kind of business. Keep in mind that each moving job is unique, but making sure that these four steps are implemented is absolutely necessary.
As little downtime as possible
As we have said before, relocating a business is not an easy task. This is mainly because you should always try to have as little downtime as possible. If you are completely moving your company and not just opening a new branch, you will certainly have some downtime in between the moves.
The best way to keep this to a minimum is to carefully plan everything in advance. For example, you should switch to your new postal address a couple of days before the move is complete. Also, your address should be updated for your utility service providers. Trust us, you want to have everything up and running on opening day.
Hire new employees before the move
Another inevitable part of business relocation is losing some of your workers. Ideally, all of your employees will follow you, but in most cases, some of them will refuse for a number of reasons. So be prepared to hire a completely new crew of employees just in case.
Today it is pretty easy to set up a video conversation online, so you won’t have to go and talk with potential candidates in person. Also, if certain job positions require training, don’t forget to start it on time, so that by the time you open, everybody is capable of handling their duties.
Make sure you are using a professional moving company
When it comes to the moving process itself, you should always use a professional moving company. In the majority of situations, you will transport a lot of things from your old offices. Items like computers, servers, and other electronic devices are pretty fragile. That is why it is important to leave the packaging and transportation to professionals.
They will do it a lot more efficiently and probably without any accidents. You will only have to find a suitable moving company that offers truck hire services. Just make sure they are legitimate and have all the necessary certifications and insurance policies, so your items are protected in case of an accident.
Prepare the office space in advance
Lastly, we would like to briefly talk about how to prepare your new office in advance. You don’t have to equip it completely right away, even though this should be your goal. Instead, you can focus on the essential parts and install them first. For example, things like computers, an internet connection, servers, desks, etc. are essential for an IT company, so find out what is for yours and make sure it is done first.
And that is all. As you can see, moving a business is a demanding task, but not impossible. With a little bit of planning and preparation, everything is achievable. Just remember to hire professionals to help you with the moving process. It is better to spend a little bit extra than to risk extending the downtime during the move.
