Take The Stress Out Of Office Relocation With These Tips

For any business, moving to a new location is something incredibly exciting. It usually signifies a position of growth and development, and a new chapter for the business. The problem is that it is also an incredibly stressful thing to do. In fact, it is thought that moving to new premises is one of the most challenging things a manager has to oversee. It is little wonder, therefore, that many businesses – as many as three-quarters – put off moving for as long as possible, instead staying in inefficient and unsuitable spaces.

If you are in the process of or are about to start an office relocation, it is essential to keep disruption to the business to an absolute minimum. After all, downtime means no customers. No customers means no money. No money means no business – and very soon, that swanky new office space could be pointless. It needs to be fast and efficient, which means that you need to have every step planned meticulously.

Here, we look at some tips to help make the process as smooth as possible, for you, your staff and your customers.

Factor additional costs into your budget

On top of the rental or purchasing costs and associated fees of your new premises, there are other costs that you need to remember and factor into your budget. If you don’t, you could end up with some rather unpleasant and expensive surprises.

• There are removal costs, for example – especially if you have a lot of furniture and equipment.
• There are also things like overtime pay or paying for additional staff to help with the moving and unpacking, the costs of special waste transport, parking permits in city centers and so on.

Have your IT  ready to go

Your IT systems are likely to be a fundamental part of how your business operates, so make sure that you have it ready to go. It is likely to be one of the last things packed up and one of the first things set up. Are you staying with your current services providers or taking the opportunity to move to someone new? Either way, make sure that they are aware of the date that you are moving so that you are ready to get back online and up and running as soon as possible.

Communication

Good communication is crucial for the effectiveness of the relocation project. It’s important to have a plan in place to spread the message about your move. There are many different ways in which you can notify your customers, suppliers, renters and other stakeholders including:

• Posts on social media
• Adding it as a ‘P.S’ to your email signature
• A notice or banner on your website
• Emails and direct mail campaigns
• New business cards stapled to receipts

Remember to update your new address on your social media, website, Google listings and office stationery.

An office relocation can be stressful and challenging for all involved, but in the vast majority of cases, it is more than worth it. Just plan ahead carefully and remember to communicate and it will be much, much easier.