Last Updated on August 22, 2019 by Jessica Adams
There comes a time when your business has simply outgrown the space it’s in. Making a decision to move your business is just as intense as moving ones home. It’s no easy task, that’s for sure! There are so many details to take care of that if you may not know how to maintain consistency when relocating your business.
If you don’t, it could cost you hard-earned client relationships and lots of money in the process. To help you avoid making some serious mistakes when relocating your business, here are some important tips on how to maintain consistency throughout the process.
How to Maintain
Consistency When
Relocating Your Business
Moving Is a Project Management Job
Relocating your business will require advanced project management skills. If you don’t have time to do all the things that need to be done, you will have to learn how to outsource them to your employees or contractors.
You are not there to take care of all the small details regarding your office move; simply to coordinate the different tasks. If you can create a process map and draw up the different tasks in a logical order, you will make your job much easier.
Maintain Consistency With Communication
Once you have decided that you are looking for new offices, you will have to talk to your team, your contractors and even your clients. You want every single stakeholder to know in advance that you will be moving.
Once you have a date for the full relocation, you might want to send out postcards and emails reminding your clients and your suppliers of your new address. This will make their job easier when they’re trying to visit you at the new office.
It’s also important that you check with your team, both salaried and contract workers, as to how they feel about the move. Also, whether they’re okay with the commute to the new office and if they’re happy about the move in general.
If you don’t consult with your team about the move prior to moving day, you might end up alienating some of your best people. Perhaps you can offer an incentive upfront, such as setting up an office carpool from various points in your city?
Selecting a Moving Company
When you select the new building for your next business location, you will have to start gathering quotes from different moving companies and compare them. If it’s a goal of yours to maintain consistency when relocating your business, you’ll want to find the best movers in town.
Find out which days are the most suitable for your team and ask for an availability update regularly from the companies you have shortlisted. Make sure that you ask what is included, such as insurance, boxes, packing, and unpacking, etc.
Don’t Forget Your Network Installation
While internet access is a bare minimum, you might also want to talk to a local computer specialist who will install your network.
They’ll also make sure all your devices are connected to the printers and that you can safely share files.
It’s a good idea to backup your files on an external hard drive or a cloud account, so you can retrieve them at the new location.
This way you’ll be able to start working right away. You can also arrange to have your office’s computer company come to test every device. This is important to do before your employees arrive, so you can make sure that the transition goes smoothly.
And Your Business Insurance…
Before you can occupy your new office, it’s important that you talk to your business insurance provider and ask them for a quote on the new location. If you’re not happy with the price you are given, you’ll still be able to shop around.
The price will depend on the security of the building, the location, etc. Also, the number of people working there will affect the final numbers. If you meet clients regularly in the office, you’ll also need public liability insurance on top of the basic coverage.
Safety & Workplace Assessments
Before you can move your business to the new premises, you will need to have a safety assessment. Once the office is functional, you will need to contact a local contractor to do a Safety Assessment at the new office.
He will write a report about any health and safety risks. He can also help you create a safety policy and help you safeguard documents. You’ll also need a safety assessment to document the health and well-being of your employees.
It’s also important to check every workstation and make adjustments according to the needs and health conditions of your entire team. Workstation assessments should be carried out once everyone moves to their new desks or offices.
Make sure that any monitor adjustments, chair settings and any other ergonomic features that need be, are installed. It’s important to make sure that everyone is comfortable and feels both welcome and valued at their new office.
Will You Need Temporary Offices?
In case your move will take more than a couple of days, you should look into temporary accommodations such as a rented group business space. These places are very popular right now with small businesses and even Solopreneurs.
Another option to consider is renting portable buildings that you can work from at the location of your upcoming job site. They are temporary office buildings that have built-in kitchens, restrooms and are outlet-ready for all electronics.
Updating Your Mailing Address & Contracts
The smallest details can make the biggest difference during your business relocation. To maintain consistency, you need to make sure that everyone on your team updates the address on all of their accounts.
Has the mailing address changed on all the office stationery and online accounts? Don’t forget to tell your partners, service providers, and financial institutions as well!
There’s nothing worse than not getting your business mail and falling behind your payments. Also, USPS makes it really easy to forward all of your mail to your new location. You can even do it online, so get going!
Moving into a new office might be exciting for you as a business owner but it’s not without challenges. To avoid losing clients and money, it’s crucial that you take care of everything listed above.
Maintain consistency during the move by arranging all the services you need to be in place. Communicate with your suppliers, your team and your clients. Don’t forget about the important health and safety, workspace and risk assessments.
To ensure everything is going smoothly, coordinate various tasks and outsource to fellow team members. Stick together and you’ll recover from this major life change as quickly as possible!
Jessica Rose Adams
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