Business Relocation Survival Guide
Relocating your corporate headquarters isn’t a task for the faint of heart – or for the faint of nerves, for that matter. From mover bookings and inventory packing to potential delays and post-move cleanups, office relocation is a force to be reckoned with in financial, mental, and physical terms. But does it really have to be that way? Not if you know how to avoid common moving pitfalls and reduce relocation costs and hassle. If you’re new to business move hoops, follow the tips below and make your next office move go easier on your nerves and budget.
A good location for corporate growth
Before you start hunting for the new office, you’ll need to establish the reasons for the move as this will impact your choice of location. For instance, if you need to move to cut monthly rent fees, you’ll need to limit your office search to less expensive parts of town. Similarly, if you want to attract new clients, you should go hunting for the new office in the downtown, but if commute is a problem, you’ll need to focus on most accessible parts of town to make trips to and from work easier on your staff’s spare time.
Gather info on the new office location
Once you’ve narrowed down the list of preferable office locations to a few neighborhoods, you can hire a broker to help you find a piece of commercial real estate that fits your corporate bill and budget most. Once the broker comes up with a brief list of properties that meet your criteria, you should inspect each CRE for red flags to see if the space is truly worth the rent call. On top of that, you should take a look at the floor plan and see if and where changes may have to be made so that the space would be a good functional and aesthetic fit for your business’ needs.
Set up relocation budget and timeline
Once you’ve found a perfect place to make corporate camp, you should draw up the move timeline and budget. That way, you’ll avoid needless costs and hassle which commonly occur with hasty renovations. When setting up the move timeline and budget, bear in mind that moving your company lock, stock, and barrel is a process which can in some cases require more time than you originally bargained for, as well as additional expenses such as outdoor storage expenses whether you need a long term or short term storage unit for example, and labor service expenses.
Let professionals do the work for you
Although you can handle the office move by yourself, you shouldn’t take any risks, especially if you have a lot of sensitive equipment in your headquarters. To stay on the safe side of the move, it would be wise to hire professional white glove movers to pack, load, and unload fragile hardware for you: it will cost a bit extra, but it’ll be an investment in office move speed and gear safety. If you have highly fragile items on your inventory list, you can consider hiring super-safe storage in Melbourne to cut the risk of damage or mishandling of valuable assets.
Another job that you would ideally want the professionals to take care of is the cleaning of the old office space once you move out, and maybe even cleaning your new office space before you move in. Such services are unique in the sense that they are not regularly asked-for services, as they are usually just one-time requirements. However, it still might be necessary for cleaning experts to come in and tackle the work. Professionals (like the ones at this Pembroke Pines commercial cleaning company) with the right equipment can ease the burden of move-out and move-in cleaning for you by taking care of all the cleaning work, leaving you to handle other aspects of the relocation.
The early notification catches the worm
Before you get down to packing, you should take the time to notify all your staff, business partners, and clients about the impending office relocation. You should also remember to change the business address and inform the bank, tax administration, and other local authorities about the move. It’d also be a smart idea to look into moving insurance options and inquire about mail redirect charges at the post office: it’ll help you prevent mishaps that can cost your brand a lot in case valuable business information ends up in wrong hands by accident.
If handled properly, business relocation doesn’t have to be all sweat and hassle. To stay on the safe side of the move, follow the steps above and your company will soon be able to open its doors to public in a dandier piece of commercial real estate. Bon voyage!
