If you've ever gone through an office move before, you know that it can be a very demanding process. From working with office movers and maintenance workers to making sure that everybody in your office is ready for the shift, there are a lot of details to keep track of. Here are some common items people miss or mistakes people make during the process, along with what you can do to avoid such problems yourself.
1: Not Communicating with Movers Early
A lot of people think that office movers are only useful on the day of the actual move. In truth, they can be helpful throughout the office moving process. You should open communications with an office moving company of your choice as soon as you start planning your move. Ideally, this should be six months or more in advance. A good moving company can provide you with advice, packing materials, and even on-site walkthroughs that can help you spot potential trouble spots during and after your move.
2: Not Using a Regional Mover
When choosing your mover, you should select a company that has experience in either the city you are moving from or the one you are moving to. For those in the Calgary region, this usually means looking into experienced Calgary office movers. Such a company can provide insight and details about the region that you might not be privy to. This makes office moving in Calgary much easier than it would normally be.
3: Relying on Employees to Handle Network Supplies
Your computer network is one of the most integral parts of your business, and it also happens to be one of the most fragile elements. Poor packing and handling of delicate electronic supplies can render certain items useless and could potentially cripple your network. This doesn't even have to involve rough handling – a simple static discharge can be enough to ruin computer equipment. Rather than relying on your employees to handle their computer supplies, it is better to make this task the domain of either your IT team or a group of professional movers.
4: Not Providing Notice to Utility Companies
The larger your business, the more notice you need to give utility companies such as phone, Internet, and cable vendors. You should make sure that these groups know about your impending move not only so you don't run up extra charges from them, but also so you can avoid any utility blackouts. Providing plenty of advance notice to these companies makes sure that you don't spend any time without phones or Internet in your new office space.
5: Overextending on the Week of the Move
When your move finally happens, you need to act as though it will shut down your entire office for the week. Many companies make the mistake of continuing work as normal or only reducing workload a little bit. That often results in missed deadlines, confusion, and mistakes during the move. Let this be the only job your employees focus on when it happens. Doing so will reduce inefficiency later.
Your next office move doesn't have to be a major chore. Some planning and cooperation with the right moving company can make all the difference in the world.