You have just finalized terms on a lease for a new location, now it is time to plan and executing the relocation of your offices. Relocating your office is a huge task for any business. Many companies are unfamiliar with how to prepare for an office move, and the bigger the business or corporation, the more complex the task can be. The major goal in a business move is to be as cost and time-efficient as possible and it is very critical to appropriate the correct amount of time and planning for the move process.
One of the most important parts of relocating a corporation is to plan everything out well ahead of time to minimize downtime and get your people back to running your business as quickly as possible. A professional relocation company will assist you with much of the logistical planning of the physical move, but much more planning is required on behalf of your business in order to make the process as smooth as possible:
Physical Planning Overview –
o Obtain a floor plan of your current workplace layout
o Obtain a floor plan of your new workplace location
o Create a planned furnishings orientation / workplace layout
o Determine location of office equipment (i.e. printers and fax machines)
o Begin comparing bid prices for move budget – hire a mover
o Evaluate new location logistics to determine if there are concerns, freight elevators, loading doc etc limitations for movers
Office Move Teams –
o Identify co-workers to be team members on project team o Have a backup team member for anyone which will not be available o Review all layout plans and jack locations for all pc’s, phones, printers etc with team leaders
o Create an plan for every team member and vender as required
Labeling For Move Day –
o All office items to be included in the move should be labeled with an identification number assigned to the new office space Color code labels for items belonging in data rooms or other common areas. Each color should match a unique common location at the new office. At the new office location the color should be clearly present on the door or on the wall next to the door for easier unpacking. o Place each color on the building layout diagram you have created
o Ensure all team members area up to speed on the color coding
o Work with your move project coordinator for a labeling and color coding theme
Equipment
o Determine what moves and what ought to be sold-out or liquidated
o Identify any new office equipment that could be needed
o Have a physical backup for all IT servers
o Have spare cables and other elements on hand
o You should not transport the backup media within the moving truck. Carry that by hand and if possible have 2 copies in 2 separate locations.
Meetings and Communication
o Create a contact list for day of the move and include all key personnel, vendors, etc. on this sheet. Provide duplicates of this contact list to all team leads.
o A local employee contact person ought to be known and on-the-scene for deliveries or vender access to new location
o Create a phone contact list of all of the numbers being ported over. Use this list to test calls are available in to the proper locations additionally to creating certain calls will go out successfully.
o Have a team meeting and confirm time lines are being met and roles and responsibilities area unit understood. Ensure everybody is aware of who to contact if there is an issue.
o Update all important data with workplace security systems and suppliers.
o Have users back up their important files to the network or to disks before the office move.
POST-MOVE
o Test your new telephone system (Calls and Voicemail)
o Distribute the new phone list and map showing the locations of each department
o Install and test all pc and network connectivity (Internet / Email)
o Do a detailed walk-through of the new office and report any damage to moving company
o Transfer your insurance to the new facility. Obtain Certificates of Insurance from your insurance company
o Confirm termination of old lease contracts
o Collect security cards, parking passes, and keys for the old office facility. Confirm the return of any deposits held by the landlord for these items
o Complete and file all warranty information for all new office furniture and equipment
o Update fixed asset accounting systems for any new office furniture and equipment purchased
o Confirm the change-of-address corrections made for the new location
o Schedule press release and client announcement for your office move