For a business owner, moving an office can be as stressful as moving home. The added stress is that every minute a business is not operating is downtime that is costing money. Whether you’re expanding, relocating or downsizing, here are some handy tips to make your move as smooth as possible:
Let people know
It’s a good idea to pre-warn clients, customers and suppliers about the move. Anyone who has regular contact with your business or who relies on you should be informed about one month prior to moving. Don’t forget to update your social media pages and website too.
You’ll also need to inform some important people like HMRC, other relevant government agencies and your bank. You’ll also need to inform your insurance companies. It might be a good idea to make a list of everyone who needs informing. For example, don’t forget to include subcontractors, your internet supplier, telephone company and the postal service.
Once you’ve settled in, why not arrange an office-warming party and invite customers and important suppliers along. That way they’ll know exactly where you are, and it also offers a great networking opportunity.
Use the opportunity to have a really good clear out of any rubbish that’s accumulated over the years and any irrelevant files or objects no longer required. This is also the perfect time to review your suppliers, rethink the office plan and possibly about moving staff to different seating positions. You need to find a balance between maintaining good morale and hopefully increasing productivity.
Updating all your marketing materials as soon as possible will make your business look far more professional. Many businesses leave it late, almost as an afterthought, but this makes you look unprofessional. Update email signatures with the new address on the day of the move or just before.
Use the help of professional and experienced movers who will take a lot of the stress out of the move and minimise disruption to the business. Sometimes a move can be scheduled to take place overnight, so everything can be in place for employees arriving in the morning. For a trusted Bristol Removals Company, contact Bristol Removals company http://www.imoveremovals.co.uk
To make the move easier, separate items into different groups per room. This way they can be loaded into the truck in the right order for unloading at the new premises and sorting into their intended rooms. An inventory while your packing is a useful tool for ticking off and checking every item is present when unpacking.
Employees are very particular about their things, so be sure to label every keyboard, chair and monitor with the user’s name. Also bag up the leads and cables associated with each workstation and place those in with the user’s computer. That way you won’t end up with miles of tangled and confusing cables when you reach your new premises.
