Nearly 40 million Americans move each year. Many of those moves are due to office relocation or business change. No matter your reason for moving your business, you can bet that organized planning is the only way to save time and money during the process.
If this is your first office move, or your first time moving to a larger space, the idea of the move can be overwhelming. Take a deep breath and read on for our quintessential tips on relocating your office and team. You can do this, we promise.
Interview New Hires
It’s important to remember that your big move may not be such great news to everyone. If you’re relocating to another city or even across town, the commute may not work for all of your employees. Keep in mind that you may have to increase pay to cover the extra travel. In some cases, you may even have to replace employees.
That’s why it’s important to break the news to your team as soon as the move is finalized, to give you enough time to interview and .
File a Change of Address
Like all moves, you’ll need to file a change of address. But you’ll want to hold some foresight in this area. If packages, invoices or shipments will be delivered within a period of a few weeks, you may not know if you’ll be in the new office or the previous one.
If you are nervous about having important documents or expensive materials sent to your old office, choose to have them sent somewhere more consistent like a home address. Even if you have a forwarding address registered with the post office, it’s always wise to err on the side of caution.
Color Code
Packing and unpacking can take days to accomplish, and we all know time is money. The good news is, the more your organize and plan ahead, the faster the process will be.
We suggest color coding boxes for multi-room offices. Create a clear map for movers so they know exactly which boxes go where, even if you’re not on site. This will also help employees know which boxes include their stuff and where their new office is located.
Make Sure Phone Lines and the Internet is Ready
For most businesses, work simply can’t happen without phones and the internet. Even if all of your items aren’t fully unpacked, a work day can typically be completed with some desks and strong wifi. Be sure that all phone lines and internet lines are in place before the move.
You’ll also want to check out internet speeds before your employees arrive. Often offices with lots of concrete can slow down internet speeds and you may want to purchase an extra router or two to keep everyone running smoothly.
Purchase Any Extra Furniture That is Needed
If your business is growing, then it’s likely your office space is growing as well. As exciting as this is, it probably means you’ll have to invest in some stylish furniture for your new office. You may also need some extra materials that weren’t needed in your old office.
Go room by room and figure out what’s needed. Try and walk through a full office day and consider what your employees will need.
For example, if you didn’t have a kitchen in your old office but now do, you’ll want to add a kitchen table along with glasses, plates, utensils, and maybe even a coffee machine.
A new conference room table and desks and chairs for your new hires are also important items to consider.
Reserve a Moving Truck
You would be surprised out just how quickly moving trucks can be taken. Some people reserve their moving trucks months in advance. While it can be tempting to just have your moving company provide the truck, this often comes with an extra charge, and moving is expensive enough already.
Do a quick comparison on moving truck rental rates and once you find one you like try and reserve it as soon as you can.
Make an Appointment with the Movers
You’ll want to book your movers with the same urgency as you book your trucks, however, you’ll probably need to ask more questions. For example, your movers will be carrying expensive items like computers, laptops, and desktop computers.
So you’ll want to know if or insurance can be provided and if so up to how much.
You’ll also want to know how many movers will be provided to complete the job, and how long they predict the job will take. When in doubt, check for reviews to see how other customers moving experience went.
Utilize a Relocation Management Service
Handling business and a big office move can be overwhelming, to say the least. Fortunately, there are relocation management teams available to make the transition much smoother.
Some benefits of using a relocation management service include:
- Working with relocation experts
- More time to focus on your business instead of the move
- A better relocation experience for your employees
- Discounted moving rates
- Discounts on transitional resources like temporary housing, storage, and home finding services
- Update Any print Ads
Order New Business Cards
Your business cards are one of the most important and widely distributed promotional materials you have. Which means it’s important that all information on the card is up to date and correct. Save money on rush delivery charges by ordering your new cards ahead of time.
If you’ve hired new employees, there’s a good chance you need to order new business cards as well. While replacing all of your business cards can be pricey, it’s also a great opportunity to update your card designs.
Meet Your New Neighbors
Other businesses and their customers will want to know what all the new activity is about, which is a great opportunity for word of mouth advertising. Take the time to meet other businesses and introduce yourself. Be sure to share the name of your business, what type of service you offer, and one unique fact that is easy to remember and share.
If you want to make a lasting impression bring a small gift basket or a product sample with you. Let them know that you’ll be happy to recommend their business to your clients and kindly urge them to do the same.
Update Your Website and Social Media
Your website and social media are one of the first places potential customers will turn to learn more about your products and services. It’s hard enough to get them in the door without sending them to the wrong address.
Be sure your website and social media pages all include the correct address. Be sure to do the same for any google, TripAdvisor or other business listings that come up on search engines.
Send Out an Email Blast About Your Office Relocation
Even after changing all of your promotional materials, ads, and web pages, there’s a good chance that some of your customers won’t be aware of the move. Don’t leave them thinking you’ve closed down!
Hopefully, by now, you’ve established a strong email listing and have been consistent in sending out newsletters. Send out an email blast letting them know about the move.
This is also a great opportunity to offer a special discount on all purchases during your first week open in your new location. That way they are aware of the move and have some added incentive to stop by.
Scope Out the Neighborhood
For the employees that did make the move with you from your old office to the new one, you want to make the transition as easy as possible for them. This means scoping out your new neighborhood and taking note of any details that may be important to your team.
Send a staff email highlighting the nearest public transportation, atm’s, and places to get lunch. The more personal you can get the better.
For example, if you know Karen in HR is a vegan, be sure to let her know about the vegan restaurant just two blocks away. They will appreciate the gesture.
Have a Launch Party
You have survived your move, it’s time to celebrate! Have a launch party or two, to encourage office morale and introduce your new space and layout.
We recommend hosting two parties, one specifically for your staff to thank them for their patience and loyalty and another to the public as a fun way of letting your customers know you’ve relocated. Choose a theme that’s relevant to your plan, or stick to an elegant cocktail party.
Keeping the Chaos Organized
Our number one tip for office relocation is to fully utilize forms and checklists throughout the move. This will save you time and energy on having to micromanage your staff and will help you keep your thoughts in order.
You can start by checking out our template as a great way to stay on top of moving tasks.
