3 mistakes that can totally ruin your office move
Many business gurus encourage office moves when the business is growing. But what they conveniently neglect to mention is that moving is the absolute worst.
In fact, anything that involves transporting piles of boxes from point A to point B is bound to cause a few mishaps and headaches. Besides finding a big enough space for your employees, you need to meet with contractors and make sure your new office is not above some crack den. Oh, and there’s the IT aspect, too. If your company uses computers, you’ll need to consider the little things like cabling and making sure your servers make it to the new location in one piece.
That’s a lot to wrap your head around, and if you’re going through your first office move, there are all sorts of traps, pitfalls, and fumbles that could happen.
Going without a plan
No office move has ever gone successfully by “winging it.” Sure, you may have planned the layout of your office space, but if you’re not making a list of items you intend to bring with you, you may accidentally leave behind a perfectly good PC.
You should also sort out the finer details like how many cables you’ll need to support all your workstations, where electrical outlets are situated, how much ventilation is required for your equipment, and what internet service you’ll have in the new site.
Once that’s settled, make sure to inform your team about the move schedules. Otherwise, you'll be working with a bunch of bubble-wrapped furniture and computers in a deserted office.
“Where the hell is everyone?”
Failing to account for downtime
Moves are generally a huge interruption to your business, which is why you need a business continuity plan to stay operational. This includes backing up your data in case the move screws up your servers and a plan for communicating with customers when your services are offline.
Wicked good IT specialists -- *cough* Red Key *cough* -- will help you create a plan and ensure you’re back up and running quickly as soon as you reach the new site.
Not seeking professional help
The biggest mistake most companies make when they move offices is assuming they can do it themselves. But unless you’re a professional moving company, this can quickly turn into a legal and financial nightmare. Think about it, if you have no experience with relocations, you could be looking at days or even weeks of downtime. Also, if one of your employees gets injured during the move, you may end up being liable for personal injury lawsuits.
Even if you’ve decided to work with a moving company, you can’t just trust everyone in the industry. Yes, people lie on the internet sometimes.
Before partnering with anyone, make sure they’re highly certified and have a great track record. You should look through testimonials and review sites to make sure previous customers were happy about their service. It’s also a good idea to meet with the moving team beforehand, so you’re sure that able-bodied people are looking after your equipment, not 70-something retirees.
“Mortimer and Wilhelmina at your service, happy to move your 100-lb servers!”
There’s no denying that office moves are a huge pain, but if you just remember to avoid these common mistakes, you’ll be working in your brand spanking new office in no time. Call Red Key Solutions today to ensure a smooth relocation.
