Movin’ On Up!

Planning and starting well in advance will make an office move go smoothly.
By Debbie Perry

The construction is complete. The walls have been painted and the carpet has been installed; so, what’s next?

The decision to move your business to a new location can be a daunting task. Whether the move is to a new space located in the same building, down the block or across town, there are many factors that must be taken into consideration when orchestrating relocation.

You should identify all issues of the transfer to create a clear timeline and to assign the appropriate staff member to ensure that your transition is a smooth one.

Telecommunications
Choosing a new phone system can be a mind-numbing and frustrating experience for the layman. Take care to review not just cost, but also value as you weave your way through the mountains of options that come from various telecommunication providers. The number of phone lines shouldn’t be your only consideration. Take care to review voicemail options and capabilities, as well as phone security.

Paying a few extra dollars for a system that prohibits long distance abuse can be worth its weight in gold. Also, investing in a couple of extra lines will allow for additional phone traffic as your business grows, without the cost of another service technician visit.

Choosing Office Furnishings
When designing the office, square footage of the space, budget and style are just a few of the factors to be taken into consideration when choosing furnishings.

What is the design and layout of the office going to be? Are the employees sharing cubicles or would individual offices best suit the needs of everyone? How much storage space will be needed? Also, what about seating? How will the seating be used? Would fabric, leather or vinyl be best?

180 Days Out
Assign a staff member as move manager, and assign individual responsibility, such as furnishings and telecommunication, to other staff members as appropriate. Discuss telecommunications needs regarding voice, data, local and long distance service. Plan business forms and stationery changes, and identify office equipment to be upgraded or replaced.

120 Days Out
Determine how much, if any, down time you can tolerate during the move. Choose an insurance agent to examine the lease for proper coverage. Survey existing records, make new building size measurements, prepare floor plan layout and develop a storage proposal. Prepare space-plan drawings for new office layouts. Contact the moving representative for a pre-move survey.
Obtain furniture company proposals and check references. Assess copier volume, review service contracts, solicit bids and arrange for pre/post move servicing of present equipment. Contact computer and fax suppliers for quotes.

90 Days Out
Determine whether the move should occur during the week day(s), week night(s) or weekend. Contact building management at both the origin and the destination for “move out” and “move in” requirements and restrictions. Order and distribute “we are moving” cards with the new address to customers and vendors. Assess security needs. Choose a furniture company. Select a company to disassemble and reassemble modular furniture. Make a list, including value, of all equipment, supplies and inventory.

60 Days Out
Assign a coordinator to work with the moving representative. Select an architect, as well as a commercial realtor, and coordinate all colors of paint and fabric for the new site. Have phone numbers guaranteed by your local phone company and verify long distance provider, choose computer vendor and schedule installation, and order dedicated fax phone lines. Order business forms and stationery from the printer. Place copier order and get service agreements.

30 Days Out
Arrange to have furniture and carpet dealers on site throughout delivery. Also, you need to arrange office supply delivery to the new location and arrange for the moving company to deliver boxes and labels.

Then, with two weeks to go, assign each room and cubicle at the new location a number. Advise building management at both your origin and your destination of your move date(s).  Select a security company and have that vendor contact the building owner/builder and moving company.

Move Week
Once move week arrives, the moving company representative should speak to all employees about packing and labeling procedures, and you should assign each employee a room or cubicle number for the new location. Also distribute written moving instructions to all employees, label all furniture and boxes with routing tags furnished by the mover, and inform employees of any new security systems. Then, install new filing equipment and pack.

Remember that the bottom line is appropriate planning for a successful move. Without it, phones and computers may not function properly, resulting in costly downtime and information systems technician invoices. Additionally, paper records may be difficult to identify, causing frustration among both your employees and your customers.

With appropriate planning and discussion, you and your team will find yourself with a new, organized business place and your customers exclaiming, “I didn’t realize you moved at all!”

Debbie Perry is general manager of SSi Furnishings. She can be reached at (816) 221-8448.