An office relocation is a significant expense a business could incur – besides the cost of fitting out the new office, the actual move itself takes up a large portion of the budget. Depending on the allocated budget, you’ll have to decide if your staff will be pitching in with packing or the movers will be doing both the packing and transportation.
Here is a list of helpful pointers to help you navigate the challenges of an office relocation so it’s a smooth process that doesn’t break the bank.
Depending on your budget, you could purchase these items or save on the cost by sourcing items like boxes or newspapers from your local grocery store and friends.
Once you have the materials, apply the following packing tips and techniques for the smooth transportation of your fragile items to their end destination.
1. Appoint a project manager for the office relocation project
There are many moving pieces and stakeholders to manage during a relocation. It is therefore crucial to appoint a project manager to coordinate and follow up on tasks so the relocation stays on schedule. The best person for this job would be an administrative assistant, preferably with experience in commercial relocation.
The project manager should start planning at least twelve months before the move day and ideally book the movers six months before.
Proper planning is needed because unnecessary delays will stretch the timeline and could potentially result in additional expenses.
2. Plan a moving schedule that doesn’t disrupt operations
An office relocation is a lot of work regardless of the office size – from big, bulky furniture, inventory, electronics, sensitive materials, down to the smaller items belonging to staff, all the above keep operations going.
Consider the cost of downtime for the company as items are transported to the new location and its impact on when operations can get back up and running. For example, If your business relies heavily on IT infrastructure, moving that safely onto the new premises should be the top priority.
Depending on when your new lease starts, simplify moving day by transporting non essential items like office supplies, plants and pantry items over to the new space and set them up before the essential items arrive.
3. Get everyone in the office to pitch in with packing
While you may use a moving company to transport large items, it will be cost saving to have everyone in the office take responsibility for their own desk space. Give your staff sufficient time to have their desks packed up so nobody is scrambling at the last minute.
4. Declutter the office and sell items on the second-hand market
Avoid paying to transport items you don’t need by removing unwanted things such as outdated documents, faulty appliances, old furniture, and loose items that no longer serve a purpose in the new office.
If you’re on a tight budget, sell unwanted items that are still in good condition on the second-hand market and use the proceeds to offset the relocation cost or to purchase new things for the office.
5. Get well versed in building regulations prior to relocation day
Unless your business owns the office building, your staff will have to get a breakdown of all building rules on relocation. Get these rules from the building management as early as possible, as it will dictate the logistics of moving day. Many buildings have strict regulations around moving hours and require you to put in a request much earlier for approval, for example to use the service elevator.
6. Notify relevant parties of your move and stay on top of important dates
Be diligent about changing your business address with the post office, bank, creditors, suppliers and more. This is a easy way to ensure clients are billed properly, you’re not missing any bills you need to pay, and that your supplies get delivered. Updating all your contact information online also ensures that new clients continue to find your business and in return maintains income flowing in.
7. Make sure your new furniture and fixtures fit in the new place
Don’t waste time, energy, and money transporting items that will not work in your new office space. Record the dimensions of your largest items and compare them to the measurements of your new location. This applies to things like your conference room tables, large electrical equipment, and anything else that necessitates a lot of space. By doing so you avoid costly renovation expenses or having to buy new fixtures.
8. Conduct a moving inventory and assessment
Professional movers should provide a moving inventory assessment whereby a thorough exercise of taking stock of everything that needs to be shifted is conducted. The assessment will determine the requirements of the relocation and overall weight of the items requiring packing and transportation to come up with a quotation. With the quotation your project manager can allocate budget and engage the right services accordingly.
9. Protect the business with relocation insurance
Any moving company you hire for your office relocation should be licensed and insured. Check with the legal team or company insurance provider on the requirement to get insured for any major moves. Once confirmed, you will need to provide an accurate inventory list and estimate the worth of the items being moved.
10. Pick movers with specialised services for office relocation
While there are plenty of options for movers, office relocation comes with a set of unique requirements that you might want to consider a mover with experience in commercial relocation. Professional movers like Seng Soon Transport & Movers have a crew equipped with the skills to relocate your office down to the details like keeping your electronics and other fragile office equipment safe so you don’t have to worry about it.
Please book a slot for a free site survey by the team, and in 4 steps, our professional team will be able to give you a quote.
