If you are moving office, you will want to keep disruption to a minimum, to ensure business continuity and a seamless service for your clients. Your team, too, will appreciate a smooth relocation.
Below is our handy office move checklist, which takes you through a step-by-step process to help ensure your business relocation goes without a hitch.
Rombourne’s Office Move Checklist
1. Planning
The sooner you start to plan, the easier the relocation will be. Start by setting a budget for the move and then create a timeline so you know what should happen and when.
Remember to tell your team and your clients well in advance, so they are kept up-to-date. This helps to quash the rumour mill and avoids feelings of uncertainty. Keep everyone in the loop by developing a communications strategy. Ideally, appoint someone (either you or a trusted member of the team) as project manager, so they can oversee the entire process.
2. Choose Your Location
The new venue must suit your needs, both now and in the future. This is where serviced offices, such as Rombourne’s, really come into play, as you can flex up or down according to your needs.
Once you are happy with your location, and have negotiated terms, then move on to the next stage.
3. Hire A Removal Company
You should consider using professional movers to take your equipment, office furniture, and even the potted plants, over to your new location. Seek out several quotes, check their customer reviews, and check their insurance cover. Then select the one that seems to most suit your purposes.
You may want to tackle the move yourself. Indeed, if you have a micro business and can fit everything in a car, this will be a cost-effective option. But if you have a substantial amount of kit to move, then it’s advisable to engage professionals.
4. Create An Inventory
You will want to make sure that nothing is left behind and, equally, nothing is lost in transit. By creating an inventory, you’ll have a comprehensive list of everything that is going on with you. This also makes the unpacking easier.
5. Contact Information
Don’t forget to update your business address and, if needs be, phone contact details. This should be done across all your marketing material, from your website to your social media platforms, to your stationery.
Remember to notify banks and agencies, such as HMRC, of your new address and organise a mail redirect.
6. Utilities
Arrange for utilities (such as electricity, water, internet and phone) to be set up at the new location. Remember, at serviced offices, these will be all there, ready and waiting for you. Inform your current providers of your leaving date and, where necessary, unload meter readings.
7. Packing
Pack everything carefully, particularly if it is fragile, and label all your boxes, so you know where they should go once you reach your new location.
8. Tech
Relocating IT must be done with care, and – if you have an IT support company – you may wish to engage them to help you with this.
Back up all data before you disassemble anything (of course, backing up should be part of the daily routine, anyway). Make sure you label all the kits carefully and arrange for IT professionals to help you set up in the new location.
The same rules apply to furniture and other equipment. Carefully disassemble it, label all parts, and make sure you put all the screws in a safe place!
9. Documents
If you handle sensitive documents these will need to be carefully and securely transported. You may even take this opportunity to digitise your paperwork, which will reduce the volume of material you need to relocate and is more environmentally friendly.
10. Employees
Make sure everybody knows what they are doing on moving day and, importantly, where they will be based in the new premises. Give your team members clear instructions on moving their personal belongings and where they will be moving to.
Bonus Tip!
One final bonus tip; before you close the doors on your old premises, take a walkthrough to see if anything has been left behind, and to ensure everything that needs to be turned off has been turned off. Then the last job is to hand over the keys.
Conclusion
If you are relocating or are in the early stages of thinking about a move, why not take a look at Rombourne serviced offices? We have centres in Bristol, Cardiff, Newport and Swindon. Please get in touch with the team to find out more, and we would be delighted to help.
