If your business has grown so much that a change of location is necessary, then congratulations are in order. However, this growth is precisely the reason why you cannot allow your business not to deliver what it promised, especially after a period of keeping up its promises and respecting deadlines.
While moving to new promises can be as challenging as living up to the standards that you have previously set, it is not a task which must necessarily harm productivity. So, here are some tips to help you move your small business without putting it on standby or at risk.
Table of Contents
Prepare an inventory list
The first step of your moving venture is to make a detailed list of the inventory. If your business has gone completely paperless, that is good news for you, but if you have some remnant office practices that include paper, perhaps this is the first portion of the inventory you need to take care of. Then you need to make a list of the number of chairs, tables, shelves, computers, keyboards, laptops, etc.
This will help you ensure that nothing vital is forgotten. Also, you don’t want your employees to be looking through unpacked boxes for their keyboards on the first day in the new office because misplacing items will result in a delay in daily tasks. Don’t forget to label the boxed so that the unpacking can go smoothly and also tick each item of the list once it gets transported to the new space.
Create a moving timeline
Making a good plan is accomplishing half of the work because if you get it right, you will be able to rely on it so that everything can go as it should. This is why you need to create a timeline of the events that will follow and a good place to start is first setting the final date, that is, the first day of work in the new office so that you can create plans around it.
This end date is closely connected with the deadlines and tasks your employees have, while the dynamics of packing and moving also needs to be oriented around your business operations. Make sure you contact the electrician, plumber, and cleaning lady on time so that the place you are currently residing is checked out and left in a pristine state.
Tend to the transportation
When you packed everything into boxes and labeled them, it is time to tend to the actual moving process. Even though your small business is growing, until you get stabilized in the new space, it is prudent to keep your expenses under control. Hiring a moving crew can not only be expensive but they can often be negligent towards your belongings unless you are monitoring them constantly.
If you wish to ensure nothing is damaged, destroyed or misplaced, it is best to do everything by yourself, as a team – your employees would also prefer to know that their computer, monitor, and trinkets from their drawers will all be on their future desks on the first day. By opting for services such as Budget truck rental, not only will you have everything under your control but you will also save money since you can also rent a truck on an hourly basis.
Inform all employees and clients
Having your employees in the loop is of great essence – they need to know about your plan of moving so they can make their own preparations. They might want to do more to finish some tasks faster or to clear out their desk of personal belongings. Also, a change of location means that they might need to find an alternative work route, especially if the locations are far apart.
As for informing the clients, they don’t need to know all the details. It is enough to give them the end date, the new address, as well as your assurance that you will complete everything in a timely fashion. One trick to assure they will remember the new premises well, you can organize an opening party so that they can see first-hand that your business has grown and that your employees are satisfied.
Move in stages
Perhaps the wisest decision that you can make is to move in stages. Naturally, this doesn’t mean that you should allow the whole process to go on forever because that could cause problems for your business. Instead, you will need to plan each segment carefully and transport one batch of inventory by one, leaving the most vital ones for the very end so that the employees can have it at their disposal the longest.
Another thing you should consider is allowing your employees to work from home during the move, apart from when they come to help with the move itself. This would ensure they are able to concentrate and remain productive during this period.
Over to you
For most business owners, the thought of moving causes an instant headache and they often fantasize about a magical solution that would involve transferring everything to new premises in a blink of an eye. However, the moving process doesn’t necessarily have to be complex or detrimental to your workflow.
If you take time to do some proper planning, you will be able to create a timeframe for the moving, organize the packing in stages, hire a truck on time – all of that without affecting productivity. Now that you have the know-how, it is time to get busy and relocate so you can continue your business growth as smoothly as possible!
