It’s not always easy to decide whether to relocate your business. How do you find the best location and where is the most affordable are often the primary considerations that come up. In fact, relocating your business is one of the most challenging aspects of business life for you and your employees. The process can be long and complicated, but there are some things that you can do that may help you to move your business quickly. Therefore, what should be done to make the relocation and resettlement process easier.
Be Proactive
Decisions are often taken much too slowly by many companies. If you and your staff are tripping over one another and there is no place to conduct meetings in relative privacy, it is probably time for a change. Therefore, you will need to be proactive when you find yourself in this position and start immediately to find new premises that match your space and budget requirements. Although office moves can be pretty complex, especially if you are a larger organization, you will significantly simplify the process by making the decision early and acting efficiently. By making a choice early on, you will avoid mistakes. In reality, this will mean meeting as soon as possible with your management team and employees and informing them that you are in the early stages of searching for newer premises.
Plan Out Your New Office Space
As per the first tip, you should have already found a new place to move to if you were proactive. If that is the case, you should also begin to plan out the new office and get it set up in the most efficient manner possible. Planning your office space with care can ensure that there is an appropriate workstation for every task. It can also help reduce the distractions that come with walking around all day. When thinking about how to plan out your office space, there are three main things that you need to consider:
- Personal preferences
- Aesthetics
- Functionality
In an open-plan environment, the layout must be functional for both individual tasks and group projects. Some people prefer a cozy private cubicle, while others like working at communal tables with shared spaces in between them. You should choose a layout that you believe everyone will benefit from, and if you have enough of a budget, you could even hire an office planner who can assist you.
Inform Employees In Advance
During the changeover, employee communication is crucial. You should discuss the transfer as soon as possible to ensure that you can address any concerns before they negatively impact your business. Make frequent announcements about your goals, and be as specific as possible about what you may expect along the road. If you are moving to a different state or a location far away, you will have to expect to lose some employees and attempt to rehire at the new site. This will cause some upset, and you will inevitably have to incur extra layoff and recruitment expenses. On the other hand, if you are moving to a different location within the same city, you can usually keep disruption at a minimum.
Suppliers Should Be Informed
Businesses move all the time, but if your company moves, you should inform your suppliers. This is important for a couple of reasons. First of all, they may have questions about sending packages and invoices to the new location. They might need more information on where your office is located or what hours of operation you have each day. If they don’t know this information, it will be difficult for them to do their job efficiently. Informing your suppliers also helps them avoid possible penalties for not delivering their services on time. Furthermore, you should carefully go over existing contracts with your suppliers to see if there are any clauses regarding moving and if you will incur fines for failing to update them promptly.
Keep Your Customers Informed
One of the most critical factors in business is having happy customers. And companies need to inform their customers when they are moving. If you don’t, then you could be at risk of losing them. It will, however, depend on the type of business you run and the products or services you offer. You may not need to prioritize informing your customers if you run a small business that provides freelance services online, for example. Conversely, if you run a local law firm, you will need to update all of your previous and existing customers about your new location. In any case, businesses are generally required to inform their customers when they move, as this can often be a legal requirement.
Choose The Right Removal Company
This is another tip that will be based on your type of business. For example, suppose you operate a factory with a lot of heavy machinery. In that case, you will likely need to hire a specialist moving company that can move large, heavy items. On the other hand, if you are office-based, it can often be the case that you can use the services of a regular moving company. You should always get additional insurance and pick a company that has been in the industry for some time already and comes highly recommended.
Make Sufficient Data Backups
It’s a sensible idea to make a backup of your data before you move it, and while there are some essential pointers on the best way to do this, you should be aware that it’s not just about having an up-to-date copy of your data. If you don’t make enough backups, you might lose crucial customer history or contact information. Furthermore, it can pose problems regarding data regulation, and if you fail to backup and protect customer data adequately, you could be held liable. Backups should include:
- Your online files and databases
- Your offline files and databases
- Your email messages
- Any other type of information that might be useful for restoring operations at your new location
You have a lot to consider when moving your business, but it will go more smoothly if you follow these tips. Whether you’re a start-up or a multinational corporation, using the tips above will make your relocation more manageable.
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