Office relocation is a complicated process and the role of administrators and facility managers is crucial. They make the core of a safe and efficient office move and hence must be prepared to handle their role. A successful office move can only be achieved with proper planning, duty delegation, professional moving help and effective handling of all the related activities. There is nothing wrong, we claim office relocation as one of the most challenging tasks for every related party.
As administrators or facility managers, one has to undertake a lot of aspects of the relocation- from using moving apt moving cost calculator to find the best office moving companies. As they perform their role diligently, they unknowingly commit a few mistakes. This happens when the managers or administrators do not know the do’s and don’ts of the process.
To ensure you do not have to undergo any pain during the office relocation, we have prepared this guide with detailed Office Relocation Do’s and Don’ts for Facility Managers.
Do’s
• Have a handy asset list
An office is full of assets of varied nature, shape and sizes. It is important that the administrator of the facility manager has a detailed report on the type and number of assets in the inventory. If not, it should be one of the top priority tasks on the list to get all the departments to work on the preparation of the asset inventory list. This exercise must be carried out at least one month before the move. The list gives the facilitator enough time to chalk out the exact number of items to be moved, what can be recycled and sold before the move.
• Advance planning
Office relocations are a time and effort-consuming process. It is important that you plan the entire relocation in advance and ensure a smooth and hassle-free change of place. Make sure you make a to-do list and break it down with timelines. Organization is the key to success and it comes with proper planning only.
• Make plan B:
As you plan for budget, space requirement, parking facility, distance, power backup, staff comfort, business productivity, security, and more, you must always keep flexibility in mind. As a matter of fact, you can face adverse situations even after months of planning an office move. Hence, it is important that you always have a plan B.
• Try it before you do it:
A trial move gives you clear understanding of your preparedness for the actual moving day. As the process is very challenging, you may face a lot of unforeseen difficulties which you would not be prepared for. When you do a trial, you get a fair understanding of time consumed, problems faced and what backup plan you need.
• Let the employees take charge
One of the best ways to execute an office move is by allowing your employees to participate. Designate the staff member’s responsibility of their department and make sure each person is involved in the process.
Don’ts
• Never settle for a cheap price:
While it is a common practice to search for movers with cheap quotes, setting for a vendor just because of cheaper prices is not credible. Often time, rogue movers dupe naïve business owners by luring them with a cheap price quote. As you evaluate the movers, make sure you also weigh the quality of services as well as the credibility of the movers.
• Do not risk it:
Your office assets are valuable and any damage to them can affect the downtime because of the relocation. Avoid taking any unnecessary risks like moving without insurance, risking the packing of assets or not following safety rules.
• Do not make it a one night thing:
Often it is observed that office administrators and facility managers are too eager to move all the assets in one go. While this may certainly save you some cost, if you are not a small business, it can always be very complicated to move a large inventory in one go. Instead, you must plan the move in a way that you move the business into parts.
• Do not move in an office without checking it
Whether you are moving into a newly built office or a pre-existing office building, make sure you check the place before moving day. Moreover, you must have a checklist to ensure you check all the aspects of the office including utility connections, seating arrangements, AC vents and HVAC system, power backup arrangements, parking facility, toilets, restroom partitions and more.
• Do not skip hiring professionals:
While DIY house moves may be manageable, office moves cannot be successfully completed without the help of professional movers. There are a range of complicated, fragile and highly valuable assets involved in the move that demand professional skills to pack, move and handle.
Now that you are prepared for the move, start getting moving estimates from different companies and get started with the preparation of your office move.
