When your business is growing and has to move to a new location, you may face a period of disruption, chaos and loss of productivity. Here are some effective ways to reduce this impact on your business during this challenging time.
Get organised early
Set up a high-level planning meeting and cover your business operations over the entire span of your move. You should use the schedule to drill down all the basic things that you will need. Will you pitch to investors during the moving process? Make sure you do not pack up dry erase markers and the projector. Create a don’t-pack zone then save these things for personal transport.
Set your budget
Search property to let early, then determine the amount you will need for your commercial property rental needs. The most important factor when narrowing down your options is the amount you will need for renting your new location. Reserve a significant portion of the budget to cover any extra expenses beyond the base rent. Extras can include things like moving costs, renovations and lease incidentals (maintenance, insurance and utilities).
Communicate to your customers and employees
You are not doing the moving alone; employees on the front line of your business are more aware than you when it comes to specific logistical issues that you may encounter. Synchronise your team to keep all employees on the same page by coordinating and managing efforts. A complicated issue may be resolved fast to keep communication lines open. Moving is often stressful for everyone, so empower your team and it’ll pay off in the long run.
Research locations
The budget you have set will help you determine location options. When making your decision on the ideal location, consider accessibility for room to grow, zoning issues, nearby services, convenience for receiving and shipping, parking and public transit and clients and suppliers. Overlooking the needs of the team is a common mistake that most business owners make. See your team’s input on location. They should also visit prospective sites and give their opinion on the location you have chosen.
Call your moving company early
If you’re planning on hiring a moving company, contact them at least 1 to 2 months in advance. Make sure you ask if the company is insured and get several quotes from different companies. If the moving company will do the packing, keep in mind that most movers don’t make decisions for you: they’ll pack everything, including rubbish and can even unplug your refrigerator and move it to the new location with food inside. You should, therefore, take care of all perishable things yourself, or you’ll end up with rubbish and rotting food.
Create a timeline
Work together with your team to come up with an appropriate timeline for the transition. This timeline can include time for marketing your new address, making signs, purchasing new furniture or equipment, setting up Internet and phones, moving assets and doing renovations. Also, decide who is going to be responsible for what task. Put one person to be in charge of the entire transition.
Be proactive
Many businesses take too long to move. Don’t wait until your employees start to trip over each other. At this point, it will be difficult to manage a hassle-free change and move to a new location. Do not wait until the inventory is piled up in all offices and employees start to work in hallways. If you wait too long before dealing with your space needs, this can result in high staff turnover, declining customer service and production mistakes.
