If you are planning to relocate your company or are an office manager tasked with leading the project, Clancy Relocation & Logistics’ long time professional office moving consultant Ron Cognetta has shared some office moving tips with me to help everyone planning an office move.
Tip # 1. Some of the most important considerations should be made BEFORE you create a move plan!
Start by making a list of all the pros and cons so you and your staff clearly understand the underlying need for the move and what it should accomplish. Special consideration should be given to the following:
- When is the “best time” to move? Are there seasonal business fluctuations or other considerations that could affect this decision? How will this relocation impact the employees if we moved at a different time of year? Does the facility you are in allow for moves during office hours or after hours only?
- What effect will relocating the office have on overall productivity? While this question ties to the above, many office moving project leaders may find that careful planning can allow for a move any time of year. Some business systems are hosted online and remain 100% available during the move, other systems will go offline and then IT will have to bring them “back up” after the move.
- How much will the move cost? Get your numbers together on how many staff are moving and what equipment is being moved with them. What percentage are you and your staff going to do yourselves? While most personal items (like framed pictures) are moved by the employee themselves, many companies choose to have PC, Server and other networking equipment moved with the boxes of papers, filing cabinets and furniture. Figure out what your team can move on their own (within reason!) and submit a request for quotation. Clancy’s Office Moving staff are experienced with all moves of all sizes and scope and are well prepared to do all the work including delicate PC/Server moves.
These questions need to be addressed during the earliest planning phases. Once you start a plan, it is harder to redesign the plan to include these important considerations. That is why upfront planning is one of our most important office moving tips.
Tip # 2. At least 3 months before your move, select a “Move Team” rather than leaving the whole project to one person.
Select a “move team” at least three months before the actual relocation. For larger organizations, you may want to select people to manage specific areas such as office furniture and equipment, electronics and communication technology, plants, employee household relocation (if needed), and budget. Often several of these responsibilities are given to one person, but make sure each of these areas is assigned to someone or something may get left behind for last minute (which may increase the cost). Your delegated Move Team should be on hand the day of the move.
Tip # 3. For a budget-friendly move, allow enough time to weigh your options.
Managing the move budget is a critical activity. It is a good idea to make department managers responsible for their individual budgets and ultimately passing departmental budgets to the decision makers. However you organize your move team, whether it consists of one person or 200, the issues and decisions are similar.
Moving can be “expensive” depending on the scale, and unforeseen expenses tend to be the rule, rather than the exception. After all, your company may not be the type that relocates every day! At the same time, there are ways you can be sure save your company money. Allow enough time to weigh your options, and don’t forget one last very important office moving tip…moving expenses are tax deductible.
About the author, Ron Cognetta:
Ron Cognetta is a long-time professional in the moving and storage industry and has been a key member of Clancy Relocation & Logistics’s Office Moving team since 2000. Ron resides in Fairfield County and works out of Clancy’s Stamford, CT office.
Ron is a member of several major commercial relocation affiliations including CRN, IFMA and BOMA which allows him to provide Clancy customers with the highest quality office moving experiences and resources.
To speak with Ron about an upcoming move you are planning, please contact us for a quote.
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