How To Move Your Business Premises
There are many reasons for finding yourself in a position to want to move your business, from practical to financial considerations. It could be that you don’t own the property you are currently operating out of, and you need to move to a bought property to minimise your outgoings. On the other hand, you may have realised you are not in the optimum area for your business or that your manufacturing property is actually worth more in real estate.
Should any of these situations arise, you’re sure to find yourself faced with all of the challenges of moving an established business. This challenge doesn’t have to be a negative one however, with the right careful planning, you can present the move as an opportunity.
First of all, you need to investigate potential places to move to and you’re likely to want to employ the help of a property specialist, to ensure you make the right choice. Once you’ve established your new base, it’s a good idea to write a timeline to help you make sure you’re able to effectively organise all of the aspects of the move.
You’ll also need to very clearly split and apportion tasks to outside contractors and internal members of your team, ensuring all areas of responsibility have been covered. This is also a good time to investigate any permits or new types of insurance you may need to secure for your new premises. Shop around to ensure you find a reputable and trustworthy moving firm, and fill them in on all of your specific needs at the earliest possible date.
Be sure to pay several visits to your new building before the proposed moving date, and give your electrical or IT team plenty of time to create floor plans. This is the only way you can safely assume that all of your machinery and IT equipment will be quickly and easily accommodated after the move. You will also want to carry out an inventory of your current premises and work out how much of your assets need to come with you and which should be sold or stripped before moving.
Apply for new phone and fax numbers and organise an internet connection as a priority and ensure these will be operational prior to the move. This is crucial if you want your switchover to be as smooth as possible, as even a small amount of downtime can cost you dearly as a company.
Check that all other utilities will be ready for you, such as water and power supplies. Depending on the kind of building you move to and the nature of your business, you may also need to consider generator hire or installing water solutions to ensure your staff have everything they need.
Set up a trip to the new office for all of your staff, preferably before they start work there, to allow them to acclimatise to the new space and get rid of any feeling of uncertainty.