4 Tips for Moving Your Company Long Distance
Relocating the company hundreds or thousands of miles across the country can be an intimidating yet much-anticipated event. The value of a new facility, better access to employee talent or the expectation of increased profits are sufficient factors to motivate the business owner to shift gear.
Packing up and moving offices interstate is no small feat. As quickly as company managers hope to settle into their new and improved office space, moving the company out of state takes long-term preparation, knowledge and effort. Here are tips to help the relocation process run smoothly.
1. Plan the Move in Advance
Once business owners make the momentous decision to shift the company long-distance, planning starts. Be aware that major corporate relocations can require a year of hashing out the important details. Initiate a successful long distance move by taking as much time as needed to cover all the bases.
Companies with a strict relocation budget may consider moving during off season. Peak moving dates are typically in summer months and around the first of the month (when leases start). Moving companies tend to spike their prices to accommodate the increased summer demand.
A moving date scheduled in the temperate months of autumn or spring is ideal. Winter’s ice and snow are hazardous. The chances of moving trucks breaking down in the midst of a blizzard are higher. A delay in the relocation process will undoubtedly pose as a major stresser for management.
2. Hire a Commercial Mover
Partner with a quality, insured corporate relocation service—a crucial factor to a successful move. Obtain multiple relocation bids to compare services, prices and reputation. Read online customer reviews and check the preferred company’s ratings on the Better Business Bureau website.
Dependable office movers will have a large fleet of moving trucks, as major corporations will likely require numerous vehicles. Logistics services will also include storage options. Trustworthy moving companies make customer service readily available via phone or real-time online chat.
3. Make the Announcement
Inform employees of the upcoming relocation with an official announcement. Staff members who rely on rumors about the move will undergo endless stress and worry about the security of their jobs and whether or not they will need to relocate. Reduce any negative impact by informing all personnel.
Empower employees by involving them in the move planning and process. Produce short internal videos that outline the new facility’s location, surroundings or amenities. When offering relocation packages to staff, deliver information about the neighborhoods in close proximity to the new workplace.
Once the announcement is made, keep employees in the loop with regular updates. Appoint key personnel to serve as the point of contact for staff questions or concerns about the upcoming move. Company leaders may also assist with coordinating aspects of the relocation.
Personnel assigned to coordinate the move may handle tasks such as taking a complete inventory of the items to be moved within each department. Key officers might also create rough sketches of the anticipated floor layout in the new building, a helpful step for movers when unloading office goods.
The IT department should be apprised of the move as soon as possible to construct a plan to relocate the company’s technical equipment, such as servers and computers. This is a critical step that can only be accomplished in-house—rather than via a mover.
After making the announcement within the company, post the new company contact information for existing and future customers, partners and suppliers. Include the details on the company website. Update business cards, letterhead and marketing materials with the new business address.
4. Pack for Long-Distance
Upon hiring a professional office mover, the moving company representative will outline what aspects of the move will and will not be handled. Certain movers will take care of the packing, shredding of sensitive paperwork and furniture assembly and installation.
While moving crews will load up the substantial office equipment, a helpful maneuver is to instruct employees to pack up the smaller items at their desks. This is also an ideal time to discard dead weight, such as outdated files, paperwork, and dilapidated office furniture.
Reduce frustration during the unpacking phase by labeling all boxes. To hit the ground running after moving to a new facility, staff should know what is inside each box right away. Shuffling through manifold boxes to look for toner at the last minute is an avoidable hassle.
A time-saving measure is to create a spreadsheet that lists the contents of each box, its location and a corresponding number. Make sure this document is available to all staff. Upon settling into the new building, this extra step is essential to maximizing efficiency.
The corporate move should take place over the weekend, to allow employees on the prior Friday to pack any loose items. Appoint no more than two move managers (any more slows down movers) to be onsite during the move, one at the current location and another at the destination.
Choose a Reliable Office Mover
Relocating long-distance is unquestionably a major endeavor, one that requires the services of an established, reputable commercial mover, like Chicago Office Movers. Our experienced, trained crews provide long-distance moving services to ensure your goods are transported seamlessly.
Chicago Office Movers is capable of proficiently handling all types of specialty office equipment. We’ve successfully shifted large machinery, heavy equipment and server rooms, among a host of other bulky, sensitive business goods, long-distance.
Our moving personnel understand the frenzy that surrounds a long-distance office relocation. To mitigate the stress, Chicago Office Movers’ specialists offer a barcode tracking system to keep business owners aware of every movement of their office equipment.
Packing for a long-distance move requires extra care. Movers from Chicago Office Movers utilize a proven seven-step packing process to ensure that the condition of business goods at the beginning of the move are in the same state when the items are delivered and unpacked.
Rely on Chicago Office Movers, the best among the Windy City’s long-distance movers. With our central location in the Midwest, your office goods will be transported quickly and dependably to anywhere in the country.
Get a Free Estimate
For a free estimate on your long-distance company move, contact Chicago Office movers at (312) 244-2246.
Tags: corporate relocation, long distance moving, move planning, office movers
