Setting up shop in a new office location is an exciting endeavor. At the same time, it can be daunting to introduce the company to the surrounding community. Here are 10 proven strategies to make an unforgettable introduction and earn the business of the greater community.

1. Understand the Demographics

The people who live in the community can become loyal customers. By understanding who these individuals are, any marketing efforts can be tailored to their needs. Important information to collect includes the population’s income, ages, education, and occupations.

Most of the demographic data can be gleaned from online sources, such as the US Census Bureau, the local Chamber of Commerce, and similar sites. Plus, companies also benefit from identifying organizations in the community, cultural features, and local events.

2. Develop a Marketing Strategy

Tailor the marketing strategy to suit the characteristics of the population’s demographics. For instance, if seniors primarily live in the community, the marketing campaign might focus on direct mail, such as printed postcards, promotional brochures, or newsletters, to highlight the business’s goods or services.

Conversely, if young adults outnumber seniors in the community, online marketing may work well. Advertise on the company website or social media. Also take advantage of local broadcast media and issue a press release to showcase available goods and services.

3. Update the Website

Upon settling in, the company website should be updated to prominently reflect the new office location and relevant contact information, like email and phone. Add a street map and driving directions to make it convenient for nearby customers to find the business’s physical office.

Include the company in online business directories. Companies might also work with other local businesses to trade website links and feature them on each other’s sites. The web address should also be visible on any customer receipts, correspondence, and similar business documents.

4. Hold a Grand Opening Ceremony

Offices that hold a grand opening ceremony at their new location make a splash. Along with serving food and drinks, offer coupons or discounts to entice the community members to explore available goods and services. Invite local organizations and key community members to the ceremony.

5. Become Familiar with Local Officials

An effective way to become acquainted with local government officials is to invite them to the grand opening ceremony. Local congressmen and congresswomen, city clerks, city council representatives, and the mayor have insights into their community and how the office can best serve these needs.

Maintaining relationships with local government officials is an asset when the office expands. The officials are in the position to provide resources and support the office’s growth. Furthermore, officials can connect the office to similar offices, which could lead to valuable community partnerships.

6. Connect with Other Offices

Developing community partnerships is just one advantage of reaching out to other offices in the area. But when offices form allies, they support each other’s growth. Socialize with the other offices to build camaraderie: go bowling, take a tour, or hold a wine-and-cheese dining event.

Along these same lines, growing offices must network in their new location. As a place for new employment and vitality, offices new to the community spur economic development. Establish a network that is beneficial to everyone involved. Ideally, this is done before the relocation.

7. Tap Into Economic Resources

The new community may offer resources that aid in economic development, which can be advantageous to growing offices. Reach out to the community to learn about possible state grants and manufacturers, for instance. These resources help offices establish themselves and gain new business relationships.

8. Volunteer

Employees at the office may elect to volunteer their time and skills. By investing in their new community, office staff meet passionate, likeminded people, which is a networking benefit. Plus, offices that contribute their time and energy show their commitment to their new community.

9. Attend Professional Events

Attending local events is another way to introduce the office to the community. For instance, tech offices might register for tech conferences where staff have opportunities to network with likeminded professionals. Visit online event directories to learn about upcoming events.

10. Offer a Class

Depending on the nature of the business, an office might hold a class related to their services or line of products. Offering learning opportunities is a great way to showcase skills and a commitment to the community. When done effectively, this strategy draws in new customers.

Succeeding in the new office location requires planning and a long-term investment in the community. Each office that relocates brings along with it potential for economic growth and unbridled enthusiasm. By getting to know the community, the office is rewarded almost instantly.

When your business has plans to move to a vibrant, new location, enlist the help of Chicago Office Movers, a reputable commercial moving service. With our comprehensive office moving services, we’ve helped countless businesses, large and small, relocate to greener pastures.

All your moving needs are fulfilled with our expert planning, packing, transporting, and unpacking services—designed to manage the relocation from start to finish. Additional conveniences we offer include short- and long-term storage facilities, paperwork storage, and tailored add-on services.

Our licensed and background-checked commercial movers are trained and equipped to move a wide range of office items, whether bulky, oversized, or heavy. In fact, we’ve successfully transported valuable antiques, fragile artwork, sensitive IT systems, delicate electronics, and large office furniture.

Climate-controlled spaces and air-ride suspensions are available on our trucks to further protect your office goods. Corporate customers receive tracking information to track the progress of their items, whether they are being transported on our trucks or stored in our secure storage facilities.

Request a free estimate for your upcoming local, long-distance, or international move and join the ranks of several prestigious companies that rely on Chicago Office Movers. We deliver exceptional customer service and are committed to serving area businesses with excellence. Call our Elk Grove Village, Illinois, office today.

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Planning a retail store move is a complex task—but with the right preparation and commercial mover, it can proceed smoothly and efficiently. Before setting off for more profitable pastures, retailers must plan their move. Here are 11 tips to make this giant leap a success.

Retailers move for a variety of reasons. When a competitor moves in next door, the retailer may want to relocate to a strategic area to stay competitive. Sometimes a customer base shifts to another location, making it a good business move to follow them and sustain sales.

Many retailers offer their products online. This may prompt them to open up a smaller store that offers a unique experience to complement their online store. Profits get a boost when retailers move into a space with lower rent. Conversely, a larger store is necessary to sell new product lines.

Or, a lease may simply end, prompting the retailer to find a new storefront with better terms. Whatever the reason behind the move, retailers must pick the perfect new location, keep their customers informed, and manage their inventory to ensure a seamless relocation.

Tip 1: Plan in Advance

A desirable move date aligns with the retailer’s slowest sales period. By opting for a time when business is slow, the retailer does not miss out on sales and gains greater flexibility during the move process. Overlap the lease dates to allow time to move out of the old store.

Tip 2: Thin Out Inventory

Reducing inventory before the move is a good financial strategy. The more goods a storefront has to relocate, the higher their moving costs will be. Avoid the extra expense by thinning out inventory by holding a store-wide sale—which can also serve as an effective advertisement for the new location.

Tip 3: Pack Efficiently

Streamline the packing process by either delegating it to a commercial mover or handling it in-house. Efficient packing makes it easier to unpack at the destination. Use small boxes to pack heavy items and large ones for lighter objects. Label each box with their intended location at the new store.

Tip 4: Use Storage

A climate-controlled storage facility is useful for temporarily storing sensitive products. When exploring storage units, look for one with security to safeguard valuables as well as one with easy access. A flexible storage plan is ideal, as the terms work with any relocation plan.

Tip 5: Notify Customers

Keep loyal customers in the loop. Notify them via channels, like social media and the store’s email list. Place a banner on the store’s website with the new location and its effective date. Hang signs inside the store to alert walk-in customers. Consider sending a press release to local media.

Tip 6: Notify Employees

Employees are the backbone of a successful retail store. Make a formal announcement to let them know about the move before notifying customers. Provide staff with information about amenities, like coffee shops, or gyms, in the new location to drum up excitement.

Tip 7: Set Up Early

Setting up the new storefront early allows the retailer to be up and running quickly. Arrange for utilities and internet before moving in. Plan the layout so staff knows where merchandise goes. If renovations are needed, perform them while the new store is still empty.

Tip 8: Plan for Downtime

Even amid the frenzy of the store move, downtime is expected. Maintain the sales momentum by offering pre-orders via the online store. Use the time to train employees on new systems or processes. Practice good customer service by letting customers know of any anticipated interruptions.

Tip 9: Use Technology

Streamline the move by harnessing the power of today’s advanced technology. Keep track of the inventory being moved with inventory management software. Set up cloud-based systems to access data from any location. Project management tools keep the entire move organized.

Tip 10: Mind the Details

Pay attention to the details to ensure the move goes smoothly. Technology is vital, but keep backup paper copies of important documents in a safe place. Create a floorplan of the new store and photograph the current space to simplify setup and recreate current displays.

Tip 11: Hire a Commercial Mover

A commercial mover is a pivotal partner for ensuring the transition is a success. Choose an experienced mover with a track record of carefully moving antiques, sensitive electronics, or large items. If special requirements are necessary for moving delicate items, discuss them with the mover.

Book a commercial moving service well in advance. Certain months of the year, like during the summer season, are busiest for movers. Avoid peak times and schedule the relocation outside of normal business hours, like weekends or evenings, to minimize disruptions to business operations.

The right commercial mover, like Chicago Office Movers, offers convenient services important to retailers, such as secure storage facilities and packing and unpacking services, among others. We’re experienced in moving businesses of all sizes and are ready to relocate your retail store, too.

Whether you need large equipment or small, delicate items relocated, our moving crews are equipped to handle the task. We’ve moved lab equipment, heavy electronics, and even assembly lines with utmost care. Our electrical generators can also power your machinery.

Our experienced movers have helped countless local businesses relocate, including well-known universities and major corporations. Whether you own a small storefront or run a large corporation, we possess the equipment, trained labor force, and skill to facilitate a smooth move.

Each of our licensed movers is qualified to handle your store’s goods. Plus, they are background checked, ensuring your merchandise is in safe hands. When you’re looking for a commercial mover invested in eco-friendly practices and green moving supplies, choose our green company.

When your retail store is planning to move down the street or across the ocean, Chicago Office Movers is prepared to accommodate your relocation needs. Expect an efficient, timely and budget-friendly move. Call our Elk Grove Village, Illinois, office today to request a free estimate.

Companies that relocate produce a significant amount of waste. Reducing moving waste prevents businesses from contributing to landfills. Implementing various methods of landfill diversion is key to protecting the environment. Here are five ways businesses can reduce their moving waste.

What is landfill diversion?

Landfill diversion is the effort to minimize sending waste into landfills. While on the surface landfills appear to keep the environment clean, they actually degrade local water, soil, and plant systems. Plus, keeping copious amounts of waste out of landfills delays the need to create new ones.

Once products are sent to a landfill, their utility is complete—they can never be used again. The natural resources and energy directed into producing those products are wasted. But recycling materials that have reached their useful end creates further value.

Landfills are filled with plastics and harmful chemicals. Rainwater that falls into the landfills draws out these chemicals, creating a toxic soup that seeps into groundwater and contaminates it. Landfills are also major sources of greenhouse gases, which pose risks to humans and animals.

What types of moving waste do companies produce?

Businesses on the move leave behind significant waste. Office furniture, consisting of wood, metal, foam, and plastic, releases toxic substances when left in landfills. Technology waste contains hazardous materials, such as mercury, lead, and cadmium, which can harm the environment.

Companies handle various paper documents, such as agreements and contracts. Paper waste accounts for 26 percent of total waste in landfills and contributes to deforestation. Plastic waste, like bins, storage compartments, and packing materials, takes years to decompose when discarded.

How do companies reduce moving waste with landfill avoidance?

When a corporate relocation is on the horizon, businesses are urged to avoid sending office products to the landfill. Business owners and managers should make a conscious effort to practice landfill avoidance and mitigate the harmful environmental impact of the move.

1. Use Sustainable Supplies

Opting for reusable crates and pallets reduces waste during an office move. Plastic bins are alternatives to cardboard boxes; moving companies drop them off ahead of the move and pick them up after employees unpack. Use recycled packing materials, like cardboard boxes, which are less expensive than ones bought new. Both these tactics save companies money and avoid sending more waste into landfills.

Reusable bubble wrap is a sustainable packing option that can be used on multiple moves. One version of such is Comp-U-Wrap, which is used for packing computer equipment & peripherals.

2. Donate

Rather than contribute to the 17 billion pounds of office assets in landfills, donate furniture and equipment that are in good condition to charities or organizations in need. Habitat for Humanity and Goodwill may take certain items; be sure to call ahead to check and coordinate the logistics.

3. Sell Items

Businesses might consider selling their used office furniture to companies that buy, disassemble, and remove them. Small start-ups, in this way, are able to obtain the furniture they need at affordable prices. Selling furniture prevents the items from unnecessarily piling up in landfills.

4. Recycle

Recycle paper waste and cardboard once the relocation is complete. Large quantities of paper can usually be recycled through the city’s recycling program. Contact the local public work’s department for locations of receptacles or hire a company to haul away recyclable items.

5. Downsize

While moving less items is good for the company’s budget, it also has a positive effect on the environment. Assess the goods in the office and eliminate unnecessary items. Inventory management ensures only the essential office items are transported to the new location.

Companies can practice sustainability well before and after a move. For instance, instead of producing mass amounts of paper waste, move to digital documentation. Digitized documents save paper and reduce the business’s environmental footprint. Alternatively, use recycled paper or print on both sides.

Consider opting for eco-friendly technology to reduce technology waste. Eco-friendly technology equipment, such as printers and scanners, is manufactured with sustainable materials and energy-efficient. Eco-friendly copiers are designed to use less energy while operating and emit low levels of harmful chemicals.

Invest in eco-friendly furniture to minimize the impact on the environment. This type of furniture is made from eco-friendly materials, such as natural fibers (organic cotton, jute, or hemp) used in the upholstery. Office desks and chairs, for instance, may be sustainably sourced.

The environmental impact of a corporate relocation is significant. But companies can minimize waste and avoid landfills with the right practices, like those above. Audit the move’s environmental impact beforehand, considering the transportation methods and volume of items to prioritize sustainability.

When a sustainable corporate move is desired, choose Chicago Office Movers. As a comprehensive commercial moving service, we’ll start by helping you plan a sustainable relocation that minimizes adding waste to landfills. We support the use eco-friendly practices.

Our moving crews are licensed, trained, and background-checked to give businesses confidence as we handle secure and fragile items. We rely on advanced equipment to safely load and unload your goods, from bulky office furniture to sensitive electronics and pricey antiques.

We offer convenient services to cover all your relocation needs. Our valued customers have access to short- and long-term storage, paperwork storage options, and boxes and crates that protect your items.

Chicago Office Movers is prepared to relocate your business locally, long-distance, or internationally. You receive tracking information, allowing you to track the progress of your move. Expect us to expertly handle every phase of the office move.

When you seek an affordable, environmentally-conscious and efficient office mover, contact Chicago Office Movers in Elk Grove Village, Illinois. Our service is the top choice for major Chicagoland corporations seeking to minimize company downtime and ensure a successful relocation.

Call us at 312-244-2246 (CHI-CAGO) or fill out a form for a free estimate.

A noisy workplace filled with chatty coworkers, running equipment, and squeaky chairs can make focusing on tasks difficult. The solution is to soundproof the office space. A noise-free professional work environment improves employee productivity. Here’s how to introduce soundproofing to the office.

Is workplace noise a concern?

The typical office is staffed with numerous employees, the outcome of which is a noisy environment. When sound is an issue, distractions abound and clear communication is absent. As a result, office staff feel frustrated and less productive; plus, their mental or physical health can be affected.

Research finds that 30 percent of staff working in cubicles are dissatisfied with the level of noise in their immediate workspace. An open work area is no less conducive to sound privacy. Although an open floor plan encourages collaboration, excess sounds are a major workplace concern.

What are soundproofing strategies?

1. Play White Noise

Playing a steady stream of static noise drowns out the cacophony of sounds in the office. White noise machines can be distributed to staff; alternately, place one in the center of the office. These machines work by providing auditory stimulation, thereby preventing listeners from noticing other noises.

2. Adjust Cubicles

In offices that feature cubicles, adjustments can be made to block out excess sounds. Increase the distance between cubicles so that sounds don’t reach the staff. Or, increase cubicle wall heights by installing taller partitions made of polyester fiber or insulated glass.

3. Switch the Flooring

Hard flooring reflects the most sound, from rolling chairs to employees dropping items. Reduce the amount of sound from the floor by installing carpets with soundproofing underlay. Soft material dampens sound, especially in instances when foot traffic causes the most noise.

4. Install Soundproofing Insulation

Control sound by insulating the office walls with soundproofing insulation. This material deflects noise coming from outside the building as well as impact sounds, such as when a chair collides with the wall. Use thicker insulation to keep out louder noises—while also increasing the office’s energy efficiency.

5. Offer Sound Blankets

While adding soundproofing installation takes time, an immediate fix is to hang soundproof blankets made of thick cotton or polyester over the cubicle walls. This tactic is an easy way to create a noise buffer between bothersome sounds and an employee’s workspace.

6. Add Acoustic Panels or Tiles

Acoustic panels made of compressed mineral wool or foam decrease noise by absorbing, rather than reflecting, sound waves. Sounds in the office are converted to kinetic energy that dissipates, thereby reducing a significant amount of noise. Acoustic ceiling tiles are likewise effective, but pricey.

7. Bring in Plants

Thick with branches, junipers and hollies effectively block noise. Place plants close together to create a sound-absorbent “wall.” Hanging plants absorb sound reverberations. Plants with dense vegetation not only keep out extraneous sounds but improve the look of the office and enhance its air quality.

8. Build Private Meeting Rooms

Reduce noise in parts of the office to give employees privacy to conduct meetings. Frameless glass partition panels that extend from the floor to the ceiling create spaces that offer flexibility and privacy. A quiet room is ideal for employees who want a retreat to focus on work.

9. Add Furniture to Areas with the Most Sound

Furniture absorbs and reflects noise, especially when the upholstered sofas, ottomans, and chairs are made of plush, sound-absorbing fabrics. Microfiber, suede, chenille, and corduroy materials are effective sound barriers. Curtains and tapestry stop sound waves and offer similar sound-reducing benefits.

10. Change the Office Layout

A thoughtful office layout can cut down on noise. Position the noisy equipment, such as fax machines and copiers, at the far end of the office to limit the amount of distracting sounds that reach employees hard at work. Or place the machines in a different room altogether.

11. Offer Noise-Canceling Headphones

Reducing the level of noise in the office is also doable at the staff level. Offer noise-canceling headphones, which operate by neutralizing low-frequency sounds before they reach the employees’ ears. These gadgets are especially suitable for colleagues working in open-plan office areas.

12. Install Office Partitions

Similar to acoustic panels, office partitions absorb noise by converting sound energy into heat that disperses. Place the partitions strategically; being unattached to the walls, they can be moved around to wherever additional soundproofing is necessary. Plus, they add visual privacy for employees.

13. Implement an Office Noise Policy

Cut down on excess noise by enforcing an office noise policy. The document should account for meetings and conversations between coworkers. For instance, ask that the break room door remain shut to prevent staff members on break from disturbing working employees.

Noise is a common complaint in office spaces. Reduce noise in the work environment by utilizing any combination of the abovementioned tactics. If your current office is far from ideal, you may wish to relocate. Chicago Office Movers can help you move and settle into a more suitable office space.

We are a reputable commercial mover with years of relocating local companies to greener pastures. Our move specialists are available to handle all phases of the move, from planning to packing and unpacking. Moving crews safely handle electronics, IT systems, artwork, office furniture, cubicles, and more.

Even the most delicate of office goods remain protected in our trucks, which feature climate-controlled spaces, lift gates, and air-ride suspensions. We also offer secure short- and long-term storage options, insurance and service contracts, add-on services, and convenient paperwork storage.

Companies place full trust in the moving crews at Chicago Office Movers, who are background-checked, licensed, and experienced. Along with a track record of delivering exceptional customer service, we offer affordable corporate relocation packages that satisfy businesses working within a budget.

Enjoy minimal disruptions to your company’s workflow when you choose Chicago Office Movers for an upcoming office relocation. We’re available to move your business locally, long-distance, or internationally.

Call our Chicago, Illinois, location at 312-244-2246 (CHI-CAGO) or fill out a form for a free estimate.