Learning About Creating A Business Plan

Posted on: 11 August 2014

Whether you've finally outgrown your current location, need a newer building or just want to be closer to your customers, there are plenty of reasons why you'd want to relocate your business. But the logistics of moving your employees and equipment to a new location can be time-consuming, stressful and costly without the right planning. Here are a few important tips you can use to make your move as smooth as possible, while also avoiding common moving hiccups.

Always Plan Ahead

Managing the logistics of a business move is already a daunting task, but a lack of prior planning can turn it into an unproductive last-minute scramble. Your best move is to plan the relocation process months in advance, so you'll have enough time to make adjustments without worry.

As you plan ahead, there are certain aspects of the move you'll have to keep in mind. These include:

• The size of the new location vs. your current location
• How employee spaces (offices, cubicles, etc.) in the new space will be set up
• Possible employee attrition and the need for new hires
• Where and how you'll set up your equipment at the new location
• Availability of Ethernet connections for local area network (LAN) or wireless network

Keep Your Staff in the Loop

It's always a good idea to keep your staff informed of what's going on throughout the move. Constant communication through email, voice-over-IP (VoIP) communications and face-to-face meetings are important for keeping employees in the loop, especially if you need to make quick changes to the moving schedule.

In a long-distance relocation across state lines or national borders, you may have a few employees who won't be able to make the move with the rest of the team. You'll want to have your human resources department or top recruiter start the search for new hires as quickly as possible to provide minimum disruptions.

Leave Some of That Old Equipment Behind

If your office equipment has seen better days, now is your chance to chuck some of that dead wood. In doing so, you won't have to worry about bringing so much equipment with you as you relocate. In addition, having newer office equipment puts you in a better position to do business more efficiently and effectively.

If you've decided to get rid of your office machinery, some of it can be donated to your favorite charity. You'll receive a well-needed tax deduction, plus it'll help those less fortunate.

Downtime Is Inevitable – Start Planning for It

Any business move is bound to interrupt the normal flow of business. Of course, you can try to plan around disruptions as much as possible, but it's smarter to plan for the inevitable downtime that'll occur at some point during relocation.

For instance, having an alternative location for your employees to work is a smart move that'll help them maintain their productivity. If telecommuting is possible, you can also have your employees work from home and manage the workload through cloud computing tools.

Moving to Another State? Register Your Business

Business licenses and permits are a must when doing business. If you move to another state or outside the country, you'll need to properly register your business in your new location. The good news is that much of the legwork involved in obtaining new licenses and permits can be done in advance as long as the proper paperwork is received on-time.

Prepare for the Unexpected

The most important part of managing a business move is being prepared for anything, including sudden setbacks in the moving schedule, a sudden change in leasing terms or the discovery of a recently unknown variable. For instance, what if the utilities haven't been properly set up by the time you've finished your move?

Always be prepared to deal with sudden emergencies and don't take anything for granted. With that in mind, your move will go much smoother and without many, if any, interruptions. 

Above all, don't forget to hire business movers to help you and your employees pack up and move to your new location.