The most logical way of avoiding the pitfalls (IMHO) that could arise is to use a professional office moving company. This article, however, is for those who are more prone to DIY. We have broken the process down to 8 key periods to help make your office move get properly organized and run more smoothly.

Preparing Your 8-Point Office Moving Plan

1. Six Months Before
   
   This is the best time to start getting the wheels in motion, with plenty of time before moving day to sort out complicated issues. The key steps at this initial stage are:
   • Establish a Moving Committee – You can’t do it all (don’t even try), so select a small number of staff to oversee the various aspects of the move. A small number is best because it reduces the chances of confusion over responsibilities, but the actual number can depend on the size of your operation. Usually 2 people is enough, but you may need 3-5 people.
   • Select a space planner and interior designer – A space planner can organize the layout of the new office space in advance so the movers already know where every desk, chair and filing cabinet is going. An interior designer can assess design aspects. It may not seem important, but everything that affects the space available needs to be considered together.
   • Consult your IT staff – You want to make sure communications systems, including internet connectivity, suffer a minimum disruption in the build-up to, during and immediately after the move. So you need to discuss how best to achieve this. Keep in mind the need for both ‘exit’ and ‘entry’ strategies.
   • Request cost estimates – Get the Moving Committee to start looking for the best-value professional office moving companies. Keep in mind that low cost can sometimes translate to low standards, so don’t make a decision on cost alone.
     Check Yelp and Homestars to review potential candidates. Even if you haven’t decided on using professional movers, we recommend getting a couple of quotes anyways. You can weigh the quotes against the cost of paying your employees plus the potential for lost productivity.
   • Identify initial layout of computer facilities – One of the most important elements of any office moving plan is identifying the best computer set-up infrastructure. Ensure power points are close to desks and computer cables can be tucked away neatly.
2. Three Months Before – Get the Moving Committee together again to get updates on how things are progressing. Each member should have a complete report on their specific area of responsibility.
   Some of these areas include choosing the new telecommunications system, necessary office design changes identified and an adequate computer infrastructure designed.
3. Two Months Before – With 60 days to go before the move, it’s time to nail things down. So, you need to have supply, telecommunication and floor plans confirmed, like the telephone service, stationery supplies, copier service, and plant service.
   Now’s also a good time to make a final decision on an office moving company.
4. One Month Before – This is when the nuts and bolts of the moving day plan needs to be decided, like the packing procedure and prioritizing items for unpacking and re-assembling. It’s also when you start to brief the staff on what is happening and their responsibilities (packing their own desk items).
   You should also notify your customers of your upcoming move. Appoint a customer liaison officer they can contact with any inquiries.
5. Two to Three Weeks Before – Time to check on the status of parking spaces, that security is fully briefed and that all of the relevant keys are available.
   Also, meet with your selected office moving services provider should be fully aware of the floor plan layout and furniture removal strategy.
6. One Week Before – With D-Day (M-Day?) around the corner, update your staff on the events of moving day and their roles to play.
   It’s a good idea to provide them with guides on good packing techniques, and to timetable the packing process. You can also start to label furniture and double-check office floor plans.
7. One Day Before – The final packing and labeling should be done, but at the new premises make sure the phones are up and running. Post floor plans up on the walls so staff can check out where their new desks and workstations are located.
8. Moving Day – Keep non-essential personnel away on moving day, so only moving teams and members of the Moving Committee should be on-site. IT staff should be there too to make sure that the computer systems are set up and are running.
   Everything should be unpacked and in their proper place in time for the first day’s operation in your new office.

For more on our office and commercial moving and storage services, check out our website or call us on (604) 365-0903 or fill out our Contact Form for a free consultation.

Strangely enough, when it comes to moving to another office location, some business owners let go of the reins, not realizing that an office moving strategy is key to making it successful.

The challenge for any office moving company is to safely deliver items to their new office location, but business owners face particular challenges of their own.

Why Bother with an Office Moving Strategy?

Basically, it comes down to the old business adage that time is money. Any move is going to cause disruption to the normal daily routine, but for a business it inevitably involves downtime, which ultimately translates to lost revenues.

A commercial or office moving strategy is influenced by a number of factors, including:

• the type of business – dictates what items needs to be packed, disassembled and moved
• the number of employees – how efficiently they can carry out normal duties in the run-up to the move
• distance to travel – how long the physical move takes will affect your timetable

So how can all these challenges be overcome. Well, the key is to have an effective office moving strategy.

5 Tips For A Successful Office Move

1. Start Early – Commercial / office moves require military-like precision planning, that needs time. We recommend starting 60 days before moving day so you have time to triple check every detail. Remember, the more employees, workstations, desks and furniture, the more details there are to cover.
2. Select 2 Moving Coordinators – You’ve got a business to run, so you cannot spend your time obsessing over how many printers to pack and what cable goes with what. Select two trusted members of staff to oversee things, and schedule regular progress meetings. Why 2 people? Getting set up at the new premises is a challenge too, so one can focus on the departure and the other on the arrival.
3. Your Staff’s Input – A commercial moving strategy never overlooks staff. The moving company will take care of most packing, but it’s a good idea to ask staff to put everything in order first. Ask them to pack away their personal desk items themselves (photos, penholders etc), and if feasible colour-code work-related equipment components (like computer, computer cables etc…) so nothing gets lost.
4. Have Destination Ready – Make sure everything is ready at your destination so you get fully operational as quickly as possible. Check the power and water is working 2 or 3 days before moving day. Also, prioritize your unpacking to avoid cluttering up the new space.
5. Let Your Clients Know – There is going to be some downtime, so make sure your clients know what’s going on – and in plenty of time. Once you’ve settled on a moving date, send an email, post a notice on your website and on social media. Also, tell your bank, your creditors and the post office so important mail goes to the new address.

Planning Office Moves Vancouver
At Office Movers Vancouver, we like to think of ourselves as our clients’ moving partners. That’s why we’ve worked with dozens of businesses in putting together an effective commercial moving strategy, helping to ensure their move across Vancouver and Canada runs as smoothly as possible with minimal downtime.

For more on our office and commercial moving and storage services, check out our website or call us on (604) 365-0903 or fill out our Contact Form for a free consultation.