Office Moves

For many companies, moving office is one of the most stressful things you have to organise. The IT move can be the most critical part to get right.

We encourage you to get us involved as early as possible. This should be as soon as you decide that you might move offices. We can advise on any location you are interested in and the relevant merits of the office space you are looking at. This will make the move on the day much smoother, and it is much more cost-effective to consider IT early than you retrofit IT into a space you are committed to.

When you are moving office, you will need support for your IT move that is specific and must be planned to be successful.

We have helped many companies move offices successfully regardless of how far they move.

Call us to discuss your IT Office move; you will be glad you did.

Critical things to consider for your office move
You’ve decided to relocate your business, which could be for a variety of reasons; financial, due to expansion, and a need to be in a better location. It’s one of the biggest things you’ll go through as an organisation, so it’s essential to get it right – from those big decisions to the small things that matter a lot.

Location
Location may be a reason for the move, but even if it’s not, there are some essential things to consider. Before you get excited about a premises, do your research! The availability of fibre or ethernet will be a big factor. Don’t make the assumption that being in a town or city automatically means you’ll get a decent circuit, as this isn’t necessarily the case. Likewise, check your mobile signal when you go to the premises to take a look. If your business’s provider’s mobile signal isn’t great, you’ll have to consider whether it would work for you.

Transport links and amenities might also be a factor for your business, not only for staff but also for any visitors. If you’re looking at premises that are remote or on industrial estates, is there somewhere for staff to go in their lunch break – cafés, gyms, shops or maybe a sandwich van comes around? It’s worth checking this out prior to agreeing to a lease.

Also, check what other businesses are in close vicinity. Who is there that you can collaborate with?

People
As soon as you make the decision to relocate, you’ll need to enlist help from some external parties. It’s a good idea to use a property consultant who can assist in finding the perfect premises for you and getting you the best deal. We will deal with all of your IT, network and telephony requirements for the move will be invaluable. Once you’ve started the process, it’s essential to consider your needs for the new premises – now is as good a time to get professional advice.

Meanwhile, don’t forget your own staff! Get a team together to help deal with the move and assign a Project Leader – you’ll be surprised at some of the skills your staff might have. Keeping staff involved also helps with morale, as some team members may feel unsettled with the relocation and being kept updated will help with this. The subject of where people will sit is a big deal for staff, and while you might not want to have staff dictate this, it’s worth factoring in when planning the office layout.

Timing
Absolutely vital to coordinating a relocation is getting the timing right. This can be a massive juggling act, with giving notice to your old landlord and the availability of your new premises being just the start of it. Add to this the lead times for services such as Ethernet and number ports if required; there’s a lot to get right.

If you’re ordering new equipment or furniture, you’ll also need to consider where to get it all delivered to and, if necessary, make arrangements to gain access to the new premises early. All of this can take up valuable work time, and your business will need to run as usual while all of this is being arranged. It’s essential that the move is as seamless as possible as far as your customers are concerned. Having some flexibility with your telephone numbers is an excellent idea, so you can send a message to callers on the day of the move or have staff take calls on mobile devices. Moving to Cloud telephony at a time like this would be ideal!

If you decide to make a move on a weekend, remember that there will be a premium to pay for anyone you need to involve on the day. If you wish to port telephone numbers or have IT on hand, the costs will be more than it would be during the week. Make sure this is well planned as it's not something you can simply arrange the week beforehand.

Finally, get the launch party arranged! Time to celebrate your new location with staff, customers and new neighbours.