Office relocation requires a significant investment of time in
both logistics planning and personal preparation. The logistics involves defining who will be
responsible for each part of the moving process, and which of the office items need to be moved.
The personal preparation that is involved in planning an office relocation includes extensive
research into both the services your move will require and which company can best provide those
services.
Your research should start by confirming that the moving companies
that you are considering are all in good standing with your local Better Business Bureau and have
sufficient insurance coverage. In addition, the movers should have membership in one of the various
moving associations that maintain industry quality standards. These are certainly not guarantees of
quality, but they are a good start.
It’s important that the moving company understands all of your
expectations before the day of the move. Such a statement seems obvious, but often times this
necessity is overlooked in the rush of preparations, and important details are delayed until they
complicate logistics. A good moving company will meet with you well in advance of your office’s
relocation date, and go through a step by step plan for the move. Details will be ironed out, and
surprises are limited as much as possible.
Be sure that the company has experience in the type of move you
will need. If your relocation will involve transporting large, plasma screen televisions, ask the
company if they’ve moved similar items before. Find out how they plan on securing your items. If
the relocation will require moving servers or online data files, verify that the relocation company
has a designated way to deliver these items, which protects them and allows them to arrive with the
first shipments. You’ll also want to confirm that this won’t be the first time the moving company
has handled such a task. You don’t want your move to be the one where they work out the kinks in
their process.
After you’ve discussed the services your move requires, and the
company has provided a detailed plan for the logistics of your office move, prices will be
discussed. Often times you pay for what you get. If a rate seems too low for high quality service,
your intuition may be correct. Obviously, if the rates are beyond your financial capacity, there’s
little else to be discussed. In terms of rates, it’s good to receive multiple quotes on your move,
so you have a general idea of what a median price is.
Office relocation is not a minimal task. Sufficient research and
planning is required if you want the relocation itself to be a positive experience. A good moving
company realizes that while they may perform 3 moves a week, this may be the only office relocation
you go through in your life. Amongst other things, the moving company that you decide to hire
should be accommodating, informative, and willing to provide references.
