10 Steps for a Smooth Business Move

Online, August 20, 2010 (Newswire.com) - So you have to move your small business? Don't panic. This can be a smooth and easy process, provided you dedicate time to pre-planning. Here are a several useful rules that can help your business relocate easily.

Step 1: Give Your New Address Early
Make sure that you alert your customers, business partners, and neighbors that you are relocating well ahead of time. There are many easy ways to go about this, aside from the standard sign at the door. Be sure to take advantage of the following as you inform the public:

Your website's home page
Social media (Facebook, Twitter, Blog, etc.)
Online company profiles (Merchant Circle, Yelp, Google Map Listings, etc)
Mass e-mail or snail mail

Remember, you risk losing leads and creating unhappy clients if they show up at your old location or send mail to an incorrect address.

Step 2: Designate a "Commander"
Whether you are moving a small office or 50 people, you should decide on a central point of contact. This person should be responsible for making a checklist of pre-move duties and ensuring that they are completed by the appropriate parties. Designing one leader helps create clear direction and open lines of communication.

Step 3: Create a Timeline and Stick With It
There are many duties that should be finished by your personnel prior to the move. Give each item a certain completion date. This prevents the need to scramble around last minute. If you have a fairly large office, consider having employees sign-off as tasks are finished.

Step 4: Re-route Services and Mail
Don't forget to contact your phone and internet provider well ahead of the move. Your new location may have restrictions or may not be serviced by your current provider. If you change providers and use services such as Microsoft Outlook, you may have to reconfigure your company e-mail accounts upon unpacking.

Many businesses also take advantage of scheduled services such as water drop-off, mail pickup, and office supply deliveries. Inform them of the move at least a month ahead of time to prevent service disruptions. Businesses that own their own locations will need to schedule shut-off dates for utilities. Likewise, businesses that move to new, non-leased locations will need to start their basic utilities.

Step 5: Document Everything
Make sure that you keep track of what items are included in each box. For large moves, you may even benefit from creating an inventory list with corresponding box numbers. This prevents items being lost after transit and allows for easy unpacking. Keep in mind that many moving companies offer "packing and unpacking" as an additional service. An experienced moving company can make this a seamless process.

Step 6: Get Your Equipment Ready
Computers are delicate and also contain a lot of your business's important information. You will want to coordinate data backup with your IT department or service. If you are using a moving company, they may also pack these items securely for you.

Step 7: Pack All Personal Items
If you hire a moving company to pack everything, you are paying for experienced movers to spend hours packing your kitchen, your desks, and other small tasks. This service is generally paid for by the hour. Unless you have room for it in your budget, it may be in your best interest to pack all of the small items yourself. Movers can handle the rest - the larger items and difficult items that they are well trained for.

Step 8: Establish Unpacking Procedure
Determine where the large and delicate items will go, prior to moving. If you hire a moving company, this saves you from coordinating where items belong as they are unpacked. It also reduces the stress and improves the speed of the unpacking process, allowing you to return to your routine quickly.

Step 9: Remember the fridge!
Forgetting to remove food items from the fridge can get ugly after a prolonged move. If possible, clean your refrigerator thoroughly. Even crumbs and small bits of leftovers can suffer during the heat. You don't want to ruin the first memories in your new location with a strong and unpleasant odor.

Step 10: Make This an Event
A new move is a perfect opportunity to reach out to new and potential customers. Whether you have a marketing department or advertise on your own, make sure you take advantage of this. Highlight the benefits and features of your new location. This can include everything from convenient locations to large growth in the business. You can even add discounts, free items, or special services in a new promotion. Consider using mass mailings and online marketing for the best effect.

For More Information Contact:
TWO MEN AND A TRUCK Sacramento
8167 Belvedere Avenue, Suite D
Sacramento, CA 95826
(916) 852-7411

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