EBizInsider

If you’ve grown your business to the point where your employees are packed together like teenagers in a Miley Cyrus concert line, it may be time to move to larger quarters.

Maybe you’ve grown to the point where you’re ready to warehouse your inventory rather than using all drop-shippers. Maybe you’ve stopped outsourcing and are hiring in-house creative and customer service departments. Maybe sales are soaring and you simply need more hands.

Whatever your circumstances, growing pains are certainly “good” problems. Here, we’ll share some tips on how to make your move smooth.

Find the Right Location

Location, location, location! It’s the secret of real estate and a crucial consideration when scouting for new digs. Is the new place close to where the bulk of your workforce resides? Is it close to highways and major routes for your vendors and commuters? If you need warehouse space, is there room for tractor trailers to make deliveries? If it’s a new retail location, what’s the potential for foot traffic? Consider your next growth spurt. How much can
you grow before you outgrow the
new building?

Make note of quality of life issues. How many nice lunch or happy hour places or hot errand spots like banks, post offices, hair salons and the like are nearby? What are local taxes like? Parking is also important. Will employees have to pay for parking? Is there ample free parking?

Use the Move as an Excuse to Upgrade

A new address can function like a “new broom” throughout the rest of your business. You need new stationery anyway, how about a new letterhead? Since you’re calling the printer anyway, why not look into a fresh image?

Aside from stationery, as you get ready to move, take an inventory of computers, copiers, cabinets, storage and furniture. Are they in good shape? How old are they? If things need replacing and updating, use the move to set up new items and start fresh.

What to do with the old office equipment? Schools, community centers, non-profits and shelters are happy with desks and old equipment. Most groups will be happy to haul it away for you as well. Leave the old stuff behind; have the new stuff delivered to the new location.

Strategically Plan Your Move & Orient Employees to the New Location

Every business is different, but the goal is to move with as little downtime as possible. A key is to have your IT infrastructure and technical components in place so that employees can just plug-in when they arrive.

Moving in a phased approach eliminates loss of production. Create a schedule and have each department separately. Having a seating chart ahead of time will help transitioning employees get to their new desk/area with little confusion.

Hold an orientation session in the new building to provide all the “housekeeping” details. Where are the break rooms, bathrooms, meeting rooms, office supplies, emergency exits? Are there any new policies or procedures in place at the new location? Are there new security systems or alarms in place? What about that new office equipment? Setting up a training schedule for new copiers and other equipment would be a good idea and sales reps are usually willing to stop in and train your staff.

Keep Your Customers Informed & Hey, Tell the Media, Too

When Solid Cactus recently moved from downtown Wilkes-Barre to Shavertown, an e-mail went out to all clients informing them about the move.

Make your move a PR event. Contact the local papers and news stations to get coverage on moving day. Send a press release ahead of time and follow up with a day-of Media Advisory. Moving trucks and employees carrying boxes makes for good footage and photo opps. Phase II can be the ribbon cutting, where local public officials can appear and congratulate the company on its growth. Again, the media likes this kind of stuff. Aside from the daily news, also try to target your region’s business or lifestyle magazine.

Keep Growing!

For all the temporary aggravation, growing pains are good pains. Keep growing your business and maybe soon, you’ll get to move all over again.

Name (required)

E-Mail (required)

(Will not be published)

Website

Comments

Security Code

Enter the code above into this box. There's no letters, only numbers. We just want to make sure you're human.