How To Minimize Business Downtime During Your Corporate Relocation
Corporate relocation can often be stressful for all involved. On top of the standard moving chores that may be top of mind, there is the threat of company downtime while a business is being moved. Here are a few tips for minimizing potential downtime between packing and unpacking your office.
Schedule Your Corporate Move Outside of Business Hours
Schedule your corporate relocation for a weekend or maybe over the course of an evening, or a few evenings, if possible. If you have a small operation and workers choose to assist then the holidays could also be a good time to get it all done.
Also, try to avoid the busier seasons or times of the year. As an example, if you choose a Christmas Eve weekend move, especially after business hours, you’re likely to find more traffic than you care for and perhaps even less flexibility with moving services. This leads to additional headaches as your move is slowed to a crawl.
Be Sure to Plan Early and Often
Be ready for anything and everything. This is why it is advised that you start planning your corporate relocation process well in advance. The sooner you begin planning, the smoother the transition.
This will involve the creation of a detailed timeline for each stage of the move. Matters of packing, unpacking and when systems will be set up and tested at the new location should be a critical part of this checklist. This would also be a good time to assign responsibilities to various workers if you are not using a professional moving company.
Prioritize What Moves First and What Moves Last
It’s important to identify which parts of your business are “mission-critical” and should remain operational at all times. Once these important elements are recognized it makes it easier to prioritize your move around potential downtime. If possible, perhaps consider setting up a temporary office space to keep employees productive. Along with physical security considerations, corporations must be mindful of digital considerations with planning of VPS and remote access to avoid downtime.
What About a Staggered Corporate Move?
One option is to move a little at a time. Not everything has to go at once. Keep moving furniture and equipment until it’s down to a desk and a phone. This way the business can continue to operate over the course of this staggered relocation.
Make Sure Your Clients Know Where You Are
Be sure to notify all of your clients, existing and potential, that you are on the move. Reach out electronically and submit new contact information as needed along with the new address. Also, it couldn’t hurt to provide frequent updates on the move so that they know where you are and when in case there is a lack of responsiveness resulting from the move.
Back it All Up
Before you move, be sure to securely back up all your business data. This will help to prevent data loss during the move. Improperly stored data could create big delays when it comes to restarting your business at your new location.
Your Commercial Moving Experts are Just a Call Away
If you have any concerns or questions about your corporate relocation, reach out and ask one of our commercial moving experts. IMS Relocation is always ready to help you make your next move as smooth and stress-free as possible.