If you’re in the middle of moving your business, it’s usually a moment for congratulations. Of course, there are all sorts of reasons why a business may decide to move premises but taking a plunge that usually involves a long-term contractual commitment tends to be a positive sign.
Like any business decision, there are plenty of need-to-knows though. Through today, we are going to mull over some of these, to ensure that you don’t fall foul of some of the classic mistakes.
Make sure your utilities are up and ready to go
Congratulations. You’ve found the perfect business premises and you think you’re ready to move in.
There’s just one problem. When your moving date arrives, and all of your computers are waiting to be sat at, there are no utilities. The broadband won’t be ready for at least another couple of weeks – and you don’t want to imagine the cost repercussions of this.
Unfortunately, this is a common one. While the bricks-and-mortar elements of a business move feel like the most obvious, don’t neglect some of the smaller decisions like this which can wreak havoc with your day-to-day trading.
Who is going to complete your move?
This is another potential stumbling block. In a similar scenario to what we outlined above, you feel like you’re ready to go. The ink is still wet from the contract you just signed.
However, who is going to physically move your business? The most efficient means is to hire a third-party company, but this comes at a cost.
A cheaper way is to ask your existing employees for assistance – but this arrives with obvious productivity flaws. It can sometimes be advisable to look at interim solutions, via facilities like these self storage options in Leeds. However, make sure you weigh up the pros and cons, usually from a cost perspective, before making your move.
It’s not just about the physical move
Following on from the previous two points, you also need to remember the paperwork consequences.
When you move home, you’ve got the mail redirection to sort out. Depending on the nature of your business, you may be required to change a lot more paperwork.
For example, if you advertise, have your contact details been updated on your website or print material? In the case of the latter, you’ll need to arrange this in good time to avoid missing any costly print deadlines.
Worse still, what about any deliveries you are anticipating? Have the companies in question been informed of your new premises?
As you can see, there are plenty of open questions regarding a business move and while your initial quest might be to find suitable premises that fit your budget, it soon becomes clear that there are lots of cans of worms that need to be contained to ensure that this is a smooth transition. It’s not quite as stressful as moving home due to all of the support you should have, but it can be right up there!
