When your business has outgrown your current office space, it can be challenge to find a new location that fits your business needs. According to psychologists, the only things more stressful than moving are public speaking and divorce. So, to take a load off your shoulders, here is a quick guide to moving your office in a way that minimizes your stress.

Before you decide on a new location, you should identify the basic reason for your office relocation. Are you looking to cut costs, do you need a much larger space or do you need to be closer to your customers. Depending on your unique set of circumstances, you will want to carefully choose your new location since moving is an expensive and time-consuming process and you won’t want to do it again for a very long time. Meet with a number of commercial real-estate agents, research different regions and look at a variety of different properties before making a decision.

The most important thing when moving your office (and with almost everything in business) is to plan ahead. It is recommended that you have your office moving plan completed and approved by your company’s executive team at least 6 months before the actual move. Before you make the move, be sure you are very familiar with your new location. Create a floor plan that identifies where your furniture and computer equipment will be placed. Also include how your phone lines and internet cables will fit into the layout of your new office. This will save you a lot of time and headaches on the day you actually move.

A few weeks before you move, you should provide your employees, moving company and new landlords with your detailed moving plan. Label all your furniture with visible color coordinated labels that identify which employee’s office each piece of furniture belongs too. If you are purchasing a large amount of new furniture or electronics for your new office, make sure the orders are placed and deliveries schedule well in advance of your moving date. Also make sure you have contacted your telephone and internet services providers at least a month in advance to schedule installations of new outlets and telecommunications infrastructure.

To notify your customers, send out a detailed office relocation announcement at least two weeks before your move. Make sure that all your customers, vendors and suppliers are aware of your change of address and telephone numbers. It is also important to update your financial, bank and government records during the week before your move. It is also a good idea to contact a printing company and have all of your company’s informational and marketing literature re-created with your new address and contact information. You should also have employees business cards updated.

This should give you some good ideas and guidelines so that you office relocation goes smoothly without any big headaches or unnecessary costs. Office relocation requires a lot of hard work but it doesn’t have to be as stressful for you and your employees as psychologists claim.

Author Bio: Lorne W. MacInnes is a managing partner of Ferguson Moving & Storage Ltd which is one of the oldest Vancouver movers and a specialist in office moving and relocation http://www.fergusonmoving.com

Category: Business
Keywords: movers, vancouver, office moving, relocation, business, decision, advice, office relocation,van