Guide to Business Relocations

Moving your entire business from one location to another is no simple process. However, there are many strategic reasons why this might be the best thing for your enterprise. You may have begun to outgrow your current premises as a result of employing more staff or investing in more stock. In this case, moving to a new location can allow your team to work in an environment with more room or better facilities. Alternatively, relocating your business to a property with a cheaper lease can be an effective way of reducing your overhead costs, boosting your profits and securing your bottom line. Whether it’s to find greener pastures or to reduce expenditure, every year thousands of Australians are making the decision to relocate their businesses.

In this guide to Australian business relocations, we map out a business relocation timeline to help everything go according to plan on moving day. Executing a smooth moving process requires you to start early, plan carefully, recruit help and consider all possible factors. This isn’t as easy as it may sound, but by following our business relocation timeline and getting a little help from Allied on moving day, you can set you and your business up for success.

At this early stage of the moving process you need to start doing some preliminary research and planning to figure out if the move you wish to do is feasible and within budget. We recommend starting this phase 6 months prior to your move because it will give you enough time to adapt if any significant changes to the plan are necessary. It also gives you enough time to find the best options for your budget and your specific needs. Leaving these steps until later can result in spending more than you planned on either the new lease, or the move itself. We therefore recommend starting at least these three early steps at this point.

Lease check

It’s important to figure out how long you have left with your current lease. Doing so can prevent you from paying out of pocket for violations of your lease contract. Checking your lease at least 6 months prior to your intended move date can ensure that you time everything perfectly and can move right when your existing lease finishes.

It’s also a good idea to confirm the lease for the property you are moving to. There would be nothing more frustrating than planning a business relocation only to discover that the new property’s lease isn’t ready for you yet. Get your leases in order and ensure you won’t be paying rent for two properties after you’ve moved.

Check moving company options and insurance

Moving your business without the help of a professional moving company can put unnecessary strain on you, your employees and your business. We recommend researching your options for moving company services at this early stage to ensure that the company can provide what you want, when you want it and for the budget you have available. When looking for a removalist for your business location it is important to take note of which movers include insurance and if this is an optional extra. Insurance when moving can provide additional peace of mind in the unlikely event of damage.

Decide on budget

Once you’ve sorted out the lease and moving company options, you can start to calculate your expected and ideal budget for the whole moving process. At this stage you will need to consider the scope of work for your upcoming move. It will assist in gaining an accurate quote if you can provide an inventory list of furniture items you are looking to move. Also consider your specific IT requirements including who will disconnect & reconnect your desktop IT along with any sensitive server equipment. By including these services in your relocation provider’s scope of work, this will reduce the number of contractors for you to manage and certainly take some of the stress out of managing your move. This is important to do as early as possible so that you can set some parameters for your spending throughout the rest of the moving stages.

Lock in a date

Now that you’ve done the early research on moving companies and your budget, it’s time to lock in a date so that the rest of your planning can start to fall into place. Once you’ve picked the ideal moving date, book in your move with the professional removalist company. Doing this nice and early will ensure they have availability on the date that you require.

Form a moving crew

You will need an organised team to help you execute your plan on moving day. We recommend appointing “move champions” to assist with ensuring each section of your business is ready to move. Communications can be channelled through each move champion who takes responsibility for disseminating information back to individual staff. The number of people you need in this crew will depend on the size and complexity of your move. At Allied we offer a number of services to help streamline the moving process. Packing and unpacking can be the most time consuming part of the process, to help make the relocation swift and hassle free, get a quote for our packing services and take a load off.

Create moving timeline

This is your chance to sketch out your timeline of which tasks need to get done, by whom and when. We recommend speaking with a moving specialist for advice on which important steps should be included in the timeline. Once drafted, make sure your employees and your removalist company are informed of the plan.

Order supplies for your new property

If you need new furniture, equipment or office supplies for your new location, this is the time to order it. Furniture and other big ticket items can take a while to arrive, so it’s important to get on top of this early. The transition to your new location will be much smoother for you and your team if the furniture and equipment are ready and waiting for your arrival.

Inform your property manager

It’s important to notify your property manager of your intention to move/not renew the lease. How much warning you have to give will depend on your contract, but at least two months in advance is generally acceptable under most leases.

Redirect mail

Informing the postal service of your upcoming change of address can help prevent confusion and mixed up mail. You can find all the information about redirecting your business address on the Australia Post website.

Notify employees

Now is the time to make sure that all of your staff are informed and aware of your upcoming relocation. Even in small businesses it is important to have some official communication for your records that makes sure everyone is on the same page about the moving plans so that no one is taken by surprise on moving day.

Notify clients, local partners and suppliers

Sending out notices to all of your clients, partners and suppliers about your intentions to move can make a world of difference to your professional relations. Springing a move on them can make them feel left out of the business. On the other hand, informing them of your upcoming plans can help to reassure them that despite the change of address, you remain committed to your professional relationship with them.

Map out your new space

Creating a floor plan of the new location will make the rest of your planning a whole lot easier. Once you have a clear idea of the space available to you, you can begin to organise what will go where.

Set up phone/internet/IT network for new location

You don’t want to arrive at your business address only to find yourself hampered by a lack of communications capacity. Organise your telecommunications and IT systems now so that you can hit the ground running when you arrive.

Meet with your relocation provider

Organisation and preparation are the keys to a smooth moving day. You should meet onsite with your appointed relocation provider and walk through each area to ensure nothing has been overlooked. Discuss labelling instructions for your staff to ensure everything is placed correctly at the new site. Take them to the loading dock or access points so they understand exactly where they will be parking vehicles and best travel routes through your premises. Confirm these arrangements are in line with Building Managers expectations and be sure to book any lifts or additional security requirements

Transfer utilities

Let your utility companies know of your upcoming move so that it can all be taken care of before the move and you don’t end up paying for electricity that you haven’t used.

Consider storage options

If you find yourself with a surplus of documents, furniture or office supplies that won’t fit in your new location, speak with our team about storage options. We have flexible short or long term storage options to cater specifically for businesses.

Finalise moving day itinerary

Confirm all of your moving day plans with your moving team and your removalist company to make sure everyone is on the same page.

Inspect new office before moving day

It’s a good idea to go check out your new space in person to make sure that everything is ready and that there haven’t been any glaring over sites about the new location.

Confirm phone and internet connection

Make sure that your network of phones, internet and IT systems are all working so that you don’t have any first day glitches.

Watch our moving specialists execute your plan to perfection

You’ve done all the hard part, now you get to watch your hard work pay off. Most of the actual work of moving can be done by our experienced team of removalists. Now all you need to do is watch our team do the work and enjoy your new space.

Allied is here to help when you need a hand with moving your business. Relocating an office, a storefront or a warehouse is a huge undertaking and can become problematic when not done correctly. We have been in the business of moving for a very long time and have the experience and knowledge to make the process as smooth as possible. Our business moving services cover a number of different aspects of the moving process, here are a few ways we can help:

• Asset Management
• Environmental Management
• e-Waste
• Furniture, Fittings & Equipment
• Logistics & Storage
• Project Management
• Specialist Relocations
• Technology Relocation Services

If you’re unsure about any of the topics covered in this guide, or you would like to speak to a moving specialist about how we can help you, get in touch with us. Simply call our friendly customer service team on 13 25 54, or fill out the online quote request form and we can begin making your moving plan today!