Corporate Relocations: The Paramount Timeline
Moving a business to a new location is a major change that can make
or break the success of a company. This process involves much more than
just selecting a new building and purchasing new office supplies. Relocating a business
to a new area takes an abundant amount preparation, organization, time,
and hard work. The following corporate relocation timeline will help to
reduce the amount of stress you may encounter during the moving
process. Keep in mind that planning a relocation for a business will
likely take longer than a residential relocation; therefore, it is very
important to begin this process as soon as possible.
Six Weeks Prior to Moving 
- Find a new location. The first thing you should
do when you need to relocate your business is secure a new site. This
is a crucial step in the process. You need to make sure that the area
you select is conducive to your company specifically. Failing to choose
the proper location can be detrimental to the success of your business.
- Hire a professional moving company. Moving your business to a new space will indeed require the assistance of a professional moving company. They will be able to help you navigate your way through this process.
- Inform your vendors of your upcoming move. Owning
a business means you will likely have a number of vendors who supply
you with various necessary supplies to keep your company running
smoothly. Therefore, you need to inform them that you are relocating and
let them know what your new address is. This way, any future order will
be sent to the proper location, and there will not be an interruption
in your daily business routine.
- Determine future needs. Relocating to a new
space may require a few new needs. For example, you may need new
furniture to fill your new and improved space. If this is the case, you
should select and order your furniture way in advance. This will allow
an abundant amount of time to pass in order to receive your furniture
before your move.
Four Weeks Prior to moving
- Focus on the design of your new office. Your
new space will be a blank canvas. This leaves a lot of room for you to
turn it into what you desire. Determine the layout of the area, the
color scheme, and the overall theme. Once you have figured this out,
hire a contractor to execute your plan.
- Determine what will and will not be needed in your new space. Take
an inventory of everything in your office. Decide what you should take
and what should be left behind. Clearing house before your move will
help you start fresh in your new location. You may be able to sell some
of your unwanted pieces to an office furniture resell store or donate
them to charity.
- Search for telephone, internet, and cable service quotes.
These are all services that you will need in your new office. Compare
local companies and find the best price. Once you have selected your
service of choice, contact them and schedule a time to have them
installed. This should be done before your move to make sure the
business is not interrupted.
- Change you address. When you move your
business, it is vital that you receive all important mail at the right
address. In order to make sure this is possible, take a trip to your
local post office and fill out a change of address form. You may also
change your address online.
Keep in mind that your mail will only be forwarded for 12 months.
Therefore, you need to make sure that you officially change your address
with all important agencies.
Three Weeks Prior to Moving
- Inform your employees of the upcoming relocation. Let
all of your employees know about the upcoming move. Brief them about
what to expect during the process and answer any questions that they may
have about the move. Assure them that the move is the best option for
the company and that everyone is moving in the right direction.
- Order business supplies with your new address.
For your business, you likely have cards, letter heads, ink pins and
other materials with your address on it. Of course, you will need to
update all of these items with your new information. If you order them
in advance, you will be prepared to conduct business as usual when you
reopen.
- Tell your clients about your move. You should
let all of your customers know that you will be relocating your
business. Give them information such as your new address, phone number,
and when you will be back open for business. You do not want to lose
contact with your customers during this transition.
Two Weeks Prior to Moving
- Begin packing non essentials. This is the time to begin packing up
items that you will not need before the move. Old documents, trophies,
and office supplies are a few of the items that you should not have use
in the couple of weeks before your move.
- Schedule a time to have your services shut off.
Before you completely move into your new space, make sure that you have
made arrangements to shut off all necessary services. Utilities, water,
internet, and phone services should all be turned off once you are no
longer occupying the area.
- Backup all vital information. Let your
employees know that they should backup all important information on
their computers. This way, if any information is lost during the moving
process, you will be able to recover it.
One Week Prior to the Move
- Pack up desks and other work spaces. Now that
your moving day is right around the corner, it is time to start packing
up the rest of the office. It is best to do this as quickly as possible
so that you can avoid interrupting the work process.
- Take a final walk through of the new office. Visit
your new space and make sure everything is up to par and ready for move
in day. If anything is not in order, then you will have enough time to
fix the situation before you move in.
Moving into a new office space is a major change. How well you
execute your move can determine the outcome of your company. This move
is one that you want to pay close attention to. By planning ahead,
staying organized, and preparing accordingly, you will be well on your
way to conducting a successful move.