Page 12 - Magazine.indt

Before you go putting everything into boxes, make sure you have everything thoroughly planned out. Have a very clear timeframe for the move, make sure you know exactly how long it will take to get back up to 100% functionality to minimize disruption to your business’s routines. Decide on what exactly you need for the new ofce and what you can get rid of. Make sure your service providers are informed well in advance so every utility is available to you on day 1. Having a foor plan mapped out will also save time and money when it comes to setting up. And don’t forget about your employees, fnd out how the new location will afect their commute.

While relocating your business, one of the biggest factors to consider is downtime. You don’t need to lose out on any business just because you can’t use your ofce. Consider your options in the cloud. With a cloud hosting solution, you won’t need to wait for your local servers and networks to be set up; just have your employees work from home and remote in. A cloud computing email solution like Gmail is also great for keeping in contact with employees while working from home. And don’t forget to backup all your critical data.

Don’t just think about what you need to move over from your old ofce; give yourself capacity for growth. Make sure that your new ofce has ample room for when your business begins to fourish in the coming months; consider sub-letting the space until you need it. Or build into your contract the option to acquire more space.

Also use this as an opportunity to update aging infrastructure. Opt for a fbre line over older copper services when updating networks and look at what cloud computing services are available to you so when your business does grow you have the fexibility to adapt.

Make sure that all of your clients are aware, ahead of time, that you are relocating. Alleviate frustration by letting them know if any downtime is likely to occur and be clear on what exactly they can expect from you during the move. And, of course, don’t forget to give them your new address! Remember to update any websites, marketing material, or invoices that have your physical address on them.

We’ve been busy over here trying to organize everything for our new ofce and we know exactly how nerve-racking relocating can be. But we’ve found time to give you a few

hints on what to consider should you move ofce any time soon.