Tag: business moving

Your Move Manager Makes Relocating Easy

Posted on June 27, 2017 by - Commercial Relocation, Facility Installation, Moving Preparation

Relocate With a Moving Manager & Prevent Workflow Disruption

Relocating can be a very stressful time for any company, big or small. With the added time it takes to plan and execute a move, your business can be seriously disrupted. However, a move doesn’t have to take time away from you running your business as usual. With a skilled manager leading your move, you can do what’s best for you and your business.

What is a Move Manager?

move manager leading a corporate moveA move manager is similar to a project manager. They will coordinate your entire move and work with you every step of the way. Your manager will help you plan the time, date, and length of your move, and make sure every step goes according to your wants and needs. From day one, your move manager is there to help you.

Your move manager will assist you during the days leading up to your move and the day of the move to oversee the entire process and ensure the move is a positive experience. You can rely on your move manager to not only help you move, but also to coordinate with vendors. Communicating with vendors can ease any additional moving needs such needing new furniture or new technology for your company.

 Move Managers Analyze Your Business

To ensure an easy move, your relocation manager will analyze your business. Before your move, a manager will calculate every detail about the move. They will work with you to plan the best plan and walk you through every step so you know what will be happening.

By coordinating with you directly and listening to your business’s needs, a move manager will design a moving plan, customized specifically for you and your business. Your manager will know every detail about your move from how wide the door frames in your new location will be to how many elevator trips it will take to move your furniture. By building a moving plan based on you and your needs, your relocation will be smooth and seamless.

 Move Managers Work With You

Not only will your move manager plan out your move, they will also oversee it. Your manager will stay on site during your move to ensure everything goes according to plan. Rather than being thrown off by unexpected issues that sometimes accompany moves, your move manager will be prepared with a full set of resources in case of an emergency. The goal is to have your move stay on track, and your move manager ensures this happens.

A Stress-Free Move

move managers make it easy to focus on your businessMove managers take the stress off of you while moving. Rather than juggling work and planning a move, a manager makes sure you can focus on what is important. With a move manager, you won’t have to worry about the little details while moving. If you need new furniture in your new location, a relocation manager will coordinate the delivery and install with the vendors, so you can focus on keeping business operations going.

Moving can be put off for months if there is too much on your or your company’s plate. With a move manager, you don’t need to worry about straining your business.

At The Quality Group, we make sure our managers work with you every step of the way. Our hands-on approach to your relocation will not only help you move quickly but efficiently as well. At Quality Group, we are here to help you.

Work with The Quality Group

At The Quality Group, we’re your commercial relocation specialists. Founded in 1987 in New Orleans, LA, The Quality Group serves the Gulf States with comprehensive commercial moving services from move planning to furniture installation. No other company puts in the time or preparation that we do to make your move stress and hassle-free.

Post-Move Checklist for Your Company

Posted on November 1, 2016 by - Commercial Relocation, Moving Preparation

Post-Move Checklist, checklist after your move your business, business moving baton rouge

Moving to a new office can be a positive sign that your business is growing. All the time spent planning and preparing for the move can be overwhelming but moving to a new location where your company can continue to grow and thrive makes it all worth it in the end. Even after the move is complete, there are still many things to do, especially the couple days directly following the relocation. Make sure you have everything covered for your business with this moving checklist so everything runs smoothly after the move. You’ll need a post-move checklist for your company, or you’ll run into all sorts of preventable problems!

Follow this Post-Move Checklist to Avoid Future Problems with Clients and Associates

Distribute Employee Packets

Making sure your employees can access the new office should be at the top of your moving list. Distribute the moving packets to your employees the day of the move with their new passcodes, keycards, desk locations, and parking spots so they have easy access on the first day.

Check Equipment

Directly following a move, assign the task of checking all equipment to your IT department. Include all electronics in the check such as computers, printers, phones, and projectors. Check any other specialty equipment to guarantee that it is working properly. You don’t want to have a client in your office a week after the move and have a technical malfunction occur in the middle of the meeting.

Remove Unnecessary Furniture and Equipment

After the office is arranged for optimal efficiency, you can arrange to have any excess furniture and equipment removed, including furniture from your previous office that doesn’t work with the new furniture. To avoid having any unneeded equipment, you can store, donate, sell, or throw away any excess. You’ll want to do this relatively soon after you move so the office is not crowded and uncomfortable.

Update MaterialsUpdate website information after your move, Post-Move Checklist for Your Company

Double-checking all business materials with the company’s contact information is one of the most important assignments to perform after a move. Do not leave any platform untouched because you don’t want to confuse your clients or customers. Change the contact information on your website and social media accounts, print new brochures and fliers, and reorder all your business cards for consistency.

Know the Area

Mapping out the new area will be critical when making appointments with associates and clients. Knowing traffic conditions, back roads, and transit options will be the difference between being on time for a meeting and not. You can also get a list of appropriate business lunch locations and their busy hours for future reference.

Contact Associates and Clients

Send out a reminder to all your clients and associates about your new location within a few days of the company’s move to prevent future confusion. Contact your clients, the cleaning company, your delivery company, and the USPS. You can confirm that they have your new address so meetings, services, and deliveries still happen and arrive on time.

File any Complaints

Once everything is unpacked and assessed you’ll need to file any complaints and insurance claims with the moving company if any equipment was damaged. If you notice something damaged, it is important to address it immediately to ensure accurate reports and claims.

Leave a Review

Leaving a review of the moving company can wait until a few days after the move. But, it should be done before the week is out. This is another place you can express your concerns and questions with the service. It can also help others make a decision about the company if you had a good experience.

Post-Move Checklist PDF Printout

After you move into the new office, don’t just relax or get back to your normal routine as soon as possible. Make sure you’ve covered your bases. To avoid problems in the future, however, you should keep everything in order. Tell everyone associated with your company where you are, and update all materials. Run through this checklist after your relocation to ensure your business runs smoothly going forward.

Let The Quality Group Take Care of the Move

At The Quality Group, we’re your commercial relocation specialists. We’ve been in operation for more than 30 years, starting in New Orleans. We offer comprehensive business moving services from move planning to furniture installation. And, we want to ensure that you’re post-move goes just as well as your move. We’ll handle the move and even advise on the post-move checklist for your business!

 

Benefits of a Local Moving Company

Posted on July 5, 2016 by - Commercial Relocation

Finding a moving company that will get the job done correctly can take some serious legwork. You have a long list of movers to choose from when relocating your business and you’re looking for just one that will be right for the company.

At The Quality Group, we suggest you choose a local moving company for a seamless and stress-free relocation. You’ll receive some amazing benefits when you move with a local moving company that you may not find elsewhere.

The Benefits of Relocating with a Local Moving Company

Flexible

Local moving companies don’t have hundreds of clients they have to cater to on a daily basis. Due to this, they can be flexible with packing instructions, move times, and specialty equipment when moving your company. Whether you want to move on the weekend to avoid downtime or you want your printer packed a certain way to avoid damage, a local moving company can be flexible with their process in a way larger companies can’t.

Service

Have you ever compared your experience of a local grocery store to one of a corporation grocery store? Chances are in the local store the workers were friendly, helpful, and professional. Well, you can expect that to transfer to local movers as well. Local moving companies are personable, helpful, friendly, and professional because they are a small team that is dedicated to your moving experience.

Local moving companies are vetted by the community.Credible

When dealing with a local company, word about their services will spread. You probably know someone who has done business with the local moving company you are considering who can tell you all about their moving experience. If your friend vouches for a moving company, the moving company is probably pretty good. A local moving company will also give extra effort to make sure you are satisfied because your word matters within the community.

Competitive Pricing

With a local company, you don’t have to worry about paying extra. When you sign a contract with a local company like the Quality Group, all costs are given to you at the start and there are no hidden fees. Local companies like to be upfront about costs so you aren’t surprised and upset at the end of your move. They also have lower operating costs because they don’t have to travel as far to reach you.

Considering and choosing a local moving company like The Quality Group can be the difference between a long, tedious move and a seamless, stress-free one. With a local moving company, you can experience all the benefits of working with people within your community including flexibility, superior customer service, reliable experiences, and competitive pricing.

 

Work with The Quality Group

At The Quality Group, we’re your commercial relocation specialists. Founded in 1987 in New Orleans, LA, The Quality Group serves the Gulf States with comprehensive commercial moving services from move planning to furniture installation. No other company puts in the time or preparation that we do to make your move stress and hassle-free.

Will You Move My Small Office?

Posted on March 1, 2016 by - Commercial Relocation

Your business is unique. It has carefully picked and appreciated employees, special equipment you’ve invested in for optimal performance, and extra items that show who you are as a business and express your personality. You’ve put a lot of effort into building your small business and now that it’s time to pick up and move elsewhere, you want someone who will show the same dedication to your relocation as you do to your customers.

That’s where the Quality Group comes in, because no matter how small your office is, they commit to your move 100 percent.

A Quality Move

The Quality Group dedicates itself to providing a superior relocation experience every time no matter the size of the move. That means it follows the same procedure for every move and dedicates all their resources to you when the move day comes. Your small business gets the same dedicated teams as other businesses including the origin team, the destination team, and the driving team.

We help small businesses move with little down time.Quick Turn Around

We know your small business can’t be out of operation for long because of the time sensitive work you do. We offer a quick turnaround so you are up and running again without noticeable downtime. With our three dedicated teams that are each assigned their own station, each move is executed efficiently. The Quality Group ensures that you’ll never be left waiting for the movers to arrive.

Specialty Focused

We understand that as a small business you may have specific limitations or special equipment that needs extra care during a move. With our commitment to you, we will find a solution for every concern by fulfilling special requests and committing 100 percent of our attention and resources to your small business. We have experience moving all kinds of equipment, from hospital technology to regular computers and can meet the required care your equipment needs. We also have worked within varied timelines and can work out one for your specific needs.

No Cost SurprisesThe Quality Group gives small businesses upfront quotes so there are no surprises.

Sometimes as a small business you have to be price conscious, and The Quality Group understands that, which is why we operate on a not-to-exceed pricing basis. That means you’ll never be surprised by hidden or unexpected fees. The cost of your move will never exceed your quote so you can be confident that your move is affordable.

As a small business that provides unique services in a personal manner, you deserve the full attention of a moving company when you are ready to relocate. Experience that dedication with The Quality Group today, and let us help you move to your new office.

Data Backup During a Move or Company Relocation

Posted on February 23, 2016 by - Commercial Relocation

For any modern company, an important part of office relocation is ensuring that you have secure and up-to-date backup for your data. Studies have shown that 60 percent of companies that lose their data are out of business within 6 months and a full 90 percent are out of business within two years of a total data loss.  It’s easy for data to suffer loss or damage during a move, so it’s important to take preventative measures by having a data backup in place to minimize risk, and ensure that your data is protected during the moving process.

There are different options for you to consider when deciding on how to keep a backup of your data. Consider both options and choose the best for your company, or use both for extra protection.

Having your crucial data backed up before a move or relocation is a must.

Quality Group can store your data off site.

Storing Your Data Off Site

Keeping it away from the move is a great option. You should ask your internet service provider if they can recommend a good data storage center.

 

 

 

Using the Cloud to Store Data Store your data in the cloud.

The Cloud is a popular and inexpensive storage facility often used by companies. It’s also easy to restore, and can be automatically updated from any location with internet access.

After you choose how you will back up your data, you will need to plan further. These plans will likely feature an IT Test, and planning for any accidents.

IT Test

When you are organizing your relocation, include a test plan to make sure all your critical equipment is working correctly and to check that nothing has been damaged in the move. This needs to be done when everything is on site, and before your staff arrives, to minimize disruption.

Planning for Accidents

Having a plan set in case of disaster is important as well. Any modern business is extremely dependent on equipment and phones so it is important that they’re working. Failing to have a workable backup plan could cause your business to suffer.

Planning and executing these different steps will take different amounts of time, depending on individual business. Taking these essential steps allows you to make your move much smoother.

Pick a moving company with experience in moving data infrastructure.

Whether you have a back up plan in place or not, it is vitally important that you chose a company who has vast experience in moving data infrastructure. This doesn’t just mean a company like the Quality Group, who is insured but also one who can minimize down time in addition to data loss. When you are ready to move into your new office it’s important that data is not only kept safe but also that you have no operational down time.

If you would like to find out more about how the Quality Group goes above and beyond to protect your data, please give us a call today.

The Last Day in Your Old Office After Moving

Posted on February 16, 2016 by - Commercial Relocation, Moving Preparation

The movers have come and packed all the office equipment up, moved it to the new location and arranged it all in the new building. All your employees are hard at work in the new place and you are eager to be in the new building hard at work as well. The problem is you still need to finish up a few more things at the old place before you can be officially moved into your new office.

To cut ties with your old office building forever, there are a few requirements you’ll need to complete.

Clean

Clean your office when moving will prevent extra chargesWhether you are renting or selling your old office building, cleaning after you move is a must. This means, vacuuming, wiping down the walls, cleaning the restrooms and fixing any damage. Cleaning up will prevent the landlord from having to charge you to purchase the services after you leave. Or if you own the building, it will prevent the new owners from reducing the buying price due to the condition of the office. You can opt to clean the office yourself or hire a professional cleaning service that will clean for you. With proper planning, The Quality Group can offer this service to you as part of their moving services.

Stop Utilities

Another step to complete before you are officially done with the old office is to stop all utilities flowing to that building. Sometimes this will mean talking to your landlord to make sure you are no longer being billed for the utilities, and other times it means contacting your utility provider and switching it to the new location. In either case, you need to make sure you won’t be paying for utilities you aren’t using.

Turn in Your Key

Turn your key in after you move everything out of your officeAfter you clean everything and make sure you aren’t paying for utilities for the old office, you’ll need to turn in your key. Holding on to the old office key after you move will benefit no one, so when all tasks are complete, turn it over to the landlord or new owners. This will help you avoid further rent charges or allow the new owners to start moving into their new office.

Moving is a big process, but you need to make sure everything is taken care of, and that includes your old office building. Making sure it is ready for the next tenants is important in avoiding further complications. After everything is complete however, you’ll be ready to enjoy your new office worry free.

Get a Quick Easy Office Moving Checklist

Posted on February 9, 2016 by - Moving Preparation

During a move, ask your employees to label their itemsWhen you’re faced with the stress of moving your office, it can be easy to forget some of the simpler details. Having an office moving checklist will prevent this from happening. It will also ensure that everything is done in the correct order.

Take the time before your move to make sure the following commonly forgotten steps are completed:

  • Drain out all equipment that holds liquids to avoid leakage. For items such as copiers and faxes that use liquid ink, be sure to take extra precautions to safely transport them and any open cartridges.
  • Empty out all of your desks before moving. Arrange for your staff members to pack and label their belongings.
  • Ask your professional moving company to pack paintings, pictures, bulletin boards, etc., with their fixtures so you can easily hang them up in your new office.
  • When you move, alert your cleaning companyGet rid of any old stationary that is labeled with the old office address.
  • Clear out filing cabinets, or if the contents must stay in cabinet and are private, be sure that the cabinets are locked, and the keys to open them are labelled properly.
  • If your new office is separated across floors, it’s a good idea to color-code each floor’s belongings. That way, identical furniture won’t get mixed up.
  • Make sure you notify your office cleaning company of your move. You should also arrange to receive quotes from 3 office cleaning companies, for your new office cleaning contract.

Making a checklist with these steps beforehand will potentially save you some trouble and headaches later on.

Keeping Your Business Going During a Move

Posted on February 2, 2016 by - Commercial Relocation, Moving Preparation

Moving is a hectic and stressful time for your business. On top of everything being shifted, packed and moved, you have to keep your clients happy and operations running. It can be hard to keep everything going normally when such a big disrupter is in your midst. It is possible however, to keep your business functioning during a move with some due diligence and some helpful tips.

Plan

Planning is the most important thing for your move. Research on what you’ll need to do leading up to the move, during the move, and right after the move to get settled is a must. While planning won’t cover everything, it will help things run a lot smoother. Start planning as early as possible so you and your employees can organize the work that needs doing with the move in mind. Stay on track and try to get as much work done as you can before the move so you have less to worry about.

Assign Responsibilities and Communicate

Moving is a hectic time so it’s a good idea to assign defined responsibilities to each employee so everything is covered. Assigning who does what will ensure the tasks that aren’t a part of the everyday schedule get done. With the chaos of a move, it’s also important to keep in touch and communicate more frequently. Moving is a stressful situation so having regular meetings will help ease concerns and keep everyone in the know so they can make informed decisions.

Schedule for the Weekend or Slow Days

There is no avoiding a little bit of disruption in the workflow during a move, but you can minimize it by moving in your off season. Also, try to move either on the weekend or on a typically slow day. Moving during a time when you’re not busy will prevent your employees from having to disrupt a big project. It will also keep their stress level down and lessen the impact for clients.

Hire Professional Movers

Professional movers will reduce your stress by making sure everything is moved correctlyThe best thing to keep your business moving as it should during relocation, is to hire a professional moving company. Hiring a moving company will allow your employees to focus on what is most important: their work. Professional movers will take the stress of moving off of you and your employees and move everything for you. If you hire a moving company like The Quality Group, then they’ll set up everything in your new office as well, so you can jump right back into work. Professional movers will take the stress of moving off of your business so you can focus on just your business.

Maintaining your workflow during a move can be a challenge but it’s definitely not impossible. Remember to plan, communicate and schedule for slow times when moving and to make it a seamless transition, call The Quality Group. We’d love to help you move with no noticeable down time.

New Year Moving Goals for Your Office

Posted on January 5, 2016 by - Commercial Relocation, Moving Preparation, Office Furniture

The New Year is about setting goals and making a fresh start. This year your business is making a fresh start with a move to a new office. The move is the first step in making some major changes in the way your business is run. You’ll want to make sure the changes start right in the beginning with the relocation so you can carry that momentum through the year.

Here are some New Year goals for your business you can begin working on during your move and that you can carry forward throughout the New Year.

Recycle

Recycle old office equipment Businesses burn through a lot of material, including recyclable material like paper and plastic. In addition, employees of businesses go through their own materials including water bottles, soda cans and sandwich bags. Set up a few recycle bins in the office while you start your move and recycle the materials that won’t be following you to the new location. Once you are in the new place, keep the recycle bins alive and encourage your employees to recycle their materials as well.  Your business will become more earth friendly and you will feel better about your business.

Donate

Donating unwanted office chairs

Similar to recycling, during your move you might find some equipment that you no longer use or have replaced a while back with newer versions. Instead of throwing those items out, donate it to other companies that might need it or to stores that take donated items that will resell it. Just be sure to erase any stored information on the equipment to ensure your business’ safety. Donating these items will reduce how much you have to pack from your current office and store in your new office. Supplies that are no longer being used are always appreciated any time of year.

Relieve the extra stress

Moving is a stressful job and adds more to your already huge pile of things to do. To relieve some of that stress set aside time to relax and to ensure that there is no down time in your business operations, hire a full-service moving company that will unpack everything for you.  This will help you stay calm during the move and the service will remove some of the things you have to worry about. Your employees will be able to walk inand start working Monday morning, as if nothing has changed. Setting aside time to relax during the week is a good practice to keep going throughout the year as well, you’ll feel more relaxed and ready to get to work when you need to.

With the New Year here and your business starting fresh in a new place, take some time to set goals for your business as well as for yourself. After all, the New Year is all about making improvements and there is always room for improvements, even in the business world.