Author: Joe DiGiovanni

Moving Your Office During the Holidays

Posted on December 15, 2015 by - Commercial Relocation, Moving Preparation

The holidays bring joy and good will but it can also bring stress. Family comes to visit, stores get crowded and cold and flu season runs rampant. On top of all that, your office is being relocated and it is putting additional strain on you and your employees.

Moving offices over the holidays is never an ideal situation, but business goes on and the move ultimately needs to happen. Forming a plan will help everything run more smoothly and will be the key to a successful move. To avoid unpredicted obstacles, follow these tips and you’ll be in your new office in no time at all.

Getting ready to move while celebrating the holidaysMove during the slow week

Many people take off the week between December 25 and January 1 to travel and spend time with family and friends. That means that week will likely be a slow week for you and your company, and a great opportunity for you to move your office without losing business and creating a hectic atmosphere for you and your employees.

Plan with the holiday in mind

Those few important days that are especially important are the ones that you don’t want to miss out on because of an appointment with the movers.  Start planning the move early so you get the dates you want with the moving company. Then set up an organized day-by-day plan of everything that needs to be accomplished and stick to it.

Tell your clients about the move

Calling and telling the customer about the moveAnnounce to your clients that you will be relocating to a new office. Tell them when you will be officially up and running in the new place so they don’t go searching for you at the previous office. It is also important that you let them know if there will be any downtime on your end while moving so they can plan accordingly to minimize the effects. You can even incorporate the announcement of your move into your company holiday card to give it a festive touch.

Moving during the holidays may not be an ideal situation, but it doesn’t have to be an unpleasant experience. Take the time to plan out the best plan for you and your company for a smooth transition and remember to take time to relax and enjoy the holidays.

Considering Moving your Office? Read this first.

Posted on December 10, 2015 by - Commercial Relocation, Moving Preparation

You’ve been in your current office for quite a while. You’re comfortable there and know all the tricks to avoid the traffic to get there. Everything is set up perfectly, but lately you’ve noticed a few things that may be a problem in the future. It’s a tough decision deciding whether or not you should move to a new place, so when making that decision consider the following factors.

 

Your lease

youroffice_lease

Open office for lease

If your lease is expiring soon, then it’s time to review your options. Research current market conditions and look around for different pricing options. You might find something more suited to your company for a lower price and if your lease is up for renewal it will be the perfect time to make the switch. Talk to a real-estate agent who is an expert in your marketplace to help you figure out what’s available.

 

Square footage

youroffice_sqft

Blue prints of office space

Your office is a defined space. You want your office to look full, not sparse, and definitely not overflowing.  If you look around and find there are empty corners or your employees are competing for space, it might be time to look elsewhere. Make a note of rooms not being used or that are being used to serve multiple functions, then decide whether your office still meets the requirements it did when you first moved in.

 

Location

youroffice_location

Better office location in the center of town

If clients are constantly asking to meet at a mid-point for appointments, you might have a problem with the location of your office. Convenience can be a major aspect that your clients consider when doing business with you, especially if your business requires a lot of face-to-face meetings.  Consider the prospect of moving closer to your business partners and clients when debating a move.

 

Employee accommodation

youroffice_employees

Happy employees with their own work space

If you have big accounts that are requiring additional employees to maintain and are being hampered by your current office, you should consider packing up and moving your office elsewhere.  Your office should never impede the growth of your business and staying in an unsuitable office space will cause chaos you can live without.

 

While you may feel comfortable in your current office space, it may not be the best space for you and your company. It’s not an easy decision and will take serious thought, but remember to consider the factors above and to look into all your options.

Here’s What to Know When You’re Looking for a New Office Space

Posted on November 24, 2015 by - Commercial Relocation, Moving Preparation

It’s time. You’ve outgrown your current office space and are in the market for a new one. There’s a lot to do and a lot to plan for, but don’t worry, as your commercial move experts; we’re here to give you some guidance to help you along the way.

High rise buildingTouring new office spaces can be time consuming, so it’s best to prepare in advance, map out where you want to visit and get all of your questions in order. After all, this is a big step for your business and you need to make sure all of your bases are covered.

First things first: research. Look online, drive around or talk to a commercial real estate agent to help you find your new business’ home. You need to think about several things while you research. How much space do you need? How much do you want to spend? And, where do you want your new location to be? Ask these questions, and more so that you can be sure you’re making the correct decision for your business’ move.

After you figure out your requirements for your new office building, you’ll need to go on tours of the potential spaces.  Before the tours, make a list of must-haves and keep track of them as you tour each building, that way you can easily weigh your options when your day is complete. While on the tours, whether you’re with the current owner of the building, the landlord or a commercial real estate agent, it’s important to have questions ready.

It’s also important to keep in mind the price of the building that you were originally told. While on your tour of the building, take note of anything that might need constant maintenance and ask about the maintenance charge you’ll incur each month. You don’t want to end up paying more than you originally intended.

You also need to have an open mind as you tour. You don’t want to completely shut out a building just because it doesn’t have exactly what you’re looking for.  Remember, not everything is permanent. Paint and décor can be changed, and if you’re up to it and the cost is right, you might even be able to knock out some walls to make it the perfect space. The options are endless; so don’t immediately rule anything out. Explore your options because you never know how perfect the space might turn out to be for your business.

Moving is an exciting time for your business, but it can also be a little stressful. Our best advice is for you to plan ahead, do your research and keep an open mind.

 

How to Create an Office Moving Plan

Posted on November 17, 2015 by - Commercial Relocation, Moving Preparation

In office relocations, there are a lot of moving parts, literally. How do you keep track of them? The truth is, it’s tough and you’re going to need all hands on deck, but with these few small suggestions, moving can be a little easier.

A ruler sitting on a blue printTo ensure a safe, smooth and overall excellent move, you’ll need to have a plan of action. This plan should help you map out your goals for the move, help you prioritize what needs to get done and also help you delegate tasks to your employees. Having an action plan will also help you critically think about your move and problem solve ahead of time.

To begin your moving plan, look at what your big goal for the relocation is. What’s your budget and timeline? And although you don’t want to think about this, you need to ask yourself what problems could potentially occur. That way, you’ll be better prepared if and when problems arise. Figure these things out so you have them in writing and can stick to them, and not forget what you originally intended.

Once you have your big goals planned out, it’s time to get down to smaller more detail-oriented goals. These are small tasks that need to get done at any point during the move. It could be cleaning out the break room fridge or creating an email to blast out to customers notifying them about your move. Whatever the tasks may be, and no matter how small, write them down so you can make sure even the tiniest details are covered.

A man presenting in an officeThe next part of your move plan should be to assign tasks to various employees. Whether you break the tasks up for teams of employees, or individuals, make sure to delegate all tasks with a timeframe in which they are to be done. If you give more than one task to a group of employees, make sure to tell them the order of importance the tasks should be completed, that way your move can be streamlined and everything gets done on time.

This move action plan will take some time and thought, but at the end of the day, and at the end of your move, you’ll be happy you did it. It forces you to think about every last detail and every potential problem, that way nothing that comes your way will surprise you.

You’re Moving. Here’s How to Break the News to Your Customers:

Posted on November 10, 2015 by - Commercial Relocation, Moving Preparation

Your business has the best regulars. They come in at the same time every week and you get to small talk with them. You feel like they’re a part of your business’ family, and well, they are. Loyal customers like that are hard to come by, and once you have them, you don’t want to let them go. That’s why you’re nervous about telling your customers about your business’ move coming up in a few months. You’re worried they won’t want to make the drive out to your new location. We have some tips on how to deal with this situation, so you won’t have to worry about losing your regulars.

A woman typing on a laptopFirst, tell your customers. Don’t avoid it. It’s better to get it out in the open as soon as you can. Who knows, they might love that you’re moving somewhere new because a new space could mean more perks for them. New services, new technologies, new menu, and a whole new space could be just as exciting for your regulars as it is for you. Moving means you’re growing, and that should make your loyal customers, especially those close to you, happy for you.

It’s also important to keep them in the loop of your move. Keep them updated throughout your moving process. If the office will have different hours one day because your touring your new building, tell them, don’t let them show up and figure that out for themselves. Create a weekly or monthly email blast to go out to a list of your customers. Let them know the schedule of moving events and give them your contact information in case they need to get in touch with you when you’re not in your office.

These customers aren’t just any customers. They’re part of your business’ family, and some of them may have been with you since the very beginning. Thank them for that by sending a hand-written thank you note with a coupon for their next purchase at your brand new location. Not only will they appreciate the kind gesture, you’ll be sure your loyal customers will be in line to come see you at your business’ new home.

Breaking the news about your move should be one of the last things on your mind that you’re worried about. Follow these simple tips so you can ease your mind, and get back to planning your office relocation.

Designing an Office Lobby Your Customers Will Love

Posted on November 3, 2015 by - Facility Installation, Office Furniture

As soon as a new client walks through your business’ door, the evaluation of your company begins. Wandering eyes will carefully examine the lobby looking for clues as to what you and your business might be like. This room is where your company gets its first impression, so you want it to be a good one. Here are some tips on how to make a positive lasting impression on everyone that walks through your business’ front door.

Office lobby with check-in deskBefore you design your perfect office lobby, you need to think about a few things. Will there be a lot of people in your waiting area? Will there be a check-in desk? And, how much space do you have to work with? These questions are important so you know how to effectively design your space.

After you figure out the answers to those questions, you’ll know what kind of furniture to work with so that you can adequately accommodate your guests. Make sure to plan for enough seating for the maximum amount of people that you think will be waiting at a given time. You don’t want any of your guests uncomfortably standing.

If you have a check-in desk, it’s important to make sure this desk is not too high. If it is, it can cause guests to feel intimidated. So, just be sure when planning your check-in area, that the desk is a suitable height for your guests.

Now it’s time to talk décor. Bottom line, you want the décor in your lobby to be aesthetically pleasing to your guests. This starts with having a lot of natural light streaming through the room because it makes the room appear bigger and brighter. Also, you should not paint your lobby a “loud” color like neon green, hot pink or bright purple. Having an accent wall is one thing, but painting the entire room a loud color is not recommended.

To add some sophistication to your décor, add some art, your company’s logo and some of your business’ prestigious awards to a few walls or shelves. Spice up your company’s logo by adding spot lighting to shine on it. Not only will this be an impressive touch, but it will also reinforce your brand, and what company doesn’t want that? As for art on the walls, frame a piece or two to add a little something about your company’s personality. It could be a framed quote, or a nice picture that preaches determination and the will to never give up. Whatever it might be, make sure it will convey something your brand does or believes in.

For some small impressive accents, we suggest putting some of your branded promotional materials out for visitors to take. Whether it’s a bowl of branded candies, pens, or business cards, these materials will add some pizzazz and a professional feel. Another added bonus to having these promotional materials out for grabs is that your company is more likely to stay at the forefront of your clients’ minds even after they leave. Next time they go to write their “to-do list,” they may just grab that pen they got from you to write it.

Magazines stacked on tableNobody likes to wait, so it’s important to keep your guests happy while they’re waiting. Have some industry-related reading materials out on the table to help clients pass the time. We also suggest having a TV in the waiting room with a news station on. Not only will this keep your visitors occupied, but it will also show to them that you’re staying current with today’s news and trends. For your guests’ enjoyment, we also suggest having a coffee, tea and water station in the lobby area in case guests need some refreshments.

You only get one chance to make a first impression, and in most cases, this impression begins in the lobby. By putting a little extra effort into the design of your lobby, you can be sure that your guests will wait happy and have a positive lasting impression about you and your company.

Tips for Your Onsite Office Relocation

Posted on October 27, 2015 by - Commercial Relocation, Moving Preparation

 

Office buildingA new building in your office complex just opened up, and it’s going to be your offices’ new home base. You’re excited about this new venture for your business, and mostly because it’s not a far move. You’re moving right around the corner. You don’t even need a car to go from your old location to your new location.

You might think you can plan the week of for this move because it is short and quick. But, the risks are great when you decide to wait until the last minute. We want to make sure you know that it’s not as quick and easy as you think. So, to save you from stress and any problems, we’re going to give you some tips.

First things first. As soon as your company is officially moving to the new location, begin planning your move logistics. The biggest mistake you can make is to leave planning your move to the last minute. Just because your office building is next door does not mean that it takes less planning. You’re still going to have to move all of the stuff that occupies your current office, into your new one. And although you’re not going far, it still has to be moved.

You might want to have your employees just move their own stuff because of how close your new office is. You may even think that commercial moving companies don’t do moves like this because it won’t require a truck. Well, you may want to re-think that decision. Commercial moving companies, like The Quality Group, will move your business no matter how close you are to your previous location.

Office space with IT equipmentWe suggest a commercial relocation company for many reasons. One, so that you’re not stressed out planning the move yourself, and two, so that none of your equipment gets lost or broken in the process of the move. Believe us, it’s worth the time and effort spent researching for a quality commercial moving company so that you don’t incur any unexpected business costs, or stress.

With a professional relocation company, you can ensure that your important files, IT equipment and furniture will be handled with care and securely packed so that nothing gets damaged. You may just be going around the corner, but that still leaves time for accidents to happen. The risk is too high so we do not recommend doing the move yourself.

As a commercial relocation company, office relocations are our specialty. We have office moves down to a science. We do them quickly, safely and securely so that your company loses no operational down time. If you have your employees carry their stuff around the corner, it’ll take a lot longer than you think.

So do your research on commercial relocation companies, and plan ahead for your onsite office move. You’ll be glad you did.

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.

 

Your IT Move Check List

Posted on October 20, 2015 by - Commercial Relocation, Moving Preparation

In an age where technology is the lifeline of your business, you can’t afford to have something go wrong, go missing or just not work. There are a lot of things that go into making your IT equipment function properly. So, when it comes time to move your office, you want to make sure you properly packed up all of your IT equipment, have services transferred with no interruptions and have all IT accessories in line so you’re sure that you aren’t forgetting a thing. After all, you don’t want to lose valuable business hours because of misplaced adapters, no Internet connection and non-functioning laptops. So, we’ve put together an IT move check list so that you can be sure you’re not forgetting to cover all your bases.

 

  1. Always plan ahead. Always. At least two to three months before your move contact your ISPS and all other technology companies to let them know about your move. You wouldn’t want your services not transferred and lose valuable business time because of it.
  2. Writing down a checklist for movingMake a checklist. Plan a visit to your new office location. We suggest making a checklist of things you want to make sure the office has so you know what you’ll still need to get. On this visit, make sure you check out the offices’ network cabling requirements, decide where you want and don’t want computer workstations, pick out locations for fax machines, printers, scanners and routers, and locate a secure, cool room for your server.
  3. Back-up your data. You can never be too careful, so we highly recommend you back-up your data before you move. Make copies of your firewalls and servers and store in a secure location.
  4. Look into new IT equipment. Out with the old, in with the new is what they say right? Well, moving is the perfect time to live up to this saying. You’re moving to a brand new office, so why not take a look at some other things that may need to be updated as well. We suggest:
  • Computers lined up on a deskInspecting your IT equipment and deciding whether or not it’s time for an upgrade.
  • Taking inventory Central Bodybuilding Episode 77 | IronMag Bodybuilding Blog buy winstrol results – winstrol reviews australia santa clara county sheriff commander accused of bodybuilding while faking injury of what equipment you currently have.
  • Writing down anything you might need to update or replace.
  • Properly disposing of the aged or broken equipment you might have.
  1. Get all communication set up. Getting your phone lines set up is vital. Before moving, we recommend:
  • Reviewing your phone line capacity with your provider to make sure you don’t have too much, or too little.
  • Taking a look at your current phone system and decide if it’s what will be best for your new office.
  • Setting up call forwarding if you’re changing your phone number.
  • Establishing and ordering your Internet access.
  1. Moving IT equipment. Moving IT equipment is very risky. We strongly suggest hiring professional commercial movers to help you safely and securely move your expensive equipment to your new location. Don’t risk broken or lost equipment. Research commercial movers who will move these goods, so you don’t have to.

Coordinating all things IT can be a hassle. Take this checklist and make sure you’re taking care of the necessities before your move. If you want a little extra help and less stress, look into commercial movers that can help you through every stage of your move, even the vendor coordination and technology set up.

Don’t let your office move run you. Get ahead of the game, make a plan and make a check list so that you can get to crossing things off your list and you can get to enjoying your new office sooner.

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.

 

Five Tips to Plan Your Commercial Move

Posted on October 13, 2015 by - Commercial Relocation, Moving Preparation

You don’t know where to start. Your office is moving in a few months, and there’s a bunch of things you need to get lined up. Where should you begin first?

Office moves can be complicated, and may seem like a full-time job. But, we’re going to make this process easy so that you know exactly what you need to do. Here are five things you should do to get organized for your commercial move:

  1. 1GetATimeline
    Get a timeline.     The first thing you want to ask yourself and your co-workers is when the best time to move would be. Is there a particular time when business is hectic? Or, do you need to be out of your current office at a particular time? Whatever the answers to those questions may be, you need to nail down a time when your business would feel most comfortable moving.
  2. Research Commercial Movers
    Research commercial movers.     Whatever you do, do not try to move your whole office yourself. It may seem like a good idea, but it’s not. Your office and your employees specialize in your business’ practices, not in commercial moving. There’s a high risk involved when you decide to have your employees move things like computers, scanners, printers, etc. Research professional moving companies in your surrounding area. We also suggest talking to other business owners who have moved and looking at reviews of various commercial moving companies before making your decision. Your business’ stuff is important. It’s your lifeline, so don’t trust it to just anyone. Do your homework.
  3. Contact Vendors
    Contact vendors.     After you nail down a timeline, and get a commercial mover to move your business during that time frame, it’s time to think about everyone you need to contact to let know that you’re moving. You don’t want your promotional materials to have your old address on them, or have important business materials being shipped to the wrong location. So contacting your vendors is a necessity.
  4. Delegate tasks to employees
    Delegate tasks to employees.     When we said you should leave the moving to the commercial movers, we meant it. But, that doesn’t mean that you can’t delegate certain tasks to employees. Chances are you don’t want to take everything with you to your new location. You might want to ditch your old furniture, and look for new furniture. Or, you may want to clean out and shred some old paperwork that’s taking up space. Delegate these tasks and any others you might think of to your employees so that your load won’t be so heavy.
  5. Relax during your move
    Relax.     This is going to be the hardest thing to do because moving takes a lot of coordination, and stress. But, if you pick the right commercial mover that plans in advance, meets with you about timelines and helps you with all of the coordinating so you don’t lose any business hours, then you have nothing to stress about.

Take these small tips to get you started and to get your thoughts organized. So, get out a pen and paper, make a list and get ready to get things moving.

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.