These days moving office involves more than simply packing up the filing cabinet and typewriter and closing the door on the old place. Phone lines, network cables and service providers all need to be considered when moving.
From an IT point of view your move will need to be planned several months in advance. At the very least you will have to give notice to your service providers, such as telephone and internet companies, and arrange for them – or another provider – to set everything up again at the other end. The planning stage of a commercial relocation is a good time to shop around for a new supplier, as you might be able to get a better deal.
A site survey of the new offices is a good idea, which can either be completed by your own IT people or your subcontractors. They will need to work out what is going where in the new place so that the move can be achieved much more smoothly.
You should also remember that your office relocation could mean some downtime without your IT services, which could be costly. To keep losses to a minimum you should consider scheduling a move for out of hours. Evenings and weekends are good times for an office move, as moving companies often offer cheaper rates and you can avoid disturbing your neighbors – new and old – by moving out and in when they are not there.
