Moving your company can be extremely stressful. In fact, it could even turn into a nightmare. Delays, damage to the building, lost furniture and what have you. Most of the time you won’t realize what happened until after the relocation, when it’s already too late. In this article we share the five most common errors during business relocations, based on our experience. Use them to your advantage!
1. Incorrect coding
The horror! The boxes haven’t been coded correctly and as a result they’ve all been delivered to the same floor. Your already tight schedule – out of the window!
Coding consists of a from-to plan and a label plan. You build a from-to plan based on sketches and floor plans. The label plan is based on the from-to plan. Movers know exactly where everything needs to go, simply by checking the code and color of the label. For example, all boxes with a red label have to go to the fourth floor and the number specifies the room it should be in. It’s crucial that the plans are coherent, otherwise boxes will end up in the wrong place.
2. Employees haven’t been informed properly
Everything has arrived: the estimate, the schedule, all materials and the coding system is perfect. The moving company has already been called and they’re on their way. Some employees have even started packing up. Everything is running smoothly and boxes are piling up as they should. It’s like you’re all set, but when the movers arrive, it turns out your employees haven’t been coding their boxes. It’s a mess.
What went wrong? A label plan was used, but apparently the employees weren’t informed. They missed the announcement on the bulletin board, or it was too long to read. That’s why you should always write these instructions concisely and make sure everybody takes the time to read and understand it. In the end, that will save you a lot of time.
3. Ordering the wrong packing materials
The packing materials you order have to fit the situation of your relocation. Does either of your buildings not come with an elevator? Then roll containers are no longer an option. That may seem needless to say, but in reality it goes wrong quite often. Also make sure you measure the size of hallways and doors. Mistakes are easily made and they often result in damaged property.
4. The size of relocation has been estimated incorrectly
A plan for a business relocation needs to be spot-on, but what do you have to consider before making it? First, you need to estimate the size of the relocation.
Assess the size of the inventory, how efficiently you’ll be able to move the inventory out and into the buildings and the distance between the buildings (including potential obstacles on the way). Use this information to build up your plan.
5. A schedule that’s too tight
Logically, an incorrect estimation of the relocation’s size will result in a schedule that simply is too tight. There is not enough time to carry out the move in a safe and proper manner. “Let’s do it around Christmas, then we’ll be relocated before the new year starts!”
Companies are often subject to a time limit, because the relocation can’t take place during business hours. That’s why Christmas holiday seems attractive. However, when you realize the move is too big to carry out within the available time, the damage is already done.
While assessing the inventory, you could also explore the possibilities regarding the timeframe. This will prevent problems rising up at a later stage. You might even consider ‘dividing’ the relocation into smaller pieces, by investigating which processes are and aren’t necessary for your business to stay operational. You don’t have to move all at once, you could try phased moving.
An extra tip from UTS Van Hoek
As a facility manager it may bes tempting to already start decorating the new location before the office move, but as a moving company we would advise against that. The new design could easily get damaged when furniture and office supplies are being transferred. Therefore, it’s better to invest your time in temporary protection for floors and walls. Furthermore, it’s wise to place protection on the inside of the elevator. A moving company can take care of all this.
Need an expert moving company? Contact us!
