Planning ahead is probably the most important thing to do with an upcoming office move. Check out this post as it relates to finding a mover.
But when you coordinate an office move you need to think of your office technology equipment. We had a customer once call us the day before they we set to move and had just realized that they didn’t consider an office phone system in the new location. We had to scramble to get them a new pbx phone system and get in there and cable for them before they moved. They are a doctors office so their office phone system is critical to their business. We did help them but it’s not the way we like to do business. So if your are planning an office move, here are 7 things to consider BEFORE you move.
1. Establish a realistic deadline and timeline-if your new space is new construction build in 2-4 weeks cushion into your move in date. This will give you time consider either moving your existing pbx phone system or looking at purchasing a new office phone system. There are many productivity enhancements available today that perhaps weren’t available when you bought your existing system or it wasn’t important then to do more with less. Things such as unified messaging, VoIP, voice and data convergence and integration between a phone system and computer are all ways to work more effectively. An office move might be just the right time to consider these helpful changes.
2. Select an Experienced, Reputable Telecommunications Company-Ask vendors for references. Ask your peers who they use. Customer service and technical support as well as the experience of the telecommunications partner you pick are equalling as important as the products you purchase. Most products these days all have similar features, with the exception of the productivity enhancing tools, so how you will be serviced during and after your move is critical. Picking a vendor who is a “partner” not just vendor can mean the difference between a smooth move or a disaster.
3. Evaluate your local, long distance and internet services-Again now is a good time to look at whether you are getting the best deal on the appropriate services for your business. Today companies are looking to save anywhere they can, this is an area that you may not have thought about since you first got your services, but you may be over paying.
4. Don’t forget about the voice and data cabling-whether you are moving to an existing space or building new, now is the time to consider your present and future cabling needs. Ask potential vendors to visit your new site and give you their imput on number of drops and whether now is a good time for voice and data convergence of your infrastructure.
5. Is it time to upgrade our IT equipment-the way servers and PC’s have evolved over the past few years, now might be the time to look at moving to that faster server with more memory. Make sure your vendor is talking to you about real time data backup solutions, and I don’t mean tape, you want to actually be able to restore your data should you have a disaster. The other critical item is your network security with all the new viruses and threats generated daily and all the compliancy issues a company has to deal with, ignorance is not an excuse to leave your network vulnerable. Make sure your vendor has experience and ask for a project plan to make sure you know what you’re paying for.
6. Protect your stuff-Now that you’re moving into a new office space, you may want to keep an eye on things. Again with the “do more with less” mentality- consider installing a video surveillance system to not only watch your employees and assets but also as a deterrent to crime.
If you can find a telecommunications partner that can provide you all of the services in one place, that’s even better. It’s hard having to deal with and coordinate a large number of vendors and contractors especially if you have other duties within your company. Often the responsibilities for the office move are put on an office manager or facilities manager, finding a good communications partner that can take ownership of the technology piece of your move will take a large burden off of you and make your move a success. Don’t forget to notify your vendors and clients of your new contact information so they can find you after you move.
If you are planning an upcoming office move and would like to talk with an experienced telecommunications partner in the CT area, contact me or give us a call 866-887-5792 so we can help you plan a successful move.
