Office Relocation Checklist | Hunt KL Office

A Step-by-Step Guide

You have finalized a lease for a new location, now comes the task of planning and executing the relocation of your offices. Moving your office is a huge task for any organization. Many companies are completely unfamiliar with how to prepare for a corporate move, and the bigger the company or corporation, the more complex the task is. The major goal in a corporate move is to be cost and time-efficient and it is critical to appropriate the proper amount of time and planning for the process.

The most important part of moving a corporation is to plan everything out well in advance to minimize downtime and get your employees back to running your company as quickly as possible. A professional moving company will assist you with much of the logistical planning of the physical move, but much more planning is required on behalf of your company in order to make the process as smooth as possible.

PRELIMINARY

• Notify present landlord of termination date
• Advise staff of date and location of move
• Solicit RFP’s, interview and engage moving company
• Create a master change-of-address list

PRE-MOVE – GENERAL

• Reserve elevators and loading docks for moving day
• Bid and award moving contract
• Bid and award telephone and computer cabling
• Inventory existing furniture
• Code furniture and equipment on a color-coded floor plan
• Audit keys
• Order any new office furniture and equipment
• Order new stationery
• File change-of-address forms with post office and forward mail
• Check your insurance coverage for the move
• Obtain the Certificate of Occupancy and any other required permits or licenses
• Advise suppliers (telephone, bottled water, coffee service) of new address
• Mail moving notices
• Banks and financial institutions
• Photocopiers
• Clients and customers
• Professional organizations
• Credit accounts and credit cards
• Insurance companies
• Accounts receivable and payable
• Newspaper and magazine subscriptions
• Telephone company and internet service provider
• Prospects and special services
• Hold a meeting at new premises three weeks prior to move. Bring in all parties involved (design/ construction / mover / cabling company / information technology specialist) to ensure all details are covered and all responsibilities clear
• Schedule public relations effort, including plans for news releases and an “office-warming” party
• Change locks / access codes on new premises as close to moving day as possible to secure access
• Decide on security procedures for the move
• Arrange for listing on lobby directory of new building
• Arrange for post-move cleaning

PRE-MOVE – INTERNAL

• Organize a “staff moving committee” if appropriate and delegate responsibilities
• Schedule and prepare agenda for your employee move orientation meeting
• Finalize new seating plan and identify each location
• Prepare labels for moving furniture and boxes to new locations
• Assign move supervisors in each department
• Develop a master relocation project schedule
• Schedule and implement a clean-up program (purge files, dispose of trash)
• Schedule staff for unpacking, including stocking supply cabinets, storerooms, file rooms, and removing tags from all furniture and equipment to ensure your company will be operational as rapidly as possible after move
• Arrange for off-site storage of old files
• Pack contents of all filing cabinets and desks, ensuring everything is properly labeled
• Arrange for staff to tour new premises a few weeks prior to move
• Schedule post-move training for security, fire, and life safety procedures at the new facility
• Distribute access cards and keys for new premises

MOVING DAY

• Arrange with the building manager to have the air conditioning on during the move
• Remove computer equipment (server) and phone system prior to arrival of movers and commence reinstallation at new site
• Draft an emergency contact list for vendors such as elevator maintenance, building management, utilities, telecommunications and moving company

POST-MOVE

• Install and test telephone system
• Distribute new phone list and map showing the locations of departments
• Install and test all computers
• Do a detailed walk-through of the premises and report any damage to moving company
• Transfer your insurance to the new location. Obtain Certificates of Insurance from your insurance company
• Confirm termination of old leases
• Collect parking passes, security cards and keys for the old facility. Confirm the return of any deposits held by the landlord for these items
• Audit final invoices against contracts
• Complete and file all warranty information for all new furniture and equipment
• Update fixed asset accounting system for any new furniture and equipment purchased
• Confirm the change-of-address corrections made
• Schedule press release and client announcement

For more questions, you can refer to www.huntkloffice.com