Ah, the long-awaited summer days. Long and hot months that are just waiting to be filled with vacations, with ice creams and with the smell of suntan lotions. But not when you have to move your business. And moving it in the hottest days of the year can be quite stressful, and it’s not just because of heat. Your business needs to be worked on all year long. But, there might not be a better part of the year for moving your job to another place.
Mistakes you should avoid
Not hiring a moving company
Many business owners tend to move their business all by themselves, especially if they run a small business. You can have your workers move their own stuff, but that can cause their moral to go drastically down. You don’t want to be THAT kind of boss. Moving may not seem to be difficult before trying to carry your bookshelf with someone, and navigating it through the corridors and stairs. It can be dangerous! People might get hurt, and the last thing you want is someone to be injured on your watch.
If you want your move to go as smoothly as your business, consider hiring a moving company like Big Apple Movers NYC, who will carry your stuff professionally and efficiently. Don’t make your employees do the moving for you. And the volunteers are hard to come by.
Not creating a plan
The moving days and the movers came to your door and in the meantime, you’re still searching for your paper clips. Creating a plan ahead of time is the essential part of your moving strategy. First, you should consider where to move your business and why. Is the new place ideal for your work or is there a better place for it? How much will it cost you? Have you created a budget, and have you considered all your costs? How should you organize all of your stuff before moving? Especially electronics? Having a plan is the first step towards making moving easier for you and your business. So, grab a planner and start making your plans come true. As chess player says – better have a bad plan than no plan at all.
Moving during bad weather or rush hour
Moving at summer days is beneficial because you’ll avoid bad weather. But that doesn’t mean that the heavens won’t change their will. You should really look into the weather forecast before you get ready to go. This is such an obvious mistake which many business owners tend to make.
Another mistake people often make is moving in rush hour. Heavy traffic can make your expenses go up and your moving miserable. In NYC rush hour is somewhere between 8:00 am to 10:00 am, and the afternoon rush hour is between 4:00 pm and 7:00 pm. Consider avoiding these times of a day.
Moving everything you own
There is nothing worse than having to take and put and relocate every single item you own. And having to organize the unorganizable. There might not be a better time for decluttering your workspace. Consider selling all of your useless stuff online. You can even make some quick buck with which you can cover your moving expenses. No, you don’t need that lava lamp.
Not “moving” your website
The sooner you change your online address to represent your new offline location the better. Your business requires that you maintain a consistent presence on the web. Having multiple addresses and different contact information can hurt your business greatly, and make you look unprofessional. You should make these changes just before you move to a new location, so you can be ready when you finally settle down in your new headquarters.
Additional tips
Notify your customers and the public
When you move a business, always put a sign at your old location so your customers know when and how they can find you after the moving is done. A sign in advance is a reassuring signal that you are well organized and professional.
Use a different kind of boxes and get packing supplies
Both of those things are cheap and easily available everywhere. You’ll need different kinds of boxes, don’t use only large ones. Medium-sized and small boxes are easy to pack and transport.
Also, don’t forget about packing supplies. You’ll need rolls of bubble wrap, labels, sharpie pens and packing tapes and dispensers. Not having them can make your moving turn into a catastrophe.
Move your business to another state?
Moving to another state can be quite a difficult endeavor. You should consider hiring professionals who can move your business facility with ease. Expenses can skyrocket if you try to move your whole business on your own. It is a dangerous job, and you may risk your budget if you don’t let professionals handle that for you.
But moving to another state can be quite beneficial. Maybe your business will find more customers there,or maybe your taxes will be lower if you move there. Or maybe both. So don’t be afraid to start in a new location in another state.
Minimize downtime
You should coordinate your communication systems and your network. Plan for the switch-over of your communications and electronic systems. You should always try to minimize downtime since it means less expenditure for your business. Consider your phone system, your company network system, and your Internet connectivity.
Avoid heat
Too hot of weather can be one of your greatest nemeses while trying to move your business to a different location in the summer months. It can damage the skin or even worse, the health of everyone included in the move. It may be best to start early in the morning or late in the evening. Heat can even be bad for your electronic devices, especially if there’s a stark difference in temperatures between interior and exterior.
Don’t forget to enjoy your summer!
And after everything is said and done, you may engage in your well-deserved vacation. Take a long bath, put a tan lotion on your skin, grab some ice cream and enjoy your summer. Just don’t forget about your business!