Planning Your Office Move

Proper Planning Prevents Possible Problems!

Planning ahead can help ensure a smooth move and limit down time to get you and your company up and running as quickly as possible after your move. The following questions will help prepare for the planning process, assist in interviewing a mover, and soliciting bids for your relocation project.

Standard

1. Are you planning to move into new construction?
   
   
2. Do you plan to move in phases?
   
   
3. Is there a possibility move consultants should be interviewed?
   
   
4. Will your broker take on the project management?
   
   
5. Have you prepared a month to month additional lease in case the new space isn’t ready?
   
   
6. Will warehouse moves be before, after or on the same day as the employee moves?

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Furniture

1. Will your current furniture reconfigure or will additional parts be needed to complete the new set up?
   
   
2. Who will move your furniture; mover or installer?
   
   
3. If buying new furniture, will the designer provide extra sets of plans for additional vendors to use?
   

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Building/Parking

1. Do you need to set up Dock times at origin and destination?
   
   
2. If your employees rely on parking garages, take a poll on who needs spaces to purchase group lots or group monthly rates.
   
   
3. If you use key passes with pictures, do you have everyone's current electronic photo on file?
   

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Technology

1. Have you contacted your MIS Dept to start a plan for the infrastructure?
   
   
2. Can your phone system support your growth and new building?
   
   
3. Is it cheaper to upgrade to voice over IP?
   
   
4. Who will bag & tag your systems?
   
   
5. Never implement new hardware or software upgrades before or during a move unless the system is dependent on the upgrade such as Token Ring to Ethernet.
   

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Move Prep

1. What is your standard file cabinet length?
   
   
2. What are your total linear feet of files moving?
   
   
3. Do you have a shredding contract to execute a purge event?
   
   
4. Do you have to schedule elevator and dock times?
   
   
5. Does your building require building protection during the move out or move in?
   
   
6. Will receptionists or secretaries need to access files throughout the move? (library carts)
   
   
7. Is your photo copy machine(s) leased? Does the leasing company require they move the copier(s)?
   
   
8. Do you have an inventory of onsite or offsite storage facilities?
   
   
9. Remember to contact the following vendors about the move:
   1. Record storage
   2. Printing (letter head, business cards, etc.)
   3. Coffee, water, snack
   4. Plants
   5. Office supplies
   6. Pager or cell phone billing
      
      
10. Prepare a mass email or fax to inform clients of new address and phone numbers.
    

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Questions To Ask Movers

1. Hourly rates (standard, overtime, weekend & holiday)
   
   
2. Certificate showing Union status (if applicable)
   
   
3. Who are your National Clients?
   
   
4. List your last 5 largest moves for this year
   
   
5. List your last 5 clients of the same industry type
   
   
6. Who is your insurance provider?
   
   
7. What is your standard insurance or valuation pay out?
   
   
8. Do you have project managers?
   
   
9. Will the salesman be present for the move?
   
   
10. Are you affiliated with a Van Line?
    
    
11. How many full time employees do you have?
    
    
12. What is the breakdown of employees? (i.e. office, drivers, helpers, warehouse)
    

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Planning Schedule

4 Weeks before the move

• Meet with Rentacrate, your Mover and/or Move Consultant to finalize the move schedule.

• Form Moving Supervisory Team to assist in delegation and implementation.

• Finalize floor plan for new office and assign label and placard colors and department numbers to provide to your mover.

• Prepare Move Communication Packets for your employees, providing the move schedule and instructions for Purging and/or Shredding and How to Use Rentacrates (the Pak-N-Stak™ Process). Rentacrate can provide literature for your employees.

• Schedule and prepare agenda for your Employee Move Orientation Meeting.

• Take inventory of all “High-Value” items in your office and note any pre-existing damage. Declare all high-value items to your mover in writing.

• Contact your insurance agent to discuss coverage during your move.

• Meet with your MIS Department to discuss special needs for moving IT equipment. Rentacrate can also meet with your MIS Department to explain the Pak-N-Stak™ Process for moving computers.

3 Weeks before the move

• Conduct your Employee Move Orientation Meeting.

• Distribute Move Communication Packets to your employees.

• Schedule delivery of Rentacrate Purge/Shredding Bins - 2 weeks before the move, File and Computer Crates and Moving Supplies – 1 week before the move.

• Explain Purge / Shredding Process and distribute instructions and identify location of bins throughout the office.

• Assign individuals to be on-site during the move to answer questions and supervise the process.

• Distribute list of contact names and telephone numbers where contacts can be reached on the day of the move.

• Contact Building Management at your new location to review policies and procedures for move-in day.

• Arrange loading dock and elevator reservations as appropriate at the origin and destination locations.

2 Weeks before the move

• Purge / Shredding Bins delivered.

• Communicate with your staff, encourage a successful purge process.

• Make list of employees who will not be present for the move and assign an individual to pack and label their work area.

• Assign individuals to pack and label common areas such as the kitchen, lounge, etc.

• Draft an emergency contact list for vendors such as Rentacrate, Elevator Maintenance, Building Management, Utilities, Telecom, and Moving Company.

1 Week before the move

• Rentacrates, crate dollies, labels, and moving supplies delivered and distributed.

• Provide Placards to your Mover or Move Consultant to post at the destination site.

• Confirm dock and elevator reservations and origin and destination locations.

• Contact Building Management to confirm dates and times.

• Conduct a Final Prep Meeting with Supervisory Team, Mover and Move Consultant. Review the move schedule and address any last minute needs.

• Communicate with your employees throughout the week, making sure the packing process is going smoothly and answer any questions.

• Confirm the schedule of individuals who will attend the move and their roles.

• Distribute 2-way radios and cell phones as appropriate for use during the move.

• Distribute copies of floor plan to your move supervisors.

• Complete a thorough walk-through of your new office space and take inventory of existing damage to walls, doorjambs and flooring.

• Install Building Protection at new facility (Doorjamb, Wall, and Floor Protection).

• Designate a Lost and Found area at the destination site.

Moving Day

• Make sure Move Supervisors are at their assigned posts at origin and destination facilities.

• Be available to direct movers and answer questions regarding the placement of furniture, filing cabinets, etc.

• Monitor collection of Lost and Found items and identify where they should be delivered.

• Conduct a thorough and final walk-through of the origin site with your mover to ensure that all items have been moved.

• Assess completion of the move at the destination site and rearrange as necessary.

Post Move

• Be available to answer all questions from employees.

• Ensure that your Move Supervisor Team is available to answer questions.

• Take inventory of any items damaged during the move.

• Make a list of items that need to be addressed.

• Assign a crate collection site for empty crates.

• Encourage employees to unpack quickly and bring their empty crates to the assigned location.

• Complete regular walk-throughs of office space to identify crates which still need to be unpacked or brought to collection site.

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