Whenever you move office spaces there are hundreds of things to consider. Once the new location is decided you still have to make sure that the business technology you have today will continue to operate after the move. We’ve seen many businesses suffer days or weeks worth of lost productivity due to improper planning and implementation of the move, here is how you can avoid being one of them!
Telecommunications
You need to contact your internet, phone, alarm, fire panel, utility, and other vendors to assure that the telecommunications systems will be ABLE to be transferred to the new location. Usually they will, but depending on where you move to, you may find yourself trying to break the contract with the old provider AND searching for a new one.
Vendor Coordination
Who will manage all the technology vendors? The audio-visual guy (projectors, conference rooms, sound systems, etc), the phone vendor (to move the phone system), the IT vendor, the ISP (internet provider), the phone company (the one providing your phone service), the security alarm company, the fire panel company, and so on?
Preparation of equipment
Sometimes technology can be fickle. If you do not have a monthly preventative maintenance program, this is the time to at least do a preventive maintenance session on your equipment. You may find that some equipment is failing and you didn’t realize it. Good to know ahead of time!
Documentation
Is everything labeled and documented? Do you have a CURRENT network diagram? Do you know WHERE all the devices are? Some items are tucked away under desks, in the ceiling, in the corner of some closet. Additionally, do you know where everything is connected on all devices? It is amazing the number of cords connected to our devices – if you don’t connect them back the way they were in the first place you will find your technology not working after the move.
Moving your equipment
Some moving companies can and will move the equipment, some don’t. What kind of experience do they have? Will you move the most critical items yourself? You need to seriously consider your plan. When it comes to switches, routers, servers, and access points it is unlikely the moving people will know what to do and if these items are damaged, it could affect everyone.
Reassembly
Once the equipment is in the new office, who will assemble it? Will your company be operational the day after the move?
Timeline
Be realistic in your plan for how long it will take. These things always take longer than planned, especially when you do it yourself. Each problem takes time to solve and trust us, there are always problems to solve. Whether it is finding someone’s favorite stapler to understanding why nobody can connect to the server. Each item takes TIME.
PCS International has assisted with hundreds of moves. With PCS MoveIT(sm) we can manage and/or implement and/or all areas of the technology portion of the move – freeing you to focus on getting the rest of the operation running smoothly with minimal disruption.
