Let’s be honest – many businesses border on obsessive with their strategy planning. And that’s not necessarily a bad thing! But strangely, when it comes to moving location, some business owners let go of the reins, not realizing that a commercial moving strategy is key to making it successful.

Of course, planning is important for every type of move, but because not all moves are the same, preparations can differ. For example, an office move will involve disassembling and packing desks, filing cabinets and electronic office equipment, but a café or restaurant will typically involve moving very heavy kitchen equipment and furniture.

The challenge for any moving company is to safely deliver items to their new location, but business owners face particular challenges of their own.

Why Bother with a Commercial Moving Strategy?

Basically, it comes down to the old business adage that time is money. Any move is going to cause disruption to the normal daily routine, but for a business it inevitably involves downtime, which ultimately translates to lost revenue.

A commercial or office moving strategy is influenced by a number of factors, including:

• the type of business – dictates what items needs to be packed, disassembled and moved
• the number of employees – how efficiently they can carry out normal duties in the run-up to the move
• distance to travel – how long the physical move takes will affect your timetable

So how can these challenges be overcome? What are the key elements to an effective moving strategy?

5 Tips For A Successful Commercial Move

1. Start Early – Commercial moves require military-like precision planning, and that needs time. We recommend starting 60 days before moving day so you have time to triple check every detail. Remember, the more employees, workstations, desks and furniture, the more details there are to cover.
2. Select 2 Moving Coordinators – You’ve got a business to run, so you cannot spend your time obsessing over how many printers to pack and what cable goes with what. Select two trusted members of staff to oversee things, and schedule regular progress meetings. Why 2 people? Getting set up at the new premises is a challenge too, so one can focus on the departure and the other on the arrival.
3. Your Staff Input – A commercial moving strategy never overlooks staff. The moving company will take care of most packing, but it’s a good idea to ask staff to put everything in order first. Ask them to pack away their personal desk items themselves (photos, penholders etc), and if feasible colour-code work-related equipment components (like computer, computer cables etc…) so nothing gets lost.
4. Have Destination Ready – Make sure everything is ready at your destination so you get fully operational as quickly as possible. Check the power and water is working 2 or 3 days before moving day. Also, prioritize your unpacking to avoid cluttering up the new space.
5. Let Your Clients Know – There is going to be some downtime, so make sure your clients know what’s going on – and in plenty of time. Once you’ve settled on a moving date, send an email, post a notice on your website and on social media. Also, tell your bank, your creditors and the post office so important mail goes to the new address.

Planning With Viktoria

At Viktoria Professional Movers, we like to think of ourselves as our clients’ moving partners. That’s why we’ve worked with dozens of businesses in putting together an effective commercial moving strategy, helping to ensure their move across Toronto runs as smoothly as possible with minimal downtime.

For more on our commercial moving services, check out our website or call us on (902) 332 – 3535, Toll Free on 1 (877) 399-1315, or fill out our moving estimate form for a free consultation.