Office Relocation Planner
THE Source for Planning, Managing and Executing Your Next Office Move – Today!
Karen Chessler Warner
Published by Vision Publications, smashwords edition
www.visionpublications.com
Office Relocation Planner: THE Source for Planning, Managing and Executing Your Next Office Move – Today!
©2010 by Karen Chessler Warner
ISBN: 978-1-928742-10-4
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or used in any form or by any means, graphic, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or information storage and retrieval systems without written permission of the publisher.
While this publication is designed to provide accurate and authoritative information in regard to the subject matter covered, it is sold with the understanding that the publisher is not engaged in rendering legal, accounting or other professional advice. If legal advice or other expert assistance is required, the services of a competent professional person should be sought.
Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION TO OFFICE RELOCATION
Evaluating Your Office Space Needs
Planning and Coordinating Your Office Move
CHAPTER 1: FINDING THE RIGHT OFFICE LOCATION
Establish Your Office Space Criteria
Should You Hire a Commercial Real Estate Agent?
How to Find Available Office Properties
Develop a Request for Proposal
Strategic Considerations – Finding the Right Office Location
Action Steps – Finding the Right Location
Begin Moving Company Selection Early
Establishing the Scope of Work
Strategic Considerations – Moving Companies
Action Steps – Moving Companies
CHAPTER 3: INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
Relocating Your Computer/Technology Systems
Strategic Considerations – Information Technology
Action Steps – Information Technology
How Your Location Impacts Telecom Costs
Will Your Phone Number Change?
Plan Your System & Facility Carefully
Strategic Considerations – Telecommunications
Action Steps – Telecommunications
Strategic Considerations – Office Equipment
Action Steps – Office Equipment
Strategic Considerations – Office Furniture
Action Steps – Office Furniture
CHAPTER 7: WRAPPING UP THE MOVE
Strategic Considerations – Wrapping Up the Move
Action Steps – Wrapping Up the Move
Exhibit 1 – Important Building Information
Exhibit 2 – Request for Proposal
Exhibit 3 – Sample Property Analysis
Exhibit 4 - Employee Notification Memo
Introduction to Office Relocation
Regardless of the size of your company, moving offices is a huge undertaking. The key is to plan ahead and minimize the chaos with detailed checklists. In the back of the remaining chapters, you will find checklists that cover each area of your relocation. These make excellent guidelines for determining what comes next in any given process.
Evaluating Your Office Space Needs
Before going too far down the relocation road, it’s essential for a business to have answered the following questions:
Is a relocation required? Perhaps your space could be renovated, or reconfigured to be more efficient.
Are there other alternatives? If your space has become to large, maybe you could sublease a portion to another business.
Would telecommuting work for any of the employees that currently are using office space.
If a move is definitely in your future, are there seasonal fluctuations or other considerations that will affect the timing. (If your operation is busiest during the fall and winter, you’ll want to try and schedule your relocation during the spring or summer months).
It’s important to be sure that a move, and when it occurs, is right for your company.
Planning and Coordinating Your Office Move
When you’re sure that relocating is the best option, a moving coordinator and/or moving team should be selected from your staff, immediately after the decision to move has been made. Your coordinator should be flexible and calm in a crisis; and also have enough authority around the office that employees will listen to his or her requests. This person will also be working with contractors, space planners, architects and all of your moving-related vendors.
Smaller companies usually just need a moving coordinator, but if your company is medium-sized or larger, and has several departments, you’re most likely going to want to select a moving team, as well. The moving team should include a representative from each department in the company. Input from all areas and departments will insure that fewer details are overlooked during the relocation process.