The time has come. You’re finally ready to take your business from one location to another. You feel prepared, but there’s that feeling that you’ve forgotten something, or maybe a few things. Take comfort in the fact that the feeling is quite common! Moving a business involves plenty of moving parts, coordination and planning, so forgetting an item or a step in the process is entirely possible. In hopes of avoiding that feeling when moving your business, here are some things that business owners tend to forget to do during the moving process.

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Digging Up Documents

  • Over the course of running a business, the papers, records and other miscellaneous files can often pile up. Some get put in special places while others get stuffed away in file cabinets. When moving your business, it’s crucial to ensure that all documents, wherever they’ve been stored, come with you. That can include things like certifications, evaluation reports, bank statements and insurance related documents. To avoid the feeling of leaving an important document behind, thoroughly check each and every file cabinet or desk in your business during the moving process. Even the smallest document that gets left behind could turn your move into a nightmare
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Tech Coordination

  • The physical aspects of moving your business will likely be your top priority, so there are a few things that can easily be forgotten. Being sure to update your website, social media accounts and email signatures may be one of those forgotten things. It’s important to keep your existing and potential customers up to date with your headquarters, so remember to keep them in loop about the move. If your business has an active presence on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram, send out a specialized message about your move. Remind customers that your address may have changed, but your services have not. Also remember to update your email signatures to reflect your new address, especially if clients or customers need to mail anything in.

Swing by Storage

  • When moving your business, remember those items you may have stowed away in storage units. Desk chairs in closets, computer equipment in the basement or various office décor can easily be forgotten. To ensure that you don’t leave anything behind during the moving process, conduct a clean sweep of any and all storage areas around your old space. Those chairs and various decorations will certainly come in handy as you and your employees get comfortable in a new space. If you’ve rented a self-storage unit to help keep office clutter from getting out of control, be sure to stop by and pick up anything you’ll need during the move.
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Noteworthy Notifications

  • While it’s certainly important to let customers and clients know about your move, it’s even more crucial to notify some federal organizations. Many businesses forget to contact the IRS for an official change of address. A similar call must be put in to the Franchise Tax Board, reminding them that your business has a new home. Additionally, the Employment Development Department needs to know about your move. On a more local level, don’t forget to reach out to the Secretary of State’s office for an official change of address.

Making the Move Flow

  • When your move is finished, you want to look back on the process with fond memories. In order for that to happen, remember to take all of the necessary steps to ensure the move goes smoothly. A number of businesses forget to contact the owners or landlords of their new space to coordinate certain aspects of moving in. If you’re moving your business into a large building with several different floors, look into reserving an elevator to easily move furniture and other office equipment up and down the building. In advance, take care of phone, internet or telecommunications services so things are all set up once the move is complete. Remember to have all of the necessary keys or other items to get in and out of your new building. Sit down with the building officials to help coordinate the move and the most accessible entrances and exits. If your business requires any type of signage, coordinate in advance so that potential customers know where to go.

If the list of potential omissions during the moving process has you stressing, here’s a helpful tool. Hughes Marino is a California-based real estate firm that has put together a checklist for moving your business. It covers many of the things we’ve mentioned, but goes even further to help ensure you don’t miss any important steps when moving your business.

The professionally trained staff at Advantage Moving & Storage is ready to help you move your business, and ensure nothing is forgotten. When you’re ready to make the move, contact us here to learn more.