Pre-planning your business move

Is moving the only answer?

Successful businesses often feel the squeeze. More staff, and more furniture and equipment means pressure on space. It’s easy to think that more space will solve the problems but is that really the case? A business move is not just about moving staff and equipment into a new space. There are associated relocation costs such as:

• Space planning
• Updating and printing new stationery and brochures
• Updating marketing materials
• Communicating the move to your customers and suppliers
• New furniture and equipment
• The removal itself

Sometimes a move may not be the only solution. Often your existing workplace can be reorganised to make day-to-day operations more efficient. Floor plans can be reconfigured and equipment moved to achieve space savings. Filing systems and storage areas can be reorganised, rationalised or reduced. Many companies discover that with a little innovation they can change the way they do things and make their current premises work harder for them.

An alternative view

As a first step, you need to understand the cost of space per person in your current environment. A simple staff and building audit will help to identify all the costs and might trigger ideas that challenge current space allocation and find new ways of working.

One approach is to challenge the way ‘we’ve always done things’ and be totally objective about the problems and the solutions.

Using a specialist and independent consultant to help you assess your current working environment can be money well spent because they will bring a fresh eye and new ideas to a review of work practices and space utilisation. They might achieve significant cost savings if the recommendation is that you needn’t move!

Your premises – a five-year strategy

If a move is the correct solution, focus on your premises requirements. Use your knowledge to draw up a simple five-year premises strategy.

Base your assumptions on fact and take account of:

• Your business objectives
• Future plans and expectations
• The possible constraints
• Your business performance over recent years

Create a "needs assessment" to include:

• The space you require
• The function of the premises
• The location of the premises

A different point of view

It may be cost effective to appoint a consultant to produce the needs assessment from your strategy, produce a property search specification and work with commercial agents. You will benefit from a consultant’s property expertise and knowledge of the commercial market, as well as the time they will save you.

If you are looking to move your business, contact us today for more information about our business relocation services.