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Ultimate office IT relocation guide for small business
Planning an office relocation? Our guide will show you how to organise and manage it smoothly so it doesn't disrupt your day-today business. In our ultimate IT office relocation guide for small business we go through all the things you will need to know about, questions you will need to ask your IT provider, and questions your IT provider will ask you. It doesn’t matter if you own a small accountancy firm, or if you manage a wedding supplies business. When it comes time for you to move offices, there are a number of things that need to be done beforehand to ensure evrything goes smoothly without any disruptions.. We have created this guide from our experiences with clients around the UK over the years. Our Office IT relocation guide has advice from our IT team on how to organise and manage it smoothly so it doesn't disrupt your work.
Guide Contents:
Defining your office requirements
Planning youroffice move effectively
Protecting your business data
Prepare formoving day
Test your newoffice network
HelpDesk Heroes IT solutions
Let’s begin!
Have a cup of tea and get comfortable. This guide includes everything. You may even want to bookmark it for future reference!.
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Office Relocation - Planning it out from the start
Whether you manage the move in house or outsource the job our office relocation guide will help to get it right on the day. It may also be a good chance to look at your workspace. A move is a great opportunity to take a hard look at your current processes and find out what isn't working for your company. Can it be improved? Moving offices can be a good time to review and possibly upgrade anything that isn't working as well as it could. If there is hardware in your office that is no longer being used or are no longer the best option for your business needs, it's worth considering upgrading them. The benefits of an upgrade could be more productivity..
Review your existing IT equipment
Moving to a new office is the perfect time to take a good look at your existing IT equipment and office furniture. If your existing equipment and network infrastructure is old, the office move is a good time to update your IT equipment. Upgrading your network or servers at this time can save you money and any disruption in the future.
Inventory of all equipment
Make a full list of all your existing office equipment and furniture which will help to determine whether it still meets your requirements. This includes your desktop computers, laptops and devices, telephones, servers and other equipment such as faxes, scanners, printers and photocopiers. Consider any equipment that needs upgrading or replacing. This is when you should decide what will move to your new space and what will be replaced. Plan the organizing, packing and labeling of everything that you are taking with you.
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Effective planning and organisation.Office relocation planning is a big job. It is important to make sure that there is as little disruption as possible. It is important to have a full plan and checklist for the numerous task and considerations. Having a dedicated manager and centralizing your information is essential to success. Creating an office moving timetable is key making sure that you are on budget and on time. Estimate a completion date for each task and assign someone of make sure it happens.
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Get expert help with your relocationIf you decide to outsource your office move you can focus on upgrading your equipment and any staff training. Here at HelpDesk Heroes we can make your move simple. We can liaise with all of your different service providers and make sure that the services you had in your old office are ready for use in your new office as well as manage the physical move of your IT equipment.
Prepare your site visit checklist.
Once you have assessed your IT network and communications requirements, you will have a clear idea of what to keep track of during your site visit. You should plan on having your IT manager present, as well as a certified cabling company so you can verify that everything works and decide if/where you’d like to add more drops. Your relocation plan for your office space should also include furniture as well as office equipment.
Visit your new office with your IT manager
A site visit is essential in planning for a successful move. Make a visit with your IT manager to review network cabling requirements and locations of workstations. This is the time to identify any potential issues with your new workspace and plan your desk layouts, powerpoints and cabling requirements.
Assess your new office IT network needs.
Your new office may need to have new cabling infrastructure in order to manage any upgraded communications. This includes your broadband suppliers, telephone systems and server room. Check how many power outlets there are and if you will need some more.
Review your phone services options
Do you need to order new phone lines or upgrade your phone systems. For example if you are switching from PBAX to VoIP you will need to install the right cabling and infrastructure for the job. Consider how many phone lines you are going to need and whether you an upgrade to Cat 6 cabling.
Make a configuration plan of new office with your IT provider
Carefully plan the migration and transfer of your IT systems, ensuring the ideal locations for workstations, power jacks, and network cabling points are found. Decide on the best positions for your printers, scanners, routers and other equipment. Make sure that the server room meets your new management and security requirements. A well prepared IT network plan will minimise your downtime during the move.
Packing your IT equipment
Start packing and labeling of everything that you are taking with you. Make sure all wiring and data cables are labelled correctly and to which piece of equipment it belongs. Its sounds obvious but if you don’t do it it can cause a lot of wasted time trying to figure out with wire goes where! Packing and transporting your IT equipment requires special handling and in transit protection.
Protect your business data during your office move.
It is crucial to always be prepared for the worst case scenario during your office relocation. Safeguard your business data just in case something goes wrong during the move. We recommend making several backup copies of all company data systems. This will ensure that a full recovery is possible. If something does go wrong, you will still be able to access all your business data.
Notify your customers and clients and service providers
Announce your move. Let your clients know that you’re relocating well in advance of your move so that they know to expect possible delays in service or communications. Contact your and service providers and let them know your new information.
Prepare for moving Day
Create a detailed moving day plan so that everyone knows what they are doing. Therefore, it’s strongly recommended you allow IT and your telecom solution provider to complete the actual moving portion for you. If you’re planning on using the same moving company for every aspect of the office move, make sure they’re able to move electronic equipment appropriately.
Dispose of old or unnecessary IT equipment
Properly dispose of old or broken office and IT equipment. When it comes to disposing of your old IT Equipment it is important to contact the right places. Businesses who use computers, hardware and other electrical devices have a legal Waste Duty of Care when disposing of them. In the UK retailers have a legal responsibility to help you dispose of electronic items responsibly. Read more on our blog about recycling old hardware.
Test your new office network.
On moving day if you can have your IT manager and telecoms services provider in the office this will help smooth out any issues should they arise. This can include any staff training needed. Your IT manager should verify that all the computers, cabling broadband and phones are all working correctly. Making sure that all the numbers and extensions are working as well as testing any features of the phone systems. Testing to make sure all network connections are functioning properly. Check that all of the servers are working and run a test on network capability. Ensure all data migration has been completed.
How HelpDesk Heroes can help with your office move
Moving offices doesn’t have to be disruptive. An organised and efficient relocation plan can ensure that everything goes smoothly. If you don’t have the staff resources available to manage the move, consider outsourcing and let a professional team take care of all the time consuming tasks. If you need help moving to your new office the HelpDesk Heroes team will work with you from start to finish to ensure your office move goes smoothly and is completed on time and on budget. We will manage your office relocation properly and will transfer your IT equipment without any disruption or IT disasters. Professionally configuring your IT and telecoms systems and taking care of your hardware and software requirements.
Talk to us about IT Relocation services
For a stress free office relocation contact us for a quote. We work across a range of industries with solutions for large or small businesses.
Tell us about your technical needs and we will recommend the ideal solution for you.
Our Happy Clients
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Using our IT services for small businesses, they don't have to think about their IT, because we do.
"We have been very impressed by the professionalism of HelpDesk Heroes and their dedication to our company. Upon purchasing their services, we were presented with a plan tailored to our structure and needs which includes an overseas office. To this day, HelpDesk Heroes has never let us down and, despite our constantly changing needs, we feel supported and cared for by our dedicated HelpDesk Heroes team, especially Josh and Jackye."
Cindy Richards
Rylan Peters & Small Publishing
"Having been happily looked after by one of HelpDesk Heroes’ founders Jackye for over ten years, it only made sense to follow when we heard the news of their new company – we wouldn’t go anywhere else! I would gladly recommend their IT support services. They are extremely flexible with our team, our enquiries and always respond in no time if we do have an urgent problem. They understand our core needs almost as if they are a part of the team itself so continue to improve and enhance the way we work and function. It has been refreshing to have the IT support and solutions thought about overall and not just ‘patched’ when things have gone wrong."
Gulsen Yanik
Big Al’s Creative Emporium Advertising Agency