Anyone who’s ever moved to a new house knows excitement can quickly give way to stress – even panic, if things don’t go to plan. Office moves or upgrades to technology are no different. In fact, with a business full of people who expect entire IT and communication infrastructures to migrate successfully overnight, it makes sense to have a relocation plan specialist in your corner, ensuring no stone is left unturned in your quest to keep the show on the road.
The right support will save a business time and money
Office moves can cost a business serious time and money, so you want the IT specialists supporting you to have experience in spades and a track record of managing relocations that come in on time, on budget and provide everything you need for a smooth transition, from planning months in advance to the big day itself.
What exactly will an IT relocation company do for you?
They’ll visit your existing place of work to get a feel for how your business runs, look at current infrastructure dependencies and what it would take to create a like-for-like environment at your new address.
That will include things like:
An equipment audit
Looking at everything from what you have and what you use, to what’s surplus and gathering dust.
A detailed analysis of the IT and Telecom requirements for your new space
This is a great way to ensure your network will support your everyday business needs, and build towards a more efficient future that will help your business to grow. It looks after practical issues like making sure you have the right broadband speed and using floor plans to place workstations, servers, telephones and printers in the most appropriate locations.
Business continuity planning
Disaster recovery and planning for the unknown has become a very real part of modern-day business. This is where the experience of an IT specialist really comes into its own, addressing issues you might not even realise exist and ensuring your office move doesn’t become a disaster recovery event itself.
Planning and implementation of a secure IT relocation
Relocating a complete IT infrastructure requires a team with experience in handling, packing and transporting specialist IT equipment. Remember, moving it is just half the job, it must be put back together at the new address and be up and running as quickly as possible, issue free.
Full equipment set-up and system testing to ensure business readiness
IT and telecoms equipment will need to be reconnected to the network, tested and made business-ready on the other side, all while the clock is ticking.
Practical support pre- and post-move
Office moves come with endless lists of questions and conundrums. Every business unit will want you to make their priorities your priority, so it’s essential you have the support you need to answer the most technical queries and manage expectations from the boardroom to the post room.
IT housekeeping to future-proof your business
An office move presents the ideal opportunity to review your IT capability generally. Most businesses have an IT wish list that’s as old as the company itself, but if you haven’t been keeping track, a review can start with a very simple question:
"Is our IT platform supporting the business or is the business supporting it?"
If workarounds, patches and recurring hurdles are a way of life, it’s probably time to weigh up the benefits of some affordable upgrades, do a spot of IT housekeeping, or consider using a virtual CIO. Your relocation specialist can help with this too.
As part of your move, they can mirror your existing system, move you to an improved platform or help ease the path towards upgrading once the dust has settled.
Even the slickest of relocations will flag things you could do better, allowing you to think about your supplier contracts and assess whether the infrastructure and paid services you have in place in-house right now are doing a job in terms of efficiency and value for money, or whether you need to outsource.
Still undecided?
Here are seven reasons why an IT Relocation Company is a good idea:
- Technical expertise is a must to safely migrate business-critical IT equipment.
- The business will experience less downtime with a specialist managing the move.
- Your new office will be better planned from a network, cabling and IT perspective.
- Existing IT and Telecoms services and suppliers can be reviewed as part of the move.
- Opportunities to reduce cost and improve business efficiency will be identified.
- You’ll reduce the risk of losing revenue due to delays.
- The relocation project is more likely to stay on budget.
So, in answer to the original question. IT relocation specialist - yea or nay? We say ‘Yea’.
If you are thinking of relocating your business and need help with the process, get in touch, and in the meantime, download our Office Move checklist:
