If you thought that moving from one house to another was a big headache, wait until you’ve tried moving an entire office to a new workplace! Moving may seem like a simple task especially when you hire office movers to do the job. However, things can quickly go downhill if you make any of these office moving mistakes.
Here are six of the most common mistakes companies or the people running them make when moving offices. Avoid these, and you can be sure that the moving process will go a lot smoother and faster, saving you both time and money.
1) Being unaware of a moving company’s reviews
Looks can be very deceiving. Just because the website of a moving company you’re interested in looks nice does not necessarily mean they provide exemplary service. The same goes for phone calls; having friendly customer service is one thing, and having superb moving services is another. Do your due diligence on moving companies by reading online reviews on Yelp and Google, and asking for recommendations from friends and family members who recently moved
2) Relying on your employees to help with the move
You may think that moving desks, chairs, computers and all kinds of office materials is easy to do with the help of your employees and some of their friends. But have you ever tried lifting a desk and carrying it down a flight of stairs? DIY is an available option, but you have to ask yourself: do you want to risk your health or that of your employees by asking them to do something they have no experience with? Your best option is to hire the services of professional and trustworthy movers that have packages that specifically cater to office or corporate moves.
3) Overloading a box
While this is a simple mistake, it still bears mentioning since it gets repeated over and over again. Packing all of your books and documents into one box to keep them organized may seem like a great idea but it can have dire consequences. The box can get very heavy, which could compromise its integrity, leading to your belongings falling and getting damaged. Worse, having heavy things dropped either on you or anyone else can lead to serious injuries. Here’s a great guide to packing moving boxes properly.
4) Bringing everything from the old office to the new one
There’s nothing more frustrating than moving to your new office with things that you do not need. You can avoid this situation by cleaning out your office and getting rid of unusable items, either by selling them online or donating them to charitable organizations. You can even save money as moving fewer things means you don’t have to hire a bigger truck that can cost a lot of money.
5) Not getting insurance for your valuables
It is a smart move to get insurance for your valuables in the unfortunate event that they get damaged, broken, or even lost during the moving process. There are a few ways to get insurance for your items: one is through the moving company that you are going to be working with and two, you can get your things insured if you’re going to make the move your way.
You should also pay attention to the kind of insurance that you’re getting as most moving companies offer numerous types ranging from full-service coverage to truck rental coverage. There is a lot of fine print involved in the moving process so you should never hesitate to ask questions to make sure that the insurance you’re getting is appropriate for your situation.
Another tip is to move items like printers and laptops yourself. While movers can ensure that these things will not break or get damaged, they are small enough to get lost or even get stolen.
6) Making a move in bad weather conditions
Moving companies usually charge by the hour with rates increasing during rush hour. That being said, you should try to schedule your move on days when sunny weather is expected. While the fact remains that the weather is totally out of your control, you can still plan properly by paying attention to the weather forecast. The smoother your move goes, the lesser your expense will be.
