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You work with people who you understand right away.  And then, you work with others who you never seem to be able to get what they’re saying the first time. A simple miscommunication sometimes means hours of stress and difficulty redoing the original work performed.  That’s just the nature of the workplace. With your office move, though, you want to have as few miscommunications as possible, so you avoid annoying mishaps:

1. Keep e-mails succinct and send as few as possible.  Do you know the guy at the office who always sends 7 e-mails to get his point across?  You can’t remember what his original e-mail meant because you’re so busy going through all the others.  When you have to communicate via e-mail, send as few as you can.  And keep them short.  It’s easy to miscommunicate with longer e-mails because words can be subjectively understood.
2. Be honest and direct.  You know the person who talks around the real issue?  They use long sentences, seem a little awkward in their demeanor, and you don’t quite get what they’re saying.  Then, whatever the issue was, it continues to happen.  That’s not the way to communicate verbally.Instead, be honest, direct, and succinct. Talk to your employees about the move in a respectful, tactful, but still honest way.
3. Ask the other party their understanding of your communication.  Whenever you complete your communication with the other party, ask them to talk about their understanding of what you just said.  That way, you know you’ve communicated things properly.  And if they didn’t get it the first time, clarify the parts they don’t understand.  Be patient – if you get angry, that causes the other party to focus on your anger and lose the real message you’re trying to communicate.
4. Proactively follow up.  If you’ve communicated something to your CRN team or employees, and you get no immediate response, don’t leave things up to chance.  Instead, follow up with them to see what the status of your request is.  That way, you can stop stressing.
5. Provide communication standards to everyone involved with the move.  If you need daily communication in the form of an e-mail with your CRN team, let them know.  Maybe you don’t need that right now, and a weekly phone call will do the job. Do the same with everyone participating in your office move.  Make your standards clear and explain why they’re necessary.

If you take these steps, you’ll iron out small problems before they become more major ones later on down the line.  Clear communication isn’t always given the proper recognition it deserves, but the better you do it, the less stress you experience and the sooner your company moves to its new location.

If you ever employed professional commercial moving services for your company than you know how stressful moving your offices or business can be. Either your movers will alleviate your stress and provide you with a good move or they will add to your stress and give you a move that can be less than satisfactory. Which end of the stick would you like to be on?

It’s all about research. Get on the internet and search for office movers that are local to your area. Find out if they are members of the Commercial Relocation Network. If they are, than you can expect nothing short of an excellent move. However, if they are not then you’ll need to conduct more research. You will want to find out about your candidate office mover and who they are, how long they have been around, what their ability to move capacity is, and if they are the kind of mover that produces happy clients.

Search for reviews and testimonials. Get back on the internet and visit the company’s website testimonials and online business reviews. Google is well known for providing credible company reviews for example and other online places like Yelp and Yahoo business are others. See what people had to say about their moving experiences with your candidate office mover and make sure you’re going to get the quality service you are looking for.

Depending on the size of the job, office moving can be expensive but that doesn’t mean your office movers are worth what they are charging. One of two things may happen; either you’ll receive a lousy experience with movers who simply cannot produce the quality, capability, or efficiency you need, or you’ll find that your office movers are amazing and worth adding to your recommendation list. Of course you could just make things easy and contact CRN for all your office moving needs.

It is often that businesses prefer to have their entire office move completed in as short as time as possible. That’s perfectly fine and is often the way commercial moving projects go. However, in some situations, a multiple-stage move may be needed in concurrence with a business’s operational schedule. Members of the Commercial Relocation Network are prepared to handle these kinds of moves.

Office movers of CRN understand the complexity that can come with commercial relocation projects. They are able to not only handle the office moves that can be done in just a few hours, but they can also work in parallel with a company’s business operating schedule and handle the more complex moves requiring many moving series to complete. It doesn’t matter if the office move takes a day, a couple weeks, or many months.

If an office move requires moving in stages and over a series of dates, businesses will find that working with members of CRN will make their entire project less stressful and better organized. They are even equipped with the experience and knowledge to assist companies with designing effective moving strategies to suit their specific needs.

A business may need commercial relocation services but at the same time prefer not to shut down operations during their move. The members of CRN are able to provide move-management and coordination assistance to help with the move process so businesses can continue operating. Office moving foremen can work with project managers and coordinators and create a moving plan, which the foremen can convey to their teams and workout without a business’s continual direction.

If office moving in stages is a requirement or would make for an easier project for a business to move its offices, then working with members of CRN all the more ideal. Moving can be stressful and problematic but when CRN handles moving projects, the stress and problems are greatly reduced and replaced with efficiency and success.

Got an unreasonable landlord? Maybe you have a better problem – you’ve outgrown your current office space much faster than you anticipated.

Regardless of why you’re in this situation, the fact of the matter is you need to terminate your lease earlier than you thought.

So what can you do?  A few ideas:

1. Negotiate ahead of time.  The best way to solve this problem is really to have a plan in place when you first discuss your lease with your landlord.  Most will settle for lease terms of around two years.  So, negotiate a short time-frame, and if your business experiences unexpected changes, you’re able to exit at a more convenient time.
2. Walk away from the lease.  You can always walk away from your lease at any time, but remember you’re still on the hook for the rent.  Law, however, does note that your landlord has an “affirmative obligation” to try to find a replacement tenant.  Will your landlord actually try to do that when you’re still responsible for the rent, though?  Not too likely.  And if the new tenant doesn’t pay as much rent, you have to make up the difference.

   It’s not the healthiest thing for your business, but if you absolutely need to get out, it’s one way to do so.

3. Offer a buy-out or let your landlord keep part of your security deposit.  You can try to do this, but if you have a long time left on your lease, you may not be able to swing it.  However, if your landlord thinks he can lease the office space without too much difficulty, he may allow this to happen.  It’s worth a try if you’re desperate to get out.
4. You can leave in the event of a “substantive breach.”  What, the carpets weren’t cleaned for a year?  You can’t leave in this circumstance, but if your landlord breaches a significant provision in the lease, such as not repairing a caved in roof, that can be grounds for leaving.  However, be very clear on the reason you are leaving – “substantive breach” is debatable.  And if the reason is debatable, your landlord can sue you.  It’s a wise idea to consult with a commercial real estate attorney first in this case.
5. Assign or sublease the space.  Hopefully you have negotiated this right in your contract.  Sub-leasing means you’re legally liable for all payments, while someone else occupies the space.  Assigning transfers all legal obligations of your lease to another party, so that’s preferable if possible.  Remember, however, that most leases give landlords the right to approve or disapprove of the new tenant.

Whatever your situation happens to be, just remember to be honest above all else.  You may be trapped in a lease you don’t want, but you did agree to it.  If you are reasonable, your landlord is more likely to respond to you positively.

When you search for an office moving service, they can help you with a number of different aspects of moving your office.  But, the question you should ask them is, “Can you help me with all aspects of moving my office?”

What are the different aspects of office moving that a company could help you with?  Here’s a list of some of the most common and important elements of the process for any type of company:

1. Equipment and furniture packing.  This is what you’d expect of any CRN moving company – the packing and relocation of all your office furniture and equipment.
2. Computer packing.  Your CRN team will have some specialized knowledge as to how to disconnect, handle, pack, transport, and reconnect sensitive technological equipment.  This could include PCs, laptops, printers, routers, switches, servers, and UPSs.
3. Specialty packing.  Do you have fine art or other high-value items that decorate your office?  Your CRN team will use special techniques to ensure these items do not experience any damage.
4. Recycling.  Okay, you could probably dispose of your unneeded furniture and equipment yourself.  But, the experienced members of the CRN network have green initiatives in place.  If it’s unnecessary and needs to be disposed of, your CRN team knows how to get rid of it in an earth-friendly way.
5. Installation.  You do have an office design in place for your new location, don’t you?  Your CRN team can help you make one, and install everything into your new location right the first time.
6. Phased moves.  Have a large amount of inventory that needs to be transported to a new location?  CRN members help you plan moves in phases so the entire process flows smoothly, and your company experiences minimal disruption to its productivity.
7. Data center relocation.  If you’re not comfortable storing your information on the cloud yet, you may have a large data center in need of transport.  CRN members develop custom solutions to help you disconnect, pack, transport, and install your data center at your new location.
8. Are you installing new carpet?  “Lift and lay” describes a system where CRN members use hydraulic equipment to ease the process of installing new equipment.  Disassembly, relocation, and reassembly is a much slower process, and lift and lay can be done quietly during the night when no one is working.  It also requires very little effort from your employees.

So if you’re looking to have your office moved, this is what you should look for.  And remember, CRN members can help you with all of these services – and others.

So you’ve finally made it to your new office, and now it’s time to get everyone settled in and a new routine in place.

Now that you’re here, what should you do?  There’s no prescribed procedure, but here’s a few ideas:

1. Celebrate with Your Employees

Think of all the work you and your employees put in to moving to your new location.  You can do something simple – like having everyone bring in a snack or dish to pass – or if business goes well, you could hire entertainment.  You’ll build a ton of good will with your employees if you choose to do this.

2. Celebrate with Clients and Business Associates

This is a perfect time to build relationships and offer a surprise free gift to clients who attend.  Whatever service or product you’re providing, give them more for free.

3. Invite Other Community Members

It’s important to get to know businesses, nonprofits, and other organizations in the community.  You never know how you could work together to achieve a mutually satisfying outcome in the future.

4. Develop an Orientation/Training Session for Your Employees

If it’s a larger office you’re moving in to, help your employees feel comfortable by developing a training session.  That eliminates much fear and uncertainty on their part.

5. Allow Your Employees to Help Decorate

The dirty work – that you can leave to your CRN team.  The fun stuff, that should involve your employees.  They’ll be spending the next several years of their lives in your office, so they might as well enjoy how it’s decorated.  Also, because they get to take ownership of the new office, they’ll enjoy being in it more – which means less complaining for you to deal with.

6. Play Some Games

Invent some simple games to play in your new office space to help your employees get comfortable with it.  Ever heard of the sticky-tack movie game?  All you do is use sticky tack to build characters from movies, and everyone else in the office has to guess who they are.  You could also play off-ground tag, which means you simply cannot touch the ground while the person who is “it” tries to tag others.

How you break in your new office is up to you, but hopefully these fun ideas have provided you with inspiration for making the opening of your new office a grand success.

What business wouldn’t appreciate this advice?  It’s going to be a significant expense on your budget, so you might as well figure out how to make the process as cost-efficient as possible.

If you’re getting ready to move your office, then here are some things you can do to keep the costs down:

• Move to a more energy-efficient location.  Maybe this is one of the primary reasons you’re moving in the first place, and maybe it’s not.  But, since you are moving, make sure the new location you’re going to move to makes energy efficiency a priority.  While you’re at it, make sure the same applies to all the equipment you’re using.
• Buy gently used office furniture.  Office furniture can be fairly expensive when brand new, so if you have a limited budget, buy used.
• Share your new office space.  Not sure you’re going to grow all that much?  Then consider sharing new office space with another company.
• If you’re going to grow… Make sure you have office space lined up that will accommodate that growth.  You can’t always predict growth accurately, but do remember that it’s more cost-effective to move once and stay put for several years.
• Let employees work from home.  Not sure how much of your new office space you’ll actually use?  Agree to allow some of your employees to work from home for at least a few days per week.  If they can work from home, that’s a bonus for you and them because home-based employees are generally more productive.  It’s a good way to deal with unexpected growth as well.
• Hire a broker to negotiate favorable lease terms.  If you’re going to move, this is one of the ways you’ll save the most money.  You have to be very careful with brokers, though, because some represent the interests of the landlord.  Make sure you find your own and that they work in your best interest.
• Check for loans from local economic development authorities.  If you’re small and just getting on your feet, economic development organizations may have low-interest loans for companies looking to move to certain areas of the city.  Check with yours if you feel you fit this criterion.

If you follow those steps, you can lower your moving costs substantially.  Make sure you consider each carefully long before you move your business.

Time to move?  That’s good, but can you trust the moving company you’re considering?  The CRN network is made of members that are the very best in their industry, so you don’t have to worry when choosing one.

However, you might already have talked with some other moving companies and gotten a few quotes.

If you’re not sure who to trust, remember to look out for these sure signs the company you’ve talked with will cause more hassle than anything else:

1. Quickly written quotes.  A good office mover asks many questions, and may give you a ballpark range for a quote when you first talk.  If you get anything more than that, you might be working with a dishonest moving service.  Their quote has a high chance of being inaccurate.  If the quote’s too high, you pay too much.  If it’s too low, the company works too fast and makes mistakes.
2. They use scare tactics.  A good moving company like our CRN members gives you an honest quote after evaluating your circumstances.  If the office mover you’ve talked with tries to scare you into using their services now, you’ve most likely talked with a dishonest company.
3. Using any other form of pressure.  A dishonest office moving company may also try to pressure you into making a decision immediately by saying their prices are going up in the next week.  Don’t buy it – that’s just another way to get you emotional and to make a decision you shouldn’t.
4. Your gut says something isn’t right.  Your instincts are one of the best indicators of a dishonest moving company.  If you know something’s off, but can’t tell what, then that’s a sure-fire sign to pass on that moving company’s services.
5. Did their rep arrive on time?  It’s a small thing, but if their rep didn’t arrive on time for the initial meeting, that can be a sign of things to come.
6. They aren’t willing to set clear deadlines.  So this one falls more into the category “bad office moving company” than it does “dishonest.”  If they can’t set firm deadlines, that’s a sign they don’t have standardized processes in place to get things done.
7. Unusual payment arrangements.  If the company you’re considering decides to use a non-standard payment method, that’s another sign something’s not quite right.

Remember, the CRN network has the best office moving companies in the nation.  You can expect to experience professional, honest service from each and every one.

There’s so much to do when moving your office. Hopefully, you’ve thought about the whole process well ahead of time. If you have, good for you, and if you haven’t, then make sure you check this list of must-dos before moving:

1. Set Up Mail Redirection & Notify Vendors
Did you notify your clients of your change of address? Good, but you should set up mail redirection because there will always be that small percentage who forgot to make the change. Who knows how much their business could be worth to you?
Do the same for the vendors who physically deliver to your location.

2. Update Your Contact Information
Make sure you get to this one also 30 days before your move. Engage the printing company, and let them know all the materials you need updated. Internally, take care of your own letterhead and website.

3. Clean Your Old Office

Your landlord will charge you if they have to remove any of your old furniture or clean your old office space in any way. Since you don’t want to experience those charges, make sure all office furniture is removed and the space is cleaned.

4. Send Your Staff Orientation Materials

They’ll probably be able to get familiar with your new office space relatively quickly. However, you’ll also want to notify them of what local businesses are available in the area. Is there a gym, café, bar, or restaurant? Let them know what might suit their interests.

Don’t forget to collect all the old keys your staff have from your old office, and also to distribute all keys needed for the new office.

5. Transfer Your Utilities to Your New Location
Make sure you get in touch with your utility company 30 days ahead of time, or as soon as you know your exact move-in date. You don’t want any disruptions in your ability to service your customers.

6. Get a Permit If You Need to Use the Street

If you can’t park in an alley or driveway when moving in and you absolutely have to use the street, check with your local government to see if you need a permit for doing so. Some require permits for moving in this way, while others don’t. If this is necessary, the local government will also require your moving company to be fully bonded and insured.

7. Other Odds & Ends
Also, make sure you notify the landlord’s representative of how you’d like your company’s name to appear on its sign outside of the building.

If you remember these seven things, then your moving process will be much smoother.

If you’re about to relocate your offices and are looking for a way to prepare for it, then take a moment and read through this quick and helpful guide to moving your office. You’ll quickly find out useful and easy tips for preparing the contents of your office for its relocation. Preparation leads to smooth operation and a successful moving experience.

If your office is traditionally set up with a desk, chair, computer, whiteboard, filing cabinet, and maybe a credenza than this will be a cake walk for you to prepare for moving. Even if you have a bit more furniture or electronics, the following information will help you with setting up your office for a more successful moving experience.

First thing’s first, you need to disconnect your electronics but before you do, consider taking a picture of or label your wired connections between each piece to use as a reference at destination when you need to reconnect. You’ll save time and hassle and help make things quicker to accomplish. Second, you might want to pack your desk contents separately because in many cases, your office movers will set your desk up on end in order to maneuver it out of your office. That may lead to lost contents or disorganized drawers.

If you have a whiteboard with sensitive information on it, take a picture of it because regular handling of the whiteboard during moving can lead to unintended erased information. You might also consider removing important documents from a tack board if you use one to further reduce the chance of losing information. The same applies to shelving or bookcases: if you can pack contents on shelving or bookcases, it will help make things easier for moving. Sometimes shelves cannot handle the rigors of transportation and can break under pressure or moving stress.

Filing cabinets can be locked to keep drawers from suddenly opening but make sure you don’t lose your key. You should use a keychain or simply place the key in your wallet or purse until you need it at destination. Some people may tape the key to the file cabinet but in many cases the key will fall off during handling and end up lost.

Finally, your CRN office movers are trained professionals with a high quality and standard of expertise and customer service and will do their best to ensure your belongings are handled properly and safely. Even still, it’s not too difficult for small items to end up lost or damaged when moving. Papers, small unpacked breakables, or other important items can easily end up lost. Preparation is crucial for a successful moving experience and if you follow these simple tips to move your office, you can be assured you secured a better move for yourself and your company.