Many companies have been relocating or downsizing their office space following the COVID-19 pandemic. With the great resignation, businesses being forced to close, and remote workers, some office spaces aren’t needed anymore. But what does it really take to move your company to a whole new location? The quick answer: commercial, also known as, office moving services.
We’ve asked people across many industries to share their commercial moving experiences. What services did they need? Did things go well? What didn’t? We’ve sprinkled their expertise throughout the article to help you get a feel for commercial moving in individual circumstances.
Table of Contents
What is Commercial Moving?
Commercial moving involves the relocation of electronics and office equipment. That may look a bit different for every business. You may have a lot of electronic equipment like printers, computer monitors, laptops, phones, scanners, and so on.
Or you may have other equipment like stationery, desks and standing desks, chairs, decorations, and so on. Or you probably have both because it is pretty much a digital working world for most offices nowadays but you’ll still need to park your bum somewhere.
“A business move includes migrating office hardware to another area. This can incorporate office furniture, electronic gear, IT frameworks, scanners, and printers. It frequently requires specific gear and transportation to move these things securely.”
Lyle Florez, Founder of EasyPeopleSearch
Why Should I Use Commercial Moving Services?
If you have any of the equipment I outlined above you’re probably going to need some extra hands to get everything to the new office. Even if you’re the fittest person ever (by the way- kudos if that is you) you’re probably going to run into a situation where you need two more hands. And unfortunately, sometimes that leads to injuries.
Injuries can prevent you from doing your actual job and obviously have ramifications in other areas of your life as well. Why not avoid that scenario by hiring professionals who specialize in moving this bulky, heavy, and delicate equipment for you?
Outside of the physical downsides of doing a DIY move, you still have a business to run!
If you want to stay on top of your daily operations you won’t have time to do everything required for your move. Commercial or office moving services can help take some of that load off your shoulders.
“Personally, doing DIY is not advisable because it can be very draining moving your business to another location. The time it will take you out of work and the cost of hiring a vehicle can have negative impacts on your business. Professional movers have the necessary training and equipment to move your goods with minimal risks, so you should use them rather than a DIY.”
Jason Cordes, Founder of CocoLoan
How Do I Choose a Commercial Moving Company?
When looking for a commercial moving company there are some key things to keep in mind.
- Ask yourself what office moving services do I actually need? Can I pack everything and just need some heavy lifters? Do I need someone to transport things or can I get by driving a rental truck?
- What’s the cost? Depending on what you need done, moving can get pretty pricey pretty quickly. If you can bring your own truck, you might consider hiring labor-only movers which can cut your costs by about 40%-60%.
- Avoid moving scams. Look into the company’s website. See if the business has been verified. And read lots of reviews! Remember, these are the people who are going to be handling EVERYTHING in your office. You don’t want someone who is going to cost your business money!
What Commercial Moving Services Are There?
There are plenty of commercial or office moving services to choose from. You may only need help with a couple of parts of the moving process. Or, you may need help with every stage. When looking for a moving company, find one that fits your needs. Here’s the moving process broken down into serviceable chunks. Choose which you’ll need help with.
- Moving preparation
- Packing
- Loading
- Driving the moving truck/vehicle
- Unloading
- Unpacking
- Organizing in your new space
Can’t I Just Pack Up My Office Myself?
Maybe. It depends on how big your office space is and how many employees you have. If you’re a bigger company with lots of equipment, employees, and day-to-day tasks to take care of it may not be realistic to spend your time trying to do every part of a move. In this case, taking advantage of office moving services can reduce quite a bit of stress through this time.
However, if you’re running this show on your own or only have a couple of people in your office, it may be easier for you to do a DIY office move. Whatever you decide to do, know it will probably be a chaotic time in your office space.
“DIY moves can be beneficial, but the tools, furniture, printer, photocopier and other equipment used are as fragile or expensive as they formerly were. There was a need to be extremely vigilant in the event of an unexpected loss. When it came time to transport the machines and tools, I decided to delegate that responsibility to them. If you’re moving from a small area, a loading vehicle is all that’s needed. It was imperative that my IT team be able to check all IT-related activities before the rest of the staff came, so we started a few weeks early. I’m happy to report that everything went as planned and was less expensive than predicted.”
Hannah Dworkin, Leader & Recruiter at USScrapYard
What Do I Need to Know in Preparation For My Commercial Move?
There are plenty of things to take care of in preparation for your move. Not only are you doing moving prep like packing, but you are also strategizing your business plan for the duration of your moving process.
Looking to move soon?
Check out UniMovers and save 30-50% on your move as compared with traditional moving!
Keeping everyone in the loop
You may be running the show but there are plenty of other people that need to know what’s going on with your company while you’re moving.
Employees are one of your biggest concerns. Whatever reason you’re moving for, you are disrupting their routines and probably affecting their productivity in the process. So, it’s important that you include them wherever possible in the planning and organizing of your commercial move.
Let them organize how their stuff is packed and labeled. Let them keep their essential equipment until the last possible moment. Keep reassuring them, be flexible, and help lessen their stress as they try to work outside of their usual space.
Next, you will need to inform clients and customers. However you do business will be affected whether you’re on location or communicating online. So, make sure you tell those depending on you that delays may occur and where they can reach you.
You should also inform anyone else who needs to know about your change of address like the post office, insurance company, and potential customers (so make a quick edit to your website’s information and email signatures!).
“I prepared three months in advance to have ample time to measure every square inch of my new place and examine my office equipment to ensure I knew what needed to be taken with me. I had to narrow down the number of objects I needed to move in the first place to prevent becoming overwhelmed with the move. Through HR, I informed the employees as soon as the move was imminent so they may have time to plan for the move and clear out their desks entirely. Finally, I checked with both office buildings about their logistical restrictions and took some time walking over to the new area with my new building manager.”
Sara Graves, Founder, USTitleLoans
How Do I Pack All This Stuff?
So if you don’t really need help getting your stuff in boxes you may still be wondering what’s the best way to do it? Here are a few quick tips on how to do that:
- Keep heavy items at the bottom of boxes
- Don’t pack heavy items in large boxes
- Label the sides of boxes so you can see what is in each even when stacked
- Try to reuse boxes from suppliers to save money
- Use a sturdy packing tape so boxes stay sealed
“I labeled items by color and numbers. For example, any items that belong in the new office kitchen were labeled with green tags or the number “one.” I also tried to downsize before moving. After taking a few walks around the office, I got a representative list of the company’s inventory – and the items I could dispose of. I also got a floor plan and feedback from key leaders drew up a seating plan and distributed it to employees. This made settling in much easier.”
Tracy Acker, CEO & Recruiter of GetPaydayLoan
But if you’re still curious about other packing tips you can check out our guide on the packing and moving materials you’ll need and a quick guide on how to pack moving boxes.
How Do I Plan for Interruptions at Work?
It’s likely that your biggest headache through this whole process is that your work may suffer as a result of a chaotic moving process. Here are a few options and tips you may want to utilize during your move:
- Automate as many processes as possible
- Consider using a coworking space until you can set up your new office
- Switch your day-to-day focus to something that can be done outside the office
- Let your customers know how you plan to communicate and when the move should be completed
Let’s Do This Thing
We believe in you! We know this can be a stressful time in your work and personal life. If you can, consider using commercial moving services. Having some other hands to help out will help you reduce your own load throughout the moving process.
Remember that you are not the only one affected by the move. Your employees and clients need to know what the plan is too.
Try to be as flexible as possible as you prep, pack, and set out on your moving journey. You got this!
Ashlyn is a homegrown Iowan (go Cyclones!). She graduated from Coe College in Cedar Rapids, Iowa in 2023 with a degree in Business Administration, Marketing, Public Relations, and Communications. Now, she serves as UniMovers' Community Outreach Manager. In her free time, she loves to try new restaurants, travel, watch baseball, and spend time with her dog!
To get in contact with her regarding blog partnerships at UniMovers please email blog@unimovers.com.
