Business Relocation Checklist

Corporate relocation can be a daunting endeavor, whether it is inside of Florida or a long-distance move. Proper planning is the key to staying ahead of the curve and ensuring that your move is smooth. With our relocation checklist, you can remind yourself and your staff of all the tasks that need to be done within the pre-move timeline to keep your business operations moving smoothly while you keep your move on schedule. When you choose Direct Relocation Services for your commercial movers, you are assigned a move coordinator that helps answer questions and keeps you on track as you count down to the big day.

Getting Prepared

T-6 Months

Form a relocation team with leaders from IT, HR, Marketing, Accounting, etc.
Assign a move project manager.
Establish a budget
Familiarize yourself with your current lease agreement for move-out requirements
Schedule your lease signing and move-in date for the new building
Review logistical or security requirements for the move, like oversized equipment or highly confidential items.
Work with on network installation timeline
Contact Direct Relocation Services to get quotes and schedule your move.

T-3 Months

Sign the new lease.
Submit notice on the old office.
Confirm the relocation team department leads and confirm responsibilities.
Confirm server relocation with the IT department.
Review the new office floor plan and discuss modifications needed.
Schedule a transfer or cutover of telecommunications.
Review the number of phone lines needed and order additional phone lines if necessary.
Review needs for data and specialty circuits and place orders.
Determine whether or not you can keep the same office phone numbers by contacting the service provider.
Review long-distance carriers and confirm if you’ll change or stay with the same service provider.
Confirm responsibility for moving leased equipment. If your business is responsible, make sure to get any requirements for vendors or special instructions.
Find out when you can take possession of keys or building entry passes.
Confirm signage limitations or requirements for the new building.
Determine placement on and inside the new building.
Engage signage vendor for installation.
Schedule removal of old signs.
Schedule installation of new signs.
Work with the marketing department to update marketing materials and place orders for cards, letterhead, etc. with the new address and phone numbers.
Plan for notifications on and updates to electronic assets like websites and social media.
Send out email signature update instructions to employees to add a new address and phone number where a specific format must be maintained.
Submit a change of address and the corresponding effective date with the post office.
New address notifications:

All banks where you have business accounts.
All vendors (cleaning services, accounting services, coffee service providers, etc.)
Clients: Provide confirmation of the continuation of goods/services or give information on how they can obtain a new provider.
The Internal Revenue Service
State and local taxing authorities.
Your insurance carrier.
State employment agencies.
The Secretary of State.

Reserve both existing building and new building elevators for the move day with building management. Find out if freight elevators are available.
Create a move plan and timeline.

Move Coordination Tasks

T-2 Months

Request and review new floor plans and determine furniture layout.
Work on seating assignments.
Request and review new parking assignments, location and directions.
Assign parking spaces if required.
Review progress and confirm the timeline for IT equipment move: computers, servers and phone systems.
Establish weekly move coordination meetings with all relocation team members and key stakeholders.
Collect updates on assigned tasks and get a remediation plan in place for late or unfinished tasks.
Distribute meeting minutes, the current plan and timeline to the meeting participants, task assignees and internal stakeholders.
Assign and confirm the responsibilities of lead/point person for commercial movers.
Assign and confirm the responsibilities of lead/point person for internal communications.
Assign and confirm the responsibilities of lead/point person for external communications.
Confirm special needs for any employees (accessibility, type of chair or desk, etc.)
If construction is necessary, ensure that it is on track for the move.

T-1 Month

Review and confirm your move insurance options.
Acquire offsite storage, if necessary.
Prepare move instruction packets and corresponding electronic versions.
Schedule and prepare agenda for move orientation assembly for employees.
Order moving boxes and labels.
Decide on labeling/number scheme to identify departments, locations, type of contents for the boxes.
Finalize furniture placement and seating assignments at the new office.
Confirm lobby listing is ready at the new location.
Confirm construction is completed.
Confirm relocation tasks are being completed and the timeline is on schedule.
Determine whether or not you need a press release. Prepare and schedule if necessary.
Plan an office opening party and send invitations.

T-2 Weeks

Increase the frequency of move meetings to M-W-F.
Conduct the move orientation assembly.
Close out final move tasks.
Distribute packing boxes and labels.
Distribute move packets with floor plans, parking location, seating charts, restrooms and common areas. Inform employees of the online location of move information.
Establish emergency contacts for both buildings, such as building security, building management, maintenance, movers, utilities, etc.
Schedule post-move cleaning.
Establish a lost and found in each location for items left out of boxes or boxes who lose labels.
Confirm the communication plan for move day with relocation team leads.
Plan for move-day needs such as meals, drinks and move liaisons for the movers and employees.

T-5 Days

Communicate expectations for move day to employees: work from home, work from office or stay home until movers have complete the relocation.
Move relocation plan meeting to daily if there are still outstanding tasks.
Order any additional packing materials.
Verify security instructions for the new office, such as instruction for individual employee tags.
Distribute instructions for getting building IDs or keycards to staff.
Document and distribute emergency protocols for the new building.
Schedule emergency response training.
Distribute emergency contact list for the new location.
Schedule lock changes if necessary.
Confirm timeline for movers.
Confirm assignment and placement for move liaisons.
Collect keys or keycards for any employee scheduled to be out of the office on move day.
Put up floor plans, maps and assigned parking signage at the new office.

Day of Move

Confirm move liaisons are in place at both locations.
Perform move-out inspection on the old property and note damage or needs for additional cleaning.
Distribute welcome packets at the new office.
Log missing items, damage or other move-related issues as they arise.

After the Move

Hold a post-move debrief with the relocation team.
Assemble damage reports for the facility, furniture or equipment.
Schedule any needed repairs or cleaning resulting from the move.
Add any additional tasks to plan with due dates and assign.
Distribute updated move plan with completed tasks and new assignments.
Continue to have move liaisons in place for the first few days at the new office.
Notify employees where to retrieve or deposit lost and found items.
Collect any remaining ids, keys or keycards to the old office.
Conduct a final walkthrough on the old office with building management.
Review, approve and pay final invoices after comparing to estimates.

Direct Relocation Services is the trusted provider for business moving in Florida and all over the contiguous U.S. We take pride in helping to make your corporate relocation as seamless as possible. Call us at (855) 378-3110 or contact us online today to get started.

Image Credit: Shutterstock / Adha Ghazali