A change of location if done at the right time, can be very helpful to a business. It can happen for any number of reasons, but the most common is to increase profitability. Perhaps the move will draw in more customers, or a larger building will be more conducive to the growth company is experiencing since the previous location has become too small. Whatever the reason, handling the move right will ensure more success in the future. Here are some suggestions for how to have a successful business move and help everyone adjust accordingly.
Consider Your Current Employees To Be Valuable Currency
It’s beneficial for any company to be able to hold onto as many current employees as possible after moving since will cut down on the time and expenses involved in re-training new hires. Experienced employees are a fixed asset for a company that cannot be minimized. Time and money has been invested into each employee to refine their experience within the company, and employees who have been working at the company for several years are flexible enough to adjust to changes. Long-standing employees exhibit a loyalty that is valuable and often difficult to find.
Communicate Your Vision For The Move
The best thing to do in order to retain current employees is to communicate directly with them well ahead of time about the move. Company management should invite employees to an informal meeting where they can share with them the plans for the move, as well as the reasons behind the move. Specifically, they should share with the employees the vision they have for what the company could become after it has moved.
Loyal employees will be inspired by the vision of company management if it is shared in the right way. It’s also possible they will be excited enough about it to continue with the company at its new location. Financial incentives can be offered to your best employees to help make the move easier.
If the move will be long distance, it’s likely many employees won’t be able to move with it. In this case, it is important for you to do all you can to provide fair compensation and services to current employees, so transitioning to a new job will not be as much of a hardship. Either way, plenty of time should be allowed for current employees to make travel plans to the new location or to make different arrangements.
Communicate with Your Current Customer Base
Advertising funds should be spent to notify current customers of your new location and the date you will be moving. You can share some of the reasons why you are leaving with your customers, but the information you give them for marketing purposes doesn’t have to be as extensive as the information given to employees. Because of internet access, a change in location is not as difficult for customers as it is for employees. It’s important to let valuable customers know about the change so they don’t get lost in the shuffle.
Prepare Financially For the Move
There are a number of expenses involved in moving to a new location, both in the mechanics of the move itself and in the initial finances involved once the move has been achieved. Some of the moving expenses are the cost of the moving company, the cost of personnel transport, the cost of hiring new people, and the cost of inventory and records control. It is important to plan ahead for these expenses and budget accordingly. It is also a good idea to include money within the budget for unplanned expenses that may arise from the move.
Internal and external security is very important when a company is preparing to move, especially with the high incidence of identity theft businesses are dealing with today. Northstar alarm reviews say getting an automated device installed beforehand can cut down on worries with an empty building. The cost of security and installing a security system at the new location should be an important part of the budget for moving.
A company move to a new location can be an exciting time for everyone. Planning ahead to deal with the move in a responsible way can ensure business will be moving in strength instead of weakness. Be sure you are able to inform everyone where they stand with this new transition.
Brooke Chaplan is a freelance writer and blogger. She lives and works out of her home in Los Lunas, New Mexico. She loves the outdoors and spends most her time hiking, biking and gardening. For more information contact Brooke via Twitter @BrookeChaplan.
