Your move is over! While you likely want to put it behind you as soon as possible, and get back to business as usual, there are several final efforts that should not be ignored in the excitement.
Post-Move Checklist:
- Do a final walkthrough at your old location
- Update your records accordingly
- Make sure people can find you
- Don’t forget digital location finders
Former Location
In the haste and excitement of moving to a new location, many items often get left behind such as electronic component cords, fixtures, and small pieces of furniture, as well as important company information. Request a final walk through to carefully scan for business property, as well as taking the opportunity to evaluate any damage or necessary repairs you may be responsible for, is well worth the time. Taking photographs during this visit is a good idea to document the scene as you have left it.
Collect all access cards and keys, parking passes, and signage and either return them to your landlord or new owner, or dispose of them accordingly. These all represent security risks, and old signage can create confusion to customers trying to find you.
Discuss with your landlord or new owner any final responsibilities you may have, negotiate timeframes for completing work or last-minute clean up, and handle any remaining issues with your occupancy. Finally, request in writing to have your security deposit returned pursuant to your lease.
New Location
Even the best movers tend to bang things up, and it’s easier to take care of things right away than believe you will get to them later. Keep your new place looking new by surveying moving damage immediately, and plan for repairs. Submit necessary reports and work orders, and do paint touchups, etc. right away.
A new location means changes to emergency/fire escape routes and information, department layouts and contact lists, and possibly employee policies. Consider how the move will affect your employees, from building access and parking to communication and privacy issues. Be sure you have updated employment law posts up in a visible location, and update your policy manual accordingly. Don’t forget to consider things such as changes in mileage reimbursement, off-hour access protocols, and any other way your new location impacts your employees.
Business Identity
Your business identity is key to retaining your customer base and reaching new customers. Make sure your signage in your new location is up and clearly visible, update all your printed materials, and don’t forget the various online accounts and platforms that contain your business contact information. Our Relocation Guide has a complete checklist to help ensure you don’t miss a thing.
Creating a public relations campaign, complete with press releases, social media announcements and postal mail notices can help create a buzz to drive people to check you out in your new digs.
Your Business Online
Beyond all the intentional platforms where you have listed your business address and contact information such as your website, social media accounts, and professional organizations, your business is very likely listed in hundreds of online business directories that automatically generate business listings on the web including Yelp, Bing, Facebook, Super Pages, maps, Yahoo and many more. These all need to be updated – do not depend on changes to your website to update other online resources in a timely manner. You do not want them directing people to your old location! This is time-consuming and a headache, but critically important to customer finding you.
Want to make it easier? To correct your business address information across the internet, we recommend a YEXT listing. YEXT is essentially location software that allows you to update your address and other business information, and feed it out into the Internet through one portal. Like street signs do in the physical world, your “digital presence” needs to ensure that customers who search online for you, or businesses like yours, find their way to your new location. YEXT is the most effective way to update your digital presence.
We know moving a business is a major undertaking, and that is why we have created a Relocation Guide to assist our clients with the necessary planning and preparation to make relocating a business a smooth transition for you, your employees, and your customers.
We hope you have found this Business Relocation series helpful and informative. If you have missed any, Relocation Part 1: Pre-Move and Preparation, and Relocation Part 2: Logistics are available on our website, along with our other blog posts on all things commercial real estate and business brokerage.