Relocating your business entails a lot of planning and logistical challenges. Whether you are moving from another commercial location, or expanding your business from a home-based operation, it’s imperative to list all of your business’ requirements and make certain that the property you are considering will be a good match. Some items will be determined by the nature of your business, other items which may seem like common sense considerations still get overlooked on a regular basis by those doing the relocating. This is by no means an all-encompassing list, but you can use it to develop your own checklist specific to your business.
Adequate Utility Provision: This deals mostly with electrical utilities, but if your business requires special services for water or natural gas, that should also be included. Electrical needs are particularly critical if your business is heavily computer-dependent and you require on-site servers and backup power capabilities. If your business needs include heavy-duty electrical equipment, you will want to make sure that the capabilities of your new location will not be overwhelmed. Additional cooling capabilities for a server room may fall into this category, as well.
Security: For better or worse, this is becoming a more important consideration in location selection. Keeping your customers, clients, and employees safe is a major responsibility and covers several areas. First of all, does your parking lot have adequate lighting and video surveillance? Does your new building have security personnel on duty at all times? Will your new building have some form of electronic access control, such as swipe cards or a keypad? These items may not be applicable to the kind of business you are in, but these days, even video coverage is getting to be a pretty basic requirement.
Electronic Infrastructure: Because of current technology, many facilities are built with integrated computer network capabilities like CAT5 cabling and RJ45 wall jacks, but you shouldn’t assume that they will be a part of your new location. You can have structured cabling professionally done if it isn’t in place, but it will be an additional expense to you, and not all buildings are cabling-friendly.
Surrounding Businesses: Large national chains often take great delight in setting up shop adjacent to one another in order to draw business away, but on a smaller scale, it’s preferable for surrounding businesses to complement yours rather than provide competition. There is no practical method of preventing competing businesses from moving in once you are established, but there is usually nothing to be gained by relocating to a site with built-in competition.
Expansion Capability: One of the reasons behind relocating your business is probably due to your growth, so why move to a facility which will inhibit further growth without yet another relocation? Moving to a facility which will allow your company to expand into surrounding floors or adjacent buildings will make things easier later, when you are again in need of more “elbow room”. If your business is retail, you may use this space for a smaller satellite store.
Planning ahead for a business relocation is a game of details and it’s easy to overlook items or assume too much about your new location, so building a detailed checklist is a form of safety net to ensure that you don’t end up with any unpleasant surprises.
5 Things Businesses Often Overlook When Relocating
