Questions to Ask Before Your Office Move

Embarking on an office move is no small feat. To ensure a seamless and successful transition, it’s crucial to gather input from all of your stakeholders. Before making any decisions, be sure to ask the right questions from everyone involved — from management and staff to your vendors and moving company. We’re sharing the top questions you should ask before your office move   to ensure a smooth and successful relocation.

Questions to Ask Ownership and Management

Relocating an office involves careful planning and decision-making, and it’s important to gather information from management or ownership to ensure a successful transition. Here are some essential questions to ask management and ownership before the move:

What is the purpose of the move?

Understanding the motivations behind the office relocation is vital. Whether it’s to accommodate a growing team, improve accessibility for clients, or consolidate operations, knowing the purpose will help determine the specific requirements and goals for the new workspace. This information will guide decisions throughout the relocation process.

How much space is required?

Assessing the current and future needs of the organization is crucial when determining the size of the new office. Consider factors such as the number of employees, workstations, meeting rooms, storage areas, and common spaces required. By understanding the space requirements, you can ensure that the new office meets the needs of the organization both now and in the future.

What are the infrastructure and technical requirements?

To ensure smooth business operations, it’s important to consider the infrastructure and technical requirements of the organization. Inquire about the availability of high-speed internet, phone lines, security systems, and other essential services needed for day-to-day operations. Understanding these requirements will help you plan and execute a seamless transition to the new office space.

Pro Tip: Check our Office Move Checklist for more.

By gathering information through these questions, you can ensure that the office move meets your organization’s objectives. Ongoing communication with management will help in making informed decisions and developing a clear plan for the new office space.

Questions to Ask Your Employees

An office move also presents an excellent opportunity to create a workspace that truly meets the needs and preferences of your employees. By asking them the right questions, you can gather valuable insights and ensure their satisfaction with the new office space. Here are some essential questions to ask your employees before the move:

How does your current office space impact your work and productivity?

Understanding the pain points of your current office environment is crucial. By asking this question, you can identify areas that hinder productivity and find ways to improve them in the new space. It could be issues like noise distractions, inadequate lighting, limited meeting rooms, or insufficient storage.

What are your must-have features in a new office space?

Each employee may have different preferences for the ideal office environment. By asking about their must-have features, you can gather insights into the amenities or facilities they value most. This could range from natural light and ergonomic furniture to collaborative spaces, quiet areas, recreational facilities, or even specific technology requirements.

How would you like the new office to support teamwork and collaboration?

Collaboration is often a key aspect of modern workplaces. By understanding employees’ preferences for collaboration, you can design the layout and functionality of shared spaces accordingly. This might involve incorporating open work areas, brainstorming zones, or dedicated collaboration spaces to foster teamwork and innovation.

How does the office environment impact your well-being?

Employee well-being is crucial for productivity and job satisfaction. Inquire about factors such as noise levels, air quality, ergonomics, and break areas. Their input can help create a healthier and more comfortable work environment, ensuring employees feel supported and motivated.

By actively involving employees in the decision-making process, you demonstrate that their opinions and needs are valued. This not only increases their satisfaction with the new office but also fosters a sense of ownership.

Questions to Ask Vendors and Contractors

The success of your relocation depends on the expertise and support of various vendors and contractors, including interior designers, IT and Telecom providers, furniture suppliers, security system providers, building or property brokers and managers, and janitorial services. To ensure a smooth transition as you prepare to set up in your new office, it’s essential to ask them the right questions before making any commitments. 

What experience do you have with office relocations?

Office moves come with unique challenges. Inquire about each vendor’s experience in handling office relocation projects. Assess their track record, expertise, and familiarity with the specific requirements of moving offices. Experienced vendors will have proven strategies to minimize disruptions and maximize efficiency. For example, Telecom providers who have experience installing systems in new spaces can ensure a smooth transition and minimize downtime for your business.

Can you provide references or examples of previous office relocation and setup projects you have completed?

Requesting references or case studies allows you to gain insights from past clients. Contacting these references will provide firsthand feedback on the vendor’s performance, reliability, and ability to deliver on their promises. Examples of previous projects can demonstrate their capabilities and help you visualize their work. Ask for references from clients with a similar scope of work to yours.

What services do you offer for office relocations?

Office moves involve various tasks, such as IT setup, furniture installation, electrical work, security system integration, and more. Ensure the vendor offers a comprehensive range of services that align with your specific needs. Understanding their service offerings will help you determine if they are a one-stop solution or if you need to engage multiple vendors.

Tailor your questions to the specific type of vendor or contractor you’re engaging with, such as interior designers, IT providers, furniture suppliers, security system providers, building managers, or janitorial service providers. Clear communication and thorough understanding of their capabilities will help ensure a successful office move.

Questions to Ask Your Moving and Logistics Partner

When it comes down to putting your move into action, hiring a reliable and experienced moving company is crucial for success. Before entrusting your valuable assets to a moving company, it’s important to ask them the right questions. Here are some essential questions to ask your moving company before the office move:

How long has your company been in business, and can you provide me with references from past commercial relocation clients?

If an office move provider is unable to provide any information supporting an established business with credible references, you might want to look elsewhere. It is not uncommon to find “movers” who often change names and information to avoid a trail of bad reviews and dissatisfied customers.

When it comes to finding a dependable company, you’ll want specific references from businesses similar to your own, so you can be sure they have the experience necessary for your exact type of relocation.

At ADSI Moving Systems, we are always willing to provide a recent list of local referrals, but don’t just take our word for it. See our satisfied clients’ testimonies for yourself and hear about their experience working with us.

What is your experience level, and do you have any specialized experience? 

If you are relocating to an urban area with walk-ups and freight elevators or small streets, make sure that your moving company is equipped to handle that. Additionally, if you are looking to hire someone to move large pieces, such as machinery and special equipment, make sure you disclose this information and, if they are unable to meet your specific needs, discuss other options. It’s most important to ensure you’re choosing a company with experience.

At ADSI, we boast 50 years of reliable service and a longstanding tradition of moving specialty facilities, like clinics and hospitals, IT departments, libraries, and more.

Are you licensed by the USDOT and insured? 

If a company is unable to provide you with documentation of licensing and insurance, chances are, if something goes wrong, the DOT and other organizations might not be able to help you. Always do your homework and make sure that your service providers check out.

Are you licensed for State and Interstate Transport? 

This is key if you are moving across state lines, as you’ll want to be sure the company you select is licensed to handle a move anywhere in the country.

What is your insurance & liability coverage for lost or damaged items? Do you offer additional moving insurance?

It is SO important to make sure that you understand the liability and insurance policies of your relocation partner prior to your move. By law, your mover should provide you with a document outlining your rights & responsibilities during your move. If they do not, this is a red flag, and it might be best to look elsewhere.

How do you manage the relocation process?

By asking how they handle the move from start to finish, you can determine whether or not you’ll be working with a thorough and capable office move provider. What steps do they take to prepare beforehand? Will they help you develop a plan for your new space? What happens after all of the boxes have been unloaded?

At ADSI, our team of consultants will plan, customize, and supervise your entire office move, starting with a walkthrough of your new space to develop a layout. From there, our moving team provides all the assistance you need, performing surface preparation services, finalizing packing, and preparing your items for damage-free transit. When unloaded, each piece of furniture is placed according to your layout, and we dispose of any leftover debris before leaving, so your company is fully ready for business to resume.

Can you provide any specialty equipment?

For a company that uses industrial machinery or equipment, it’s important to find an office move provider that has both the tools and expertise to accommodate. They’ll need the right equipment to install and uninstall, load, and unload your high-value hardware without causing any damage.

With our years of experience moving a variety of complex facilities, ADSI can provide the utmost care in transporting special commodities, as well as necessary tools, such as:

• Specialized Rigging
• Racking Systems
• Specialized Transportation
• Vendor Management
• Systems Administration

Our walkthrough prior to your move helps us determine the need for any specialty equipment. That way, we show up on moving day prepared for a seamless transition.

Do you offer the logistics services my move requires?

No matter how complicated your situation may be, your office move provider should be able to work with you to make sure all logistics are handled, whether this means securing short-term storage between leases or providing installation services by certified professionals.

ADSI works to streamline your moving logistics by providing an organized, secure storage facility for your furniture, products, and equipment. As items enter and exit the facility, their location is continuously accounted for through our barcode tracking system and monitored inventory shipments. Once you’re ready for your items to be delivered, our trained crew and our connection with a network of international United Van Lines agencies will ensure your inventory is prepped and accounted for as it travels anywhere in the country or the world.

In addition to over 160,000 square feet of warehouse space, ADSI also provides clients with:

• Freight and Special Commodities cross-dock services
• Detailed inventory, communications, project management, and invoicing services
• Installation services with certified/uniformed labor
• Air Ride Suspension fleet with flatbed hauling capability

Who will be on-site on moving day to supervise?

You don’t want an office move consultant who, after months of planning, isn’t present for your moving day. A complicated relocation requires a dependable point of contact to manage the process, lead the team, implement your personalized plan, and stay in contact with you all the way to the finish line.

Asking your office move provider who you can count on to be present for the big day confirms you’ll be working closely with trustworthy experts. With ADSI, not only will our relocation consultants help you create a plan beforehand, they will continue to work alongside you, keeping your project on track until the end.

How organized is the moving process?

For businesses looking to get back to work as soon as possible, rooms full of disorganized, unlabeled moving boxes are a major hindrance. That’s why you want to make sure your office move provider has a sure-fire organization process for efficiently arranging your new space.

When it comes to packing and unpacking, ADSI will provide durable containers and color-coded stickers ahead of time, so that each tote and piece of furniture can be properly labeled according to your office set up. With this system, upon arrival at your new facility, our moving crew can immediately unload your team’s belongings in their rightful locations.

What steps do you take to protect the facilities during the relocation process?

You want movers who will not only take care of the furniture you’re relocating but the space itself. To avoid leaving behind any scratched floors or holes in the wall, your office move provider will have to take necessary precautions. At ADSI, prepping your facility is an automatic step in our procedure. Adding ramps, removing doors and railings to clear walkways, and covering floors and door jams for their protection ensures no aspect of the building will be harmed in the moving process. 

Prepare for Your Office Move with ADSI

You want the best for your office, which means you want the best office move provider. Asking these questions is sure to reveal which company has the necessary expertise for a successful move. 

At ADSI Moving Systems, we provide not only 50 years of experience, but a thorough process, reliable consultants, and flexible solutions, satisfying every need with customer-focused, quality-driven service. Get a free quote today and move your business in the right direction. Stay organized, stay on schedule, and let us handle the heavy lifting! We can’t wait to help you take this next step with ease.