An essential aspect of an organized move is properly planning for your technology needs, which will result in reduced downtime in your new office space. The following are practices we implement with our clients, when planning to relocate their offices to a new location:
1) Notify your Information Technology Provider 90 days prior to your move.
Ninety days should be enough time for intelligent project planning, including assigning roles, and documenting the scopes of work and expected costs.
2) Identify your new Internet and telephone providers and schedule installations at least 60 days in advance.
Working with your existing or new circuit providers gives you an opportunity to improve service or cost at the new location, but requires careful management and communication with the provider.
3) Evaluate all hardware/software and determine necessary replacements.
Conducting this assessment before the physical move will save costs in moving unnecessary equipment, and also prevent any unexpected costs. This is also a great time to pull the trigger on the technology upgrade that you have been putting off.
4) Prepare for housing equipment and itemize needs for the new server room.
Consider your current server room and hardware, the appropriate environment for your equipment in the new office, what that will cost, and evaluate if you should save the space by moving services to the cloud prior to the move.
5) Plan to minimize downtime and disruption.
With careful planning, the actual downtime can be minimized to a Friday evening when on-premise network equipment and workstations are transported, and a Saturday morning when gear is turned up. Make sure your IT team is available Sunday to remediate the unexpected, and is onsite Monday morning to support a successful transition.
An office move is an exciting business expansion! Choosing to have an organized timeline and the right plan will prevent stressful situations and keep things running smoothly on moving day.
For more tips on making a smooth business move for your technology, call 1-855-PRO-TELL.
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