How to Select a Commercial Mover for Your Business

Choosing the Right Muscle for Your Business Move

An office relocation is a great opportunity to reinvent your business and expand. However, commercial moves can be complex and require strategic coordination to ensure a smooth transition. Selecting the right logistics company significantly affects the success of the relocation by ensuring efficiency, minimizing downtime, and protecting your assets.

Here are some tips for selecting the right commercial moving company.

Factors to Consider When Selecting a Commercial Mover

Expertise and Experience

Research logistics companies to develop a short list of those who might meet your needs. Start with companies with experience in your industry—you want a company that’s flexible enough to meet your unique needs. Check their reviews to determine reliability and efficiency. Look for those with a long history of successful projects.

Licensing and Insurance

Licensing requirements for commercial movers depend on two main factors: 

• Whether the move is interstate (crossing state lines) or intrastate (within the same state).
• The state’s specific regulations where the move originates (or where the company is based). 

Verify that the moving companies have the proper licensure and adequate insurance to protect your assets if something unforeseen occurs. 

Services Offered

Consider what types of services you’ll need.

For example, ask

• What type and how much equipment needs to be moved?
• Where are you moving? Is it within the state or in another state?
• Will your IT staff need help in reconnecting computers or telecommunications equipment?
• Will you need dedicated packing services?
• Will you need help with purge implementation for files, personnel content, and workplace change management?
• Is environmental sustainability important to your brand?
• Will you need storage? If so, what type of inventory management and security do you require?
• Do you need help decommissioning old assets?
•  Will equipment shut-down and packing be required?

Then, choose a mover that offers a comprehensive range of services that meet your specific needs. 

Communication and Customer Service

Clear and consistent communication throughout the moving process is vital. Check the mover’s references to determine how well the company communicates with customers. Ask references whether the company provided excellent customer service. Carefully assess how the company’s agents relate to you when you ask them to provide a move estimate. Do they communicate clearly? Are they courteous? Do they listen to your needs?

Cost Estimates

Once you build a shortlist of reputable, experienced movers, contact each for a written estimate. Office relocation costs can add up, so it’s important to understand how the company sets its prices; for example, what are the prices based on? Also, be sure to receive a specific breakdown to avoid unexpected fees. The estimates shouldn’t have a wide variance if you’re comparing similar companies and services. If one estimate seems too good to be true, it probably is.

Also, remember that the best value is not always the best price. Consider all the information you’ve gathered in your research, as well as the price, when determining the best commercial mover for your needs.

Tips for a Successful Experience with Commercial Movers

Plan Ahead

The earlier you start preparing and planning for your move, the smoother it will be. Develop a ballpark budget that includes money for transporting your goods, office redesign costs, and disposal of any unwanted assets. Also, develop a realistic timeline with feedback from your team. Initially, the timeline will be broad. You’ll fill in more details as you move closer to your moving date.

Determine your needs well in advance and communicate them clearly to potential movers. Consider creating an office move checklist to visualize the process from start to finish. Appoint an internal move champion to work with the commercial moving company’s move coordinator and ensure your staff completes necessary tasks.

Create strategies to maintain productivity throughout the move, such as allowing for more remote work and moving during idle times. 

Inventory Your Belongings

Create a detailed inventory of the items you need to move to ensure nothing is lost during the process. An office relocation provides an opportunity to replace old furniture with newer, more functional items. It is also a great time to buy new equipment and technology. 

Office relocations also provide opportunities to downsize. Go through electronic and paper files to determine what to keep, delete, or shred. Dispose of unwanted furnishings and equipment in environmentally friendly ways, donating them, if possible, to startups or nonprofits.

Prepare Your Workspace

Decluttering workspaces before a move can reduce the cost of the move and allow you to start fresh in the new location. Have each team member sort through their belongings, discarding items that haven’t been used in some time. Also, remove items from the walls, sorting what to move with you and what to discard.

Design a New Office Layout

Once you know your new location, develop a new office design and floor plan. Gather input from your team so you can arrange the new office for maximum workflow.

Clean

Arrange for a cleaning company to scrub your new office, especially if you’ve done renovations. A deep cleaning will be much easier before the move.

Likewise, hire a professional company to deep clean your old office space after everything is moved out and before turning it over to the building owner or new occupant.

An office relocation presents opportunities for a new beginning. When you partner with the right commercial mover service, your move will go smoothly, and you’ll be up and running again in no time.

Why Trust Us? 

Our roots go back nearly 200 years to a single craftsman. Now, a team of experts carries on that legacy by connecting people, space, and technology to maximize human potential. d’ploy by dancker is a full-service, experienced logistics service providing:

• Relocation services
• Asset inventory management and storage
• Redeployment of assets
• Assembly and setup of assets
• Decommissioning of old or unused assets

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ’s)

1. How much does a commercial move typically cost?

This is a common question with no one-size-fits-all answer. The cost depends on several factors covered in your blog post, such as:

• Size and distance of the move: Interstate moves will be more expensive than intrastate ones. The amount of furniture and equipment also significantly impacts the price.
• Services needed: Packing, unpacking, disassembly/reassembly of furniture, IT relocation, and storage all add to the cost.
• Value of your assets: Replacement value coverage will affect insurance costs.

2. What can we do to prepare for the commercial move to minimize downtime?

• Start Early: The sooner you involve a mover, the smoother the process. Give them ample time to assess your needs and provide an accurate quote.
• Declutter and Organize: Get rid of unused items before the move, reducing costs and streamlining the packing process.
• Develop a Moving Timeline: Coordinate with your mover to create a detailed schedule, minimizing disruption to core business activities.
• Communicate with Staff: Keep employees informed about the move timeline and their responsibilities, like packing personal belongings.

3. How can we ensure the safety of our valuable equipment during the move?

d’ploy by dancker prioritizes equipment safety. Here’s what we do:

• Experienced Movers: Our trained professionals are skilled in handling fragile equipment.
• Packing Expertise: We use high-quality packing materials and employ secure packing methods.
• Proper Insurance: We offer adequate insurance coverage to protect your equipment in case of unforeseen circumstances.