Relocating an office is a big transition. It can involve a lot of upheaval and needs to be managed with precision. The transition of business IT is one of the most important elements in any office move. It not carefully managed, this could lead to IT problems that disrupt business continuity and cause chaos and frustration for your enterprise and for your customers and clients. So, how do you ensure that the IT element of your move is seamless?
Start planning – months in advance
Your IT relocation plan should begin months before the move is scheduled. You’ll need to ensure that you have time to review all the potential outcomes, cover every piece of equipment and system and ensure that the relevant people are well informed when it comes to what needs to happen, and when. Start with a complete review and inventory of all your IT, including essential systems and software and devices and equipment, such as printers or servers. What is required for successful transition for every part of the plan in terms of actions and timescales involved? Make sure you get input from any relevant parties so that no essential steps are missed.
Invest time in creating floor plans
Often, it’s difficult to see where problems may arise without a visual aid to relocation. This is why it’s so important to draw up floor plans as part of the preparation for the office move. Use the inventory you’ve created to design detailed floor plans for each of the spaces in your new office so that you can see exactly what needs to go where and what is required to get everything up and running. This may involve a process of updating, replacing, changing or adding to existing equipment and systems. It’s also a great time to review whether your current IT meets your business needs in terms of both cost and deliverables. If you could reduce spend or improve performance by making changes then integrating these during an office move can mean less disruption.
Test out your new IT
When the first stage of the office move is complete it will be important to test everything before considering the process finished. So, when you’re planning the transition don’t forget to include a test phase that you can implement as soon as the physical move has been completed. This will enable you to identify any problems that need to be dealt with quickly and to prevent issues with business continuity.
Get some good advice
If you don’t have the experience or expertise to be able to identify the potential issues that could arise with IT during an office move then it’s always a good idea to get some expert advice. This will give you insights that you may not otherwise have had the benefit of, and help to make the transition a smoother one.
At help4IT we have a wealth of experience when it comes to ensuring smooth IT transition during an office move – our team is happy to help.
