As a Fort Lauderdale IT Service provider, User Friendly Technology Services has helped our clients move offices with little to no interruption in the flow of their business. The following are office move planning tips to help with the IT Services side of your next office move.
Moving offices is a scary thought. The downtime, disruption of workflow and concerns about losing revenues while taking on the obvious expenses associated with a new lease and other moving costs are daunting. There are so many things to do and consider. You always want to try to minimize both the downtime for your team and any impact on your customers. Fortunately, moving offices can be relatively painless if prepared for properly. It also provides an opportunity to clean house and set your business up for better productivity as you make the move.
Handling the IT Move
Get your Fort Lauderdale IT Service team involved, if possible, before you sign the lease. The most important piece of today’s businesses is internet connectivity, which is why your Fort Lauderdale IT Service or provider should be among the first people you contact about an office move. They’re the ones who will know what your needs are and where they’d be able to put your router, server, phone infrastructure and more. They will also help you decide on the type of systems, internet connnections, wiring and internet phone solutions will make the most sense for your business. What you want to avoid is picking an office space that will not address your company needs and then have to make technology sacrifices as a result.
You want to confirm that internet service will be as easy as possible and that there are good provider options at the location you’ve chosen. Make sure that fiber cabling is in place and available in the chosen location if that’s what you need. Your IT team or provider will be invaluable in helping to make this decision and can help you understand the options available to you in advance.
VoIP Phone Services
Phone service is also critical to any business. If your business has already switched to a VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol), it should be a fairly easy transfer. If you still have an older analog system and want to switch to a new system like VoIP, you will have to factor in time for the new equipment needed to arrive and the phone numbers to be properly transferred and the system configured. This may be an opportunity for your company to save money, improve services and even become more technologically advanced by integrating internet phones with other mission-critical software programs that you’re company is using.
Technology Infrastructure Setup
Where will you put your networking equipment? Is there an appropriate, temperature-controlled area in the new facility or will some room modifications need to be done?
Will you need a designated area open to clients. Will you need both a private and and public network setup for employess and guests? How large is the office and will there be a need for wireless access points to be installed throughout the facility to ensure solid wifi access at all locations in the office? Will be there be a conference room that will need specific Audio/Video equipment and networking? How about a break room? Should there be IT equipment in those areas? Are there enough drops in the various rooms to accommodate the number of desks and computers that will be used?
Once you think you’ve found your new space, give your IT team a detailed floor plan and then have them visit the space if possible to make sure they’re in approval and that it will adequately meet your company needs.
Network and Security
An office move is a great time to re-evaluate the actual equipment you have vs. what you may need in a bigger (or smaller) space.
Where will you put the office machines such as printers? Network connections? Are you set up to maintain security of new devices and connections? Where will you store other supplies for computers, printers, etc.? Our team can help you design and environment that is efficient, clean and secure.
Scheduling and planning
Scheduling and planning is not to be overlooked when it comes time to make the actual move. At User Friendly, we like to plan at least a day or two of downtime to get your company up and running at the new facility. We can provide one or two of our technical service resources to move, install and reconfigure the network and test it before you “go live” in the new office.
Finally, we’ll make sure our team is available to assist yours with any issues that may arise in the first days that you are in the new office as there are always staff questions and some unfamiliarity with the new setup.
Call User Friendly to Help With Your Office Move!
We’ve helped with hundreds of office moves and want to help make sure yours goes without a hitch. If you don’t have a Fort Lauderdale IT Service partner to guide the way, talk to User Friendly about how we can make your office move all pleasure and no pain.
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