Whether we are talking about a single office room or an entire office space, moving is always a tricky process. Not only are there lots of things to move, but much of it is quite heavy or cumbersome too. From large desks and shelves, to office hardware, such as printers and computers, to seemingly endless boxes of paper and documents.
Not only are such items heavy, however, but they are also often rather delicate, both literally and figuratively. On the one hand, office hardware needs to be moved very carefully so that nothing gets knocked or damaged. On the other hand, office documents and files often include lots of sensitive data, so you need to make sure nothing gets misplaced or peeked into.
All this makes the use of professional moving services both highly necessary and a bit suspect, as choosing the wrong moving services can lead to some issues. So, here’s how to find the right movers that will help you move your office without losing your mind (or your files).
How to choose the right movers to help move your office?
As with any other service, if you just snap-choose the first company that gets its marketing in front of your eyes, you will basically be rolling the dice on whether you have made the right choice or not. Instead, especially with something as important as moving your office, the smarter way to go about it is to be more meticulous about it.
This includes doing more extensive research on the moving companies near you, getting referrals, and making sure that you really do hire the ideal company to help with moving your office headquarters. Here are a few pointers to help you along the way:
1. Make sure whoever you’re considering is fully licensed and insured
In a perfect world, this shouldn’t be something you’d need to worry about, but the reality is that there are lots of moving companies out there that aren’t properly insured or fully licensed. Making sure that whoever you’re working with is both licensed and insured is always a must, but even more so if you are about to move an office space with lots of sensitive documents and delicate hardware in it.
The licensing you need to look for is FMCSA (Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration) for the drivers, as well as basic property damage insurance for the movers. Note that you’d also want to make sure the moving crews themselves are insured too, as some moving companies use subcontractors, and if those aren’t insured, you may still get in trouble even if the company itself is.
2. Get a good quote
Currently, in the US, office moves usually cost between $1.75 and $3.25 per square foot, depending on access logistics and equipment handling. With that in mind, make sure that you get a good quote when you move, especially if you have a larger office, as even a slightly overpriced quote can amount to a difference of hundreds or thousands of dollars.
3. Get multiple quotes
Even more importantly, make sure that you get quotes from at least a few different moving companies to make sure that you have found the best fit for your office and your needs. Even if you find an offer you like right from the get-go, looking around for a couple more quotes is still recommended. At worst, you will have spent a bit extra time, but you will have 1) made sure you are working with the right company and 2) you’ll get an even better understanding of what moving services include, what you can expect, and what additional things you can ask for.
4. Prioritize real-life referrals over online reviews
Looking at online reviews is always a must, but it should never be the be-all and end-all of your research, especially with something as important as moving your office. With so many fake reviews out there, it is much safer and more important to trust personal, real-life referrals. Ideally, those should come from people you know and trust, but even if they are from strangers, it is still better to get a recommendation from a real person than to trust a review that might as well be a bot.
5. Look for experience with office moves in particular
There are many moving companies out there, but not all of them have that much experience moving office equipment. Nevertheless, many companies will still say that they “have lots of experience” even when they don’t, so it’s best to do your research and make sure that you are hiring someone who really knows their way around office equipment.
6. Read the fine print and look for great customer support
Customer support is often underestimated when people hire moving companies, yet it is incredibly important. Especially when it comes to something as major as moving an entire office, it’s a must that you find a company with responsive and detail-oriented customer support staff.
