It’s time – your office has finally grown to the point where you need to expand to another office, and the dreaded packing up process has begun. The next step is to secure the right professional movers to get you from A to B with ease. It’s essential to choose professional movers who can be relied upon to handle all your fragile office equipment with care, and to do it all with minimal downtime for your office. Here’s some of the key things to look out for when hiring office movers.
Check references and reviews
It should be easy to find online reviews for reputable movers, allowing you to get a quick overview of their reputation. Any moving company that is difficult to locate online is a red flag, as this could mean they regularly change their business name in order to avoid the consequences of their dodgy service. Your chosen mover should be more than happy to provide references and testimonials when asked to give you that extra peace of mind.
Willing to do a moving inventory
Good, professional movers should always start by conducting a moving inventory, which basically means taking stock of everything that needs to be shifted. They should thoroughly assess your office, looking into every cupboard and storage area. This will allow them to determine the bulk and weight of your move, and therefore provide a more accurate quote.
Get multiple quotes
The first thing you’ll usually look for when hiring movers is their price. Make sure that you don’t just accept the first price given to you out of desperation, as you won’t truly know if it’s good value for money if you haven’t done any research on the competition yet. Give yourself enough time to truly weigh up the options to make sure you’re getting the best deal possible. On the flip side however, don’t just go for the cheapest price given to you, as this can sometimes be an indicator of a low-quality service. Better yet, get all your quotes in writing to make sure the movers stick to their word.
Discuss any additional fees
The right movers should be open to discuss any additional fees that may be incurred, such as fuel surcharges, equipment fees or extra stop charges. This ensures you won’t be sprung with any unexpected fees, and also demonstrates that your mover is transparent and honest with you.
Qualifications and experience
Professional movers should have the right licenses and extensive experience in order to be fully trusted with your belongings. After all, you want to make sure the team you have hired know how to handle and transport your office furniture and equipment safely and smoothly. Any reputable moving company should share their qualifications and experience upfront and have it proudly displayed on their website.
Insurance
When it comes to moving all your crucial office equipment, it’s well worth making sure your mover is insured. If something were to go wrong during the move, you want to make sure you won’t be affected too severely. Insurance is especially important in the case of a shared office building, as you want to make sure all parties are covered if any damage is incurred.
Specialisation
There are plenty of movers out there who do home moves as well as office relocations. Instead of going for a jack-of-all-trades, consider choosing a mover who specialises in office relocations. This means they will know all the ins and outs of smoothly relocating an office, including what order things should be moved in and how to keep electronics and other fragile office equipment safe.
Going the extra mile
Truly professional and reliable movers will go the extra mile for you, offering to help you set up your new office. Your mover may also be able to offer you packing and crating services to take some more burden off your shoulders, although this will often incur an additional fee.
Service awards
The cherry on top when hiring professional movers is if they have any service awards. If the movers have earned any awards or credentials for a trade group, industry organisation or a local small business association, you can be sure they truly excel at what they do.
Taking the time to research and choose the right moving company will help make the move a stress-free experience, while getting your office up and running as quickly as possible. As the leading office movers Christchurch, Auckland and beyond, Business Relocations are happy to help you with your next move. Contact us on 0800 800 247 or at info@businessrelocations.co.nz for any of your office relocation needs. Read more about our specialist services.
