The Australian Bureau of Statistics tallied up 1,250 businesses that left their old homes for a new one in Queensland last year, taking in more splintered businesses from other states than any other state. Meanwhile, Victoria sneaked in a tidy net gain of over 16,000 businesses in the same time frame. What’s really going down in all this is a commercial shake-up on an enormous scale, and the businesses playing this game are finding out that the easy part is actually making up their minds to move. The real challenge is making it through without laying waste to your operations.
Honestly, most business owners put all their energy into figuring out their destination. Which is fair enough. But what slips through the cracks, and that’s where the real damage is done, is the transition itself, which is exactly where specialist business relocation services across Australia make the real difference.
Two Weeks of Planning Cannot Fix Three Days of Downtime
You can shift the office furniture with a general removalist. But moving the servers, manufacturing gear, the stock that’s got to stay chilled, or a full retail makeover is a whole different kettle of fish; and assuming it’s as simple as the rest of the move is one of the pricey mistakes business owners make when it comes to relocations.
For businesses who’ve got customers to keep happy, B2B deals to keep ticking over, or some pretty time-sensitive client relationships, three days of unplanned downtime is going to cost dearly. And that cost compounds fast. The notion that the move will happen over a weekend and then business will just pick up again on Monday is a pipe dream unless some real planning has gone into making it happen.
A Commercial Move Is Not a Residential One at Larger Scale
Commercial moves are a whole different ball game when it comes to load docks and building management. Then there’s the paperwork on high-value stock, sensitive documents and sensitive equipment to keep track of across state lines. You’ve also got to figure out access restrictions that can’t be fudged. Chain of custody has to be airtight not just when they’re loading the truck, but through the whole journey.
And of course there are the extra hoops you’ve got to jump through when moving from one state to another; paperwork, consignment documentation, compliance that all need sorting out before the truck even leaves. You can’t just wing it at the state border.
Businesses that manage this well are the ones who treat this as a separate project from the move itself, not some minor detail to cobble together later on. When you do that, everything that comes afterwards falls into place.
Timing the Move Around Operations, Not the Calendar
Continuity in the process of relocation hinges on precise scheduling. An overnight and weekend relocation enables the firm to continue operating until the very day prior to relocation and begin operations the very next day. A staged relocation allows certain aspects of operation to continue, in addition to the fact that the relocation occurs gradually over several nights as opposed to one night.
When it comes to interstate relocation, early coordination is compulsory. A vehicle moving goods from Melbourne for delivery to Queensland would take a minimum of three days to arrive; therefore, the storage options at the receiving end must be organised before any loading occurs. Those firms which do not allow enough time for an interstate relocation often face delays which were bound to happen had another two weeks been planned beforehand.
What Competent Relocation Logistics Actually Looks Like?
Not every logistics service provider will be capable of delivering an effective commercial relocation. What differentiates an effective provider from an ineffective one is not necessarily evident from the quoted prices. Important things to consider:
- Purpose-specific vehicles suitable for the type of relocation, ranging from office spaces on one floor to an industrial complex with multiple sites.
- GPS tracking and verification at each stage, including delivery, as opposed to mere final delivery confirmation.
- One person in charge of the process of relocation from start to finish, and not merely a call centre for enquiries.
- Standardised procedures for sensitive and valuable items, with chain of custody in place.
The Phase Most Businesses Overlook
The task is not over once all the goods have arrived at their destination. Establishing the relocated business as a fully operational unit requires more time than what has been accounted for in the timeline. It is important to arrange the short-term storage of surplus stock or equipment and make suppliers and customers aware of the change in address and other related communications.
Those firms which take the time out for such things prior to the process of moving achieve a smooth transition into the newly established business location without disturbing customers.
