Archive for the ‘Corporate Facility Relocation’ category

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How to Save Money on Moving Costs

May 6th, 2010

Many of business’ are looking at ways to save time and money on their relocation projects. Here are a few ideas that may help you in the pursuit of the money saving goal.

The most obvious and most over looked is tossing out junk from that black hole of a storage closet. Think about donating out dated manuals or books to a trade school or local school. Old computer equipment is not to be thrown in the trash but companies are set up for responsibly destroying those assets. A reminder is to destroy the hard drive on old CPU’s before turning them over to be destroyed. Worst case with large items or excess furniture is to have it hauled to the local county disposal facility. Remember this long time mover’s proverb…Chuck It, Don’t Truck.

Another savings is thru King Office Services QuickCube estimating software that helps the mover create a efficient move plan and optimized move crew size. Once your inventory of items to be moved and the building logistics are inputted, QuickCube provides the most efficient crew size saving you paying too much because of someone’s math error. Quickcube takes the guess work from estimating your relocation project providing you the best possible price.

Lastly and very important step is to set up a task list and assign duties to your move team. With some planning upfront certainly can save you once your move crew shows up and they can get right to work. Hold move meetings with your staff to explain what needs to happen to make the move efficient for everyone involved. Creating a office layout helps the movers place the furniture without taking time to ask questions or looking for someone to give direction on placement of furniture. All employees need to be prepared and packed up on move day so the move crew can get right to work saving potential hundreds of dollars not having the move crew waiting.

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May 3rd, 2010

How to Qualify an Office Mover

This is Kevin Crofoot, VP of Sales for KCS Office moving again.  I am writing today because I got a great phone call the other morning.  The lady asked me “How do you qualify an Office Moving Company?”  Based on that question I decided that I would write this short blog and produce the corresponding video which you can see on my youtube channel at www.youtube.com/houstonofficemover.

FIVE EASY QUESTIONS

1.  Do they own their own equipment?  This tells you if they will be ready for the job.

2.  Do they provide storage?  If they do it means they have a stake in the game and they are not a fly by night company.

3.  You might also ask what Associations do they Have.  We are a member of CRN, the Commercial Relocation Network, United Van Lines, BBB, IFMA and CoreNet, Houston’s Premier Commercial Real Estate Network.

4.  Do they offer Valuation?  Valuation is in addition to carriers liability or Basic liability.

5.  Lastly is do they provide Fixed Bids?  A company that is willing to provide a fixed bid is confident in there ability to deliver consistent service and they know how to bid a job.

WRAP-UP

I hope this blog has been helpful.  My name is Kevin Crofoot and I am VP of Sales for KCS Office Moving.  This was a quick look on How to Qualify an Office Mover.  You can request a quote or find more information at www.kcsofficemoving.com;  www.youtube.com/houstonofficemover.

Thanks,

Kevin Crofoot

kcrofoot@kcsalley.com

KCS Office Moving

www.kcsofficemoving.com

 

Houston Office Movers, Office Move Organization, Office Moving Houston, Office Movers, Preferred Office Movers, Facility Movers, Commercial Moving, Free Office Moving Checklist, Free Office Moving Quote, KCS Office Moving, How to Quality an Office Mover

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Office Move Organization

April 26th, 2010

Blog – Office Move Organization

Today I am writing about getting you organized for your Office Move Organization.  A worthwhile move plan for a company with 10 employees or 200 involves similar procedures.  Three 3 Basic steps include Breaking to Move into Manageable Phases, Providing Move Packets & Performing Pre Move Meetings.

MANAGEABLE PHASES

All moves have obstacles.  The key to organizing a move is identifying the largest constraint and working around it.  Common Constraints include:

• After Hours Moves
• Stair Carries & Small Elevators
• Limited Truck Access
• Large File Rooms
• Difficult Pieces of Furniture (Granite, 1 Piece Conference Tables)

We solve these common problems by breaking out the inventory into smaller manageable labor phases.  Performing Pre Move Labor with a smaller crew allows us work during business hours. For example, we might Disconnect and Dolly-up furniture prior to sending the larger crew to begin transportation after hours.  We can also Moving Cubicles or File Rooms prior to moving the offices.  Often we will disconnect cubicles during the day, move cubicles after hours starting at 5PM. Reconnect cubicles the following morning prior to receiving the main shipment of furniture at destination.

MOVE PACKETS

The 2nd step in organization is move packets.   Move packets consist of:
• Pre-Printed labels and Signage for each room at destination.
• Furniture Layout Guides indicating to the Movers where to place the furniture in each room at destination.
• Written Instructions, each employee can utilize as a reference guide.
• PC bags that hold Computer cable, mouse, phone, speakers
• Monitor Covers that protect flat screen monitors
Office moves often have crew sizes 4 to 10 times larger than household goods moves.  Therefore, communicating to the crew where items go is critical to a successful move.

PRE MOVE MEETINGS

The final basic step is a Staff Move Meeting.  This meeting typically coincides with your material delivery 4-5 business days prior to the first phase of labor, and takes between 15-30 minutes.  Discussed in the Pre Move Meeting is the Move Packets, labeling systems and proper use of the moving crates.  We also review items commonly found in offices and what to do with filing cabinets, pictures, pc’s, packed boxes, metal shelves and so forth. Often I am asked who should be involved in the Pre-Move Meetings; my answer is always as many people as possible.  The more that hear the basic steps the more successful the move goes.

WRAP-UP

I hope this blog has been helpful.  My name is Kevin Crofoot and I am VP of Sales for KCS Office Moving. This is the second in a series of six blogs and corresponding videos.  The next video and blog will be on “Equipment and Operations,” in an office move.  You can request a quote or find more information at www.kcsofficemoving.com www.youtube.com/houstonofficemover.

Kevin Crofoot
KCS Office Moving
www.kcsofficemoving.com

Houston Office Movers, Office Move Organization, Office Moving Houston, Office Movers, Preferred Office Movers, Facility Movers, Commercial Moving, Free Office Moving Checklist, Free Office Moving Quote, KCS Office Moving

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Office Moving Tips – Considerations before you create a move plan: by Clancy Moving Systems

April 21st, 2010

By Ron Cognetta – A Moving Professional at Clancy Moving Systems in Connecticut and New York and member of CRN – the Commercial Relocation Network.

If you are  considering relocating your company, Clancy Moving Systems has office moving tips for you.  In today’s office moving tip we give you important considerations, which are most helpful BEFORE  you create a move plan.

First, make a list of all the pros and cons so you and your staff clearly understand the underlying need for the move and what it should accomplish.  Second, consideration should be given to the following:

·         When is the best time to move?

·         Are there seasonal fluctuations or other considerations that could affect this decision?

·         How much will the move cost?

·         What percentage are you and your staff going to do yourselves?

·         How will this relocation impact the employees

·         What effect will it have on overall productivity?

These questions need to be addressed during the earliest planning phases.  Once you start a plan, it is hard to redesign the plan to include these important considerations.  That is why upfront planning is one of our most important office moving tips.

Suggestion: Select a “move team” at least three months before the actual relocation.  You may also want to select people to manage specific areas such as office furniture and equipment, electronics and communication, plants, employee relocation (if needed), and budget.  Often several of these responsibilities can be given to one person, but make sure each of these areas is assigned to someone.  Managing the move budget is a critical activity.  It is a good idea to make department managers responsible for their individual budgets, and ultimately passing departmental budgets to the decision makers. However you organize your move team, whether it consists of one person or 20, the issues and decisions are similar.   Depending on the scale, moving can be expensive, and unforeseen expenses tend to be the rule, rather than the exception.  At the same time, there are ways you can save money.  Allow enough time to weigh your options, and don’t forget one very important office moving tip…all moving expenses are tax deductible.

About Clancy Moving Systems – Clancy Moving Systems has been providing professional moving and storage services since 1921.  Clancy has offices in Putnam(NY) , Dutchess(NY) and Fairfield(CT) Counties as well as New York City. Clancy serves a who’s who of fortune 500 clients and manages projects on a global scale.

About Ron Cognetta – Ron has been a member of Clancy Moving Systems since 2000.  Ron resides in Fairfield County and works in Clancy’s Stamford, CT office.  Ron is a member of several organizations including CRN, IFMA and BOMA.

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Office Moving Advice – CRN offers a tip to companies setting a date to move

April 14th, 2010

By Jim Carey – A Moving Professional at Clancy Moving Systems in New York and member of CRN – the Commercial Relocation Network

Make phone and data lines a priority in your office move planning.  As movers, we often have the “pleasure” of seeing up close the types of factors that cause a customer of ours to have to delay their office move by several days and, sometimes, weeks.  Phone and data lines can take much longer than anticipated.

In today’s business office environment, phone and data lines come in many different varieties and countless providers can provide these utility services.  Having your phone and data lines installed and ready prior to your move into a new office location can be delayed by several causes.  Our point is don’t take for granted that these services will be readily available in the time frame you need them.  They really can cause a delay to your office move.

There are many reasons.  With knowledge of some of the most common ones, we hope you avoid delays to your office move by working proactively with your phone and Internet providers.

First, when moving into an existing office space, try to find out how many phone lines were installed in your space for the previous tenant.  If the previous tenant had 12 phone lines and your company needs 50, you need to make sure the phone company confirms they have the necessary infrastructure in the building to handle your needs.  Phone companies usually build enough infrastructure in buildings to handle overall needs.  But some of the more expensive components of phone service infrastructure are added as they are needed.  Requiring additional phone or data infrastructure can add time to the phone and data line install.

Second, the phone provider your company uses may be a competitive provider.  In other words, they are not the big behemoth phone company like Verizon, SBC or Qwest.   These companies can bring phone or data service to your new location in one of two ways.  The first way is they can utilize the big behemoth phone company’s phone lines to connect your office to their phone switch.  When you notify them of your needs at a new office location and place an order, you can expect at least one month before those phone and data lines are installed.  There is just too much red tape that goes on between the two phone companies and it will take 30 days or longer.

The second way is for your competitive phone and data provider to extend their own network into your new office location.  (always over fiber optic cables)  If the competitive phone company is already in the building, great!  You just avoided a “build-in” process that would have taken 3 months.  We have even seen the process take 6 months in some cases.

Relatively new on the scene to business phone and data services is your local cable company.  They have the right-of-way to get to the curbside of most buildings, but getting in the building is a whole other story.  It takes time to get permission and plan an entrance into a building,  Depending on the owner of the building, your phone and data provider can be delayed for a few weeks or, worse, a few months.  If your employer owns the building, you will obviously have an easier time getting any phone or data lines in the building.

Depending on the size of a move, the responsibilities of the move may be split amongst different departments.  It is common for the IT staff to be involved in larger moves because of these and other complexities associated with phone and data lines.  In such a case, make sure you remember to keep updated on their progress.

As experienced office movers, we often communicate with the IT staff on a variety of subjects,  We take every opportunity to understand how they are doing with preparing the new office space’s phone and data lines.   Remember, even though an IT staff may know a lot about the phone and data needs, moving is not something they do every day and these potential delays are largely beyond their control.

If you are responsible for your company’s upcoming office move, make the smart move and add phone and data line installation to your list.

About Jim Carey – Jim Carey is a moving professional with Clancy Moving Systems, based in the New York and a member of the Commercial Relocation Network.

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Move it or lose it! The office move manager’s job in jeopardy – A CRN advisory series

April 13th, 2010

By Steven Langsdale – A member of the Commercial Relocation Network and moving professional at Mohawk Moving and Storage, Inc.

 The poor soul assigned to handle their company’s office move is in trouble according to CRN.   The biggest issue seen by office moving professionals is the office manager’s failure to orchestrate numerous tasks in a correct sequence and extremely short timeframe.  The result of this failure – A disruption to a business operation that far exceeds the time that was expected to resume a normal mode of business.  The task is complex.  The move manager  has to coordinate multiple suppliers.  They need to create a relocation plan with IT professionals, Furniture Installers, the phone vendor, the phone company, the Internet service provider and more.  All these suppliers need to do their job in a timeframe that is, many times, as narrow as one weekend.  Unfortunately, the person given the task of “office move manager” often pays an enormous personal price.  Never again are they entrusted with important tasks.  Prospects for advancement to the next level in the organization mysteriously vanish and, in some of the worst cases, the office move manager’s regular job is unexpectedly downsized (this really happens)

 “We are not ready to move”  These words are repeated many times by the office move manager.  As the move date approaches, those brave office move managers are taking on their regular job with mounting pressure every day to get everyone and everything prepared for the upcoming move.  It may be one month, one week or one day before the planned move date.  Whenever it is, the move manager discovers something that they didn’t realize before.  Then they realize “We can’t possibly get ready in time for the move date.”  Then the fateful visit is made to the boss. 

What could cause your company to not be ready?  The answer is just about anything.  Maybe the new space is not ready because the data line for internet service will not be installed for several more days or weeks.  Perhaps the carpet that has to go down before the new furniture installation is back ordered – causing a chain reaction of delays.    Sometimes you find out at the last minute there is no electricity where you need to locate the copier or there are not enough data lines for every new workstation being installed.  The reasons are numerous and varied.

 Hiring a move consultant is a great idea.  But many times it is not in the budget.  But they offer one very big benefit – EXPERIENCE.  In our business, we work with move consultants on a regular basis.  They may use project planning software or they may handle moves in an old-school fashion.  Either way, they have something most short term office move managers don’t – EXPERIENCE. 

 If you have just been given the task of coordinating your company’s office move, do yourself a favor.   Seek the advice of a move consultant or an office moving professional.  They’ll transform the process from a series of gut-wrenching surprises to a forecast of predictable events with practical solutions.  And you can transform the prospect of losing your status or, worse, your job, to gaining a foothold on the empty corner office at your new office space. 

 About CRN – The Commercial Relocation Network is a membership organization made up of the largest and most successful office and industrial relocation companies in the country. The group is administered by an executive committee of industry professionals dedicated to having only the “Best in Class” service providers involved in the group. The criteria and process to become a member of CRN is more stringent than joining any other industry company or organization.   

 About Steven Langsdale – Steven Langsdale is a member of CRN and an office moving professional with Mohawk Moving Systems, based in the Minneapolis/St. Paul region.

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Office Moving | Do’s and Don’ts of Office Relocation | Part 4

February 25th, 2010

Office Move Planners

The Office Move Itself

Previously in this Office Moving series you learned about the 9 most common Office Move mistakes, addressed the question of whether you are properly prepared to pull off a successful office move and learned how to complete early preparations for an office move.

Now we will address the office move itself with this detailed checklist of tasks you will need to accomplish or delegate. By now you should have selected your Office Moving Company who will be your partner in this step of the process. If you have any questions whatsoever, don’t hesitate to contact your move coordinator for assistance. They’ve been through this process thousands of times and can be a huge help by saving you time, money and worry. Most importantly, starred * tasks on this list can be scheduled directly with your move coordinator.

Don’t move office items you won’t need

• Throw away junk and archive old files*

• Warehouse un-needed equipment and files*

Communicate your moving plans to the following:

• Memos to employees

• Letter to customers

• Letter to bank and accountant

• Letter to insurance agent

• Letters to vendors and suppliers

Prepare for packing your offices

• Determine amount of Kwik-Paks required and deliver – these are faster, easier and more economical to pack and unpack than boxes*

• Determine (if needed) amount of corrugated boxes required and deliver for remaining items*

• Determine packing materials required and deliver for use to cushion items*

• Order and distribute labels and markers. Diggins & ROSE supplies color-coded commercial packing labels with every move so that boxes are easily distributed to the correct area of your new offices*

• Provide clear instructions for packing. Your mover can help you with this*

• Determine whether you would like your mover or your employees to pack filing cabinets, supply cabinets, personal items, etc*

• Determine whether you would like your mover or your employees to will pack common areas (reception, pantry, library, etc.)*

• Make arrangements to have live plants moved. Moving Companies are not able to transport live plants.

• Make arrangements to move framed pictures and any special artwork. Your mover’s in-house crating department can handle this detail*

• Determine whether you would like your mover or your IT Tech to perform all disconnections & reconnections of your computer systems*

Move management prep

• Take complete inventory*

• Document network log-ins, access, print spooling, etc.

• Perform complete backup of network

• Perform complete backup of telephone system

• Document telephone extension, pooling groups, etc.

• Select department coordinators

• Create packing/labeling guidelines*

• Arrange to have PCs packed/moved*

• Determinate who will work on move weekend

• Arrange for packing/moving of copiers*

• Arrange for disassembly/reassembly of modular furniture*

• Arrange to pack/move networking equipment and servers*

• Arrange to prep/move telephone system

• Arrange for elevator access (both sites)

• Schedule parking and unloading at new site

• Obtain any special moving/parking permits

• Determine building restrictions for move hours

• Arrange for protection of floors, walls and elevators*

Clean up/demo old site

• Remove old cabling?

• Arrange for special trash pickup*

• Perform final cleaning*

Update legal agreements:

• Service agreements

• Business Licenses

• Insurance

• Sales & Use certificates

• Equipment leases

• Mandatory HR postings

• Certificate of Insurance*

This is part 4 of a 4-part blog series addressing office moving issues and providing you with the tools and information you need for a flawless office move. Also see:

Part 1: Do’s and Don’ts of Office Relocation: Most Common Office Moving Mistakes,

Part 2: Do’s and Don’ts of Office Relocation: Can you accomplish a successful office move?

Part 3: Do’s and Don’ts of Office Relocation: Office Move Planning Checklist.

Or email diggins & ROSE Moving Systems now for the complete series “Do’s and Don’ts of Office Relocation.

If you are planning an office move in the next 12 months, contact diggins & ROSE immediately for a free consultation and quote. Remember, the earlier you start your planning, the better your chances for a successful, stress-free office moving experience.

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Office Moving | Part 3: Office Move Planning Checklist

February 12th, 2010

Office Relocation Do’s and Don’ts  Part 3: Office Move Planning Checklist

Office Move Planning
This detailed list will help you anticipate the steps involved in a typical office move. Not every step will apply to your situation. Carefully consider each step in the process and determine which of these you need to address or delegate to someone else. You will no doubt quickly realize that planning an office move is a huge and complicated task! Don’t wait until the last minute to get organized.

Office Relocation: Finding a new location
• Geographic area being considered
• Type of building desired
• Square feet needed
• Budget limits
• Determine office sizes & who gets one
• Establish requirements for archiving/warehousing (off site)
• Hire a tenant rep broker
• Select space
• Negotiate lease terms
• Negotiate work letter (TI allowance)
• Sign lease
• Give notice to old landlord

Office Moving: Designing the new location
• Hire an architect/interior designer
• Determine office furnishing needs
• Determine office systems needs

o Telephone system
o Computers and networking
o Copiers/Printers/Fax machines.
o Postage meters, etc.

• Working floor plan drafts

o Provide HVAC requirements for all equipment
o Provide electrical requirements for all equipment
o Decide on cabling outlet configuration (Voice and Data)

Office Moving: Get vendor quotes and hire as early as possible for the following:
• Cabling
• Telephone system (replace it or move it)
• Order new phone/data service (POTS, T-1, ISDN, DSL) Network (upgrade it, back it up, prepare to move it)
• Security system
• Modular furniture (replace it or move it)
• Office Moving Company
• Document destructors
• Janitorial service
• Plant watering service

Office Moving: Manage construction project
• Hire General contractor
• Hire Project manager?
• Hire engineer
• Get drawings approved for permit
• Obtain building permits

Office Relocation: Updating your business location
• Order new stationery and business cards
• Order new signs
• Paint or decal company vehicles
• Change vehicle registrations
• Change website to reflect new address/phone numbers
• Revise advertising
• Revise yellow pages listing
• Notify post office

This is part 3 of a 4-part blog series addressing office moving issues and providing you with the tools and information you need for a flawless office move.
See Part 1, Do’s and Don’ts of Office Relocation: Most Common Office Moving Mistakes and Part 2:Can you accomplish a successful office move?
Watch for Part 4: The Office Move Checklist. Or contact diggins & ROSE Moving Systems now for the complete series “Do’s and Don’ts of Office Relocation. If you are planning an office move in the next 12 months, contact diggins & ROSE immediately for a free consultation and quote. The earlier you start your planning, the better your chances for a successful, stress-free office moving experience.

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Office Move Survey, Fixed Bid

February 9th, 2010

Why is it important to get a visual survey of your office move and a fixed bid?  Let’s first discuss what a Typical Survey entails.  When you call a moving company to get a quote you will typically get one of two responses.  The first is an hourly rate for three or four men and a van.  This is how a local household goods moving company quotes a move.  This is bad.  The second is a company that wants to set up a visual survey of what you are planning to move.  This is good. 

THE APPOINTMENT

First you want to sit down and have a conversation with the sales person or surveyor.  Discuss the timeline for the move, destination factors including what type of building, and the address or area of town you are planning to move into.  This process typically takes about 5 minutes.

Then the surveyor will want to perform a walkthrough of the office or warehouse to inventory the furniture, contents and electronics.  Depending on the size of your space this can take as little as 10 minutes or as much as an hour.  A typical business with about 5000 sqft takes about 20 minutes. 

Once the walkthrough is completed I have the ability to process and email your proposal onsite from us to review and discuss the material and labor needed and the timeline associated with the move.  The processing time takes about 15-20 minutes.  All together a typical appointment takes about an hour.

THE PROPOSAL

A worthwhile proposal will contain a scope of work, an inventory, and a move plan.  The scope of work should detail the services included, excluded and items left open; meaning items priced but not included in the total.  An example of item you want specifically stated as included or exclude would be disconnect or reconnect of cubicles, metal shelves, stair carry at origin or destination or packing and unpacking labor for files or medical records.  The next item is an inventory.  How can one compare bids if you cannot verify what the surveyor has inventoried?  The move plan should include pricing and timeline.  The pricing should break down material cost per unit and labor should be calculated hourly with set rates for the crew.  A start time and completion time should also be stated for each phase of labor.

One of the most important phrases to look for is “Fixed bid,” or “Guaranteed Price.”  We all have heard horror stories of moves that took twice as long as estimated and cost twice as much.  Most buyers look at price as the most important criteria for procurement of a move, and it is important, but comparing apples to apples proposals and making sure you have a fixed bid is critical to budgeting and sanity.

WRAP-UP

I hope this blog has been helpful.  My name is Kevin Crofoot and I am VP of Sales for KCS Office Moving.  This is the first in a series of six blogs and corresponding videos.  The next video and blog will be on “How Organization Can Decrease Your Downtime,” in an office move.  You can request a quote or find more information at www.kcsofficemoving.com.

 

Kevin Crofoot

KCS Office Moving

www.kcsofficemoving.com

 

Houston Office Movers, Office Moving Houston, Office Movers, Preferred Office Movers, Facility Movers, Commercial Moving, Free Office Moving Checklist, Free Office Moving Quote, KCS Office Moving

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King Office Services Moves The Los Angeles Police Department

February 3rd, 2010

From September 2009 to January 2010 King Office Services relocated the Los Angeles Police Department from thier existing facilities, of 55 years, to a brand new modern building. The project entailed relocating over 2500 staff members from seven orign locations in downtow Los Angeles and surrounding communities.

King Office Services provided moving, packing, unpacking, computer disconnect & reconnect services, plastic crates, and assisted with move management related tasks. All of these services were planned for over a year before the execution of the project took place.

Working hand in hand with the relocation project management team of Blackman and Holberton, the LAPD move team, and A2Z-It for computer services the move was completed on time and under budgett. The client has been quoted as saying it was an efficient and professional relocation.

2500 moving personnel hours, 10,000 plastic RentaCrates, 3,500 computers, 2500 employee staff members, over 1500 truckloads where relocated during the 11 phases of the move. All of this was completed without one misplaced item and zero damages.  

Currently King Office Services is working on the decommissioning and vacating of the old origin locations. During this process we have assisted with liquidation, recylcing and disposal of all unused assets. The entire process will be concluded by the end of February 2010.

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Posted in Computer Services, Corporate Facility Relocation, Disposal Services, Packing Services, Uncategorized

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