5 Avoidable IT Relocation Mistakes
Moving to new office is an exciting prospect, but the move can be thwarted with difficulties, delays and downtime if you don’t avoid several common mistakes.
1. Not planning far enough in advance
Relocating your IT equipment is a complex and time-consuming process that needs to be planned and managed correctly. In order to avoid any downtime or disruption to your business, ensure you plan your IT relocation well in advance using this IT Relocation Checklist, and work with an IT Relocation Company to transfer your equipment and install the appropriate infrastructure. If you don’t plan ahead, you could cause severe disruption to your business that WILL cost you.
2. Not considering your complete telecom requirements
It is important to fully consider the impact of your telephones when you move office:
- Will your phone number need to change in the new location?
- If your number is changing, have you arranged call forwarding?
- Is your current phone system adequate for your needs in the new office?
- How many phone lines do you need? And does the new office need new phone lines installed or moved?
3. Not having a contingency plan
Another common mistake is that companies don’t have any contingency or backup plan if your IT relocation does not go as planned. No matter how well you plan, some issues are beyond your control. Consider how you are going to continue operations if you have a power outage or if there is a severe delay to your move. Staff may need to work remotely from home if the office is unable to be occupied for whatever reason, and you will also need an emergency contact list of clients to ensure everyone is kept up to date.
4. Assuming IT infrastructure is in situ in the new office
This is a trap many companies fall into, and can be the cause of much business disruption. If you are moving into a brand new office which has been recently refurbished or is a brand new building, the chances are there will be no IT infrastructure installed. If you are moving into a building that has been previously occupied by another tenant, don’t assume their IT requirements will be the same as yours. Set enough time aside to have the correct network cabling and IT infrastructure installed before you move in to the new office.
5. No IT test plan
Technology equipment can be rather sensitive to a relocation and will need to be tested before staff arrive to start work. Many companies do not have a comprehensive test plan to test the features and functionality of each piece of equipment. This is absolutely critical. You can imagine the pressures you might experience getting everything ready for when your staff arrive. Having an IT test plan will help you create a systematic process to install and test everything so it works as it should before you resume normal business activity.
To avoid these common mistakes and for more information on planning your IT relocation - download the IT Relocation Checklist.
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