Everyone appreciates saving money. Saving your company money can impress your boss and lead to a raise or promotion down the road. Saving money is smart – except when it ends up costing you money. If you’ll be overseeing an office move or relocation soon, you’ll probably solicit bids from moving companies. You may be tempted to automatically accept the lowest bid. Before you decide, contemplate a company’s answers to the following questions.
1) Does the Vendor Use Contract Labor?
When you hire office furniture installers to handle the moving process, you’re paying for their expertise in how to move the furniture but also how to disassemble and successfully reassemble the various brands of expensive office furniture. Always select a company that uses an in-house team that is used to working together and is trained specifically in the nuances of office moves. Office movers are trained on best practices for furniture disassembling, re-installation, moving sensitive electronics, etc. Contractors may not have that training. They won’t know how best to protect your equipment (such as knowing that a computer tower should always be packed with the motherboard positioned flat on the bottom of the box.) They may not know how to reconnect your equipment or that sometimes powering up equipment needs to occur in phases. Their unfamiliarity can damage your equipment.
2) Does the Vendor Conduct Background Checks and Drug Tests?
The movers you hire will probably have unrestricted access to your office space (and the expensive assets and employees within it). When you hire a company that doesn’t conduct background checks or drug tests, you could be inviting convicted criminals or drug addicts into your office. There’s nothing stopping an unscrupulous mover from stealing an employee’s wallet, expensive equipment or even data he’ll later use to commit identity theft.
3) Does the Office Moving Company Have Outstanding Insurance?
Accidents happen. Property can be lost or damaged during any move. And that’s exactly why insurance exists. Only hire an office furniture installation company that has comprehensive coverage from a highly rated insurance company. Always require proof of this coverage by requesting to see a valid insurance certificate. Only accept an insurance certificate that you receive directly from the insurer or insurance agency. Never accept proof of insurance provided by the moving company. It could be fraudulent.
4) Does the Office Moving Company Offer a Warranty on Their Work?
Once you’ve got the furniture moved from Point A to Point B, it has to be put back together. Office furniture assembly services are an important part of most office moves. But what if the work isn’t done correctly? Do you have any recourse? To simplify things, it’s hire reputable office movers who will give a warranty on their installation work for at least a year. If an item fails due to improper installation, their warranty should cover the cost of a replacement.
5) Will the Moving Company Provide an Experienced Project Manager?
When you choose the lowest-priced office moving service, the price may be low because there is no dedicated project manager to meet with you before and during the move and guide you through the process. An office move is a huge, complex undertaking. It’s almost a certainty that you’ll experience hiccups along the way. When your office furniture installation company has assigned you a project manager, you have one go-to contact person who can resolve issues to keep your job on schedule. They’ll also be knowledgeable You won’t have to make multiple phone calls trying to get assistance from various vendors. A project manager will also conduct a final walk-through to ensure your space is ready for move-in.
Read more about why you’ll want a project manager for your office move.
What to Do?
When researching office moving services, remember this: There’s more to moving office furniture than picking up boxes, panels and chairs and transporting them from Point A to Point B. The best office movers are actually office furniture installers who provide far more than manual labor; they provide logistical support and advice gleaned from other office moves. They also know how to reduce risks and solve problems quickly and effectively. When you’re shopping around for an office mover, let expertise guide your decision rather than cost. The adage, “You get what you pay for” is usually true.
If you’re ready to plan on office move, please let us know how we can help. Request a free quote. If you’re not quite sure yet if you need movers or installers, click below to take a short quiz to find the answer.
