Moving is always a pain in the rump, but it doesn’t have to be a horrific, expensive experience. The No. 1 lament from someone who’s experienced a “bad” move is “I didn’t know I needed to…” followed closely by “I completely forgot that…” In other words, it’s what you don’t do that makes the move a disaster. To make your move easy and effortless, here are the 3 most common mistakes you want to avoid:

Mistake #1 — Trying To Save Money By Using Your Employees To
Move Your Computer Network

Don’t ask your staff to disconnect, move and reconnect computers, phones and other devices just to save a few bucks. You’ll frustrate them and end up with phones ringing at the wrong extension, lost cables and PCs that get dropped. You don’t want to let your movers do this job either; they may be great at moving furniture, but a network is a lot more sophisticated and sensitive. Be smart and hire an IT pro to pack and move your network.

Mistake #2 — Not Hiring The RIGHT IT Firm To Move Your Network

While we’re on the topic, make sure you know what to look for when outsourcing the move. A few things to look for would include references from other clients, proof of insurance (get them to fax you a copy), a service-level guarantee limiting the amount of time you are down and a professional, organized approach to quoting the move. A real pro will insist on visiting your current location as well as your new location to conduct a detailed site survey. NEVER hire anyone who wants to quote moving your network over the phone.

Mistake #3 — Not Giving Your Phone, Internet And Cable Vendors Enough Advance Notice

80% of unexpected communications blackouts and cost overruns on   network moves are caused by failure to properly plan voice, data and electrical installation in advance. Just because the prior tenant had computers and telephones is no guarantee that the cabling is suitable for your phones and your computer network. Allow at least 6 weeks for Internet and telephone connections to be installed. Advance planning will help you  avoid emergency rush fees or Band-Aid fixes to make things work.