Blog | - Part 5

7 Questions to Ask Before Hiring a Mover

Posted on July 8, 2015 by Expert Relocation Systems

A big part of choosing the right movers is asking the right questions. Use the answers below to determine if a relocation service you are considering is truly the right match for your business.

7 Important Questions to Ask a Mover Before you Hire Them—and the Answers you Need to Hear

Have you ever moved a business before?

Residential and commercial moving are two totally different things, and movers who know how to move a home may be able to relocate your furniture, but they won’t be able to help with much beyond heavy lifting. Movers that are experienced in commercial relocation can lessen your downtime and make sure your office move is as stress free as possible.

How long have you been in business?

An experienced mover is your best bet if you have a complex move. Taking a chance on a new business, on inexperienced movers, or on a business that is barely established could impact you in several harmful ways. An inexperienced mover may not understand all that is involved with your move and could make costly mistakes on your estimate, or on the move itself. For best results, put your business in the hands of a professional when you move your office.

Are you licensed and insured?

A mover that gets injured on your property or in your office could become a problem if they lack insurance. You’ll be entrusting costly furniture and equipment into the hands of the moving professionals who will be doing your relocation—what happens if they break an expensive piece of your equipment or drop a priceless piece of artwork? Know who will pay the bill if something goes wrong before it happens, just in case.

How binding is your estimate?

If the work ends up taking longer than anticipated or the workers run into unexpected delays that are not your fault, will you be charged more than expected? An estimate should be binding, meaning the movers will charge you no more than the stated amount, regardless of how long the work takes. Ask this question and you will not be surprised by hidden moving costs.

How long will my move take?

You need this figure not only to estimate the move itself, but to know just how much downtime you should anticipate for your business. Do not forget to add the time it takes for your staffers to set back up and get fully operational again once their furniture, equipment and supplies are in place.

Do you have relevant references?

Relevant is the key word here, as a residential moving company hoping to break into commercial moves may offer you happy homeowner testimonials. To get an accurate idea of what to expect from the movers, any references should be from commercial moves and should ideally be from a business of the same size or larger than your own.

Do you have any experience or expertise with moving specialty items?

Businesses with lab or healthcare equipment, those with large mainframes or computer equipment, or those with art or specialty collections need to know that those expensive items are in good hands. Ideally, the mover you choose will understand that your original Warhol or your DaVinci surgery robot needs special care.

Posted in General | Tagged Commercial Moving, Office Moving Company | Comments Off

7 Tips for a Stress Free Office Move

Posted on June 24, 2015 by Expert Relocation Systems

Moving your business to a new location has plenty of benefits, like more space for your staff, or a better view, or a more prestigious address. The actual move itself can be complex and stressful, since you likely have a number of staffers and departments to consider as you plan your relocation. Here are seven tips to eliminate stress and make your move as smooth as possible.

7 Tips for a Stress Free Business Move

1. Schedule your move well in advance.

Make sure moving day is on your calendar as early as possible and that all employees are onboard. Early scheduling not only helps your staff get ready for the transition, it gives you time to secure the elevators in your new building (or your old one) for moving day, and let the other businesses you share your space with know you will be disrupting the normal flow of business on a specific date.

2. Notify everyone who needs to know about your move.

From your vendors to your clients, everyone you deal with on a regular and not-so-regular basis needs to know about your move and your new location. That client you hear from once a year may just choose moving day as the time to get in touch, and a busy signal or unanswered phone will not do him much good. Announcing your move and new location is also a great marketing tool, it gives you an easy way to interact with your customers on social media and via print and email, too.

3. Update business materials.

From business cards to brochures to your website, make sure the promotional and everyday materials you pass out to customers reflect the correct information. Depending on how far you move and what other changes you make, you may need to modify more than your street address, so check phone numbers and other relevant information, too.

4. Appoint a moving manager.

Put one person in charge of managing the move and the packing and make sure all departments and areas report to the man or woman in charge. Having a sole manager ensures that all of your information is centralized and that nothing is overlooked because “someone else is doing it.”

5. Special items need special care.

If your office or your executives own expensive artwork or display items, create a team to move just these pieces. Relocating artwork, photographs or one-of-a-kind items is nerve-wracking and needs to be done by a dedicated, knowledgeable team to ensure your items arrive safely.

6. Protect your network.

If you have an in-house information technology team make sure they are aware of all changes and that your network and all components are ready to go. Offer this team extra support as needed; the more quickly your computer network is up and running in the new location, the better. Your organization may not be able to access important software, files or components until they are safely up and running in your new home.

7. Hire a pro.

Moving a business is not like moving a residence. The more complex your setup, the more likely it is that you need professional help. Hiring out your relocation services will allow you to supervise the overall moving process, but not have to deal with the pressure and stress of getting your items out of your old office and into your new one. If you are concerned about downtime, overwhelmed by the idea of moving or simply not sure where to start, a professional team of local movers can take over for you and allow you to focus on what you do best—running your business.

Posted in Moving Tips | Tagged Moving Tips, Office Move, Office relocation | Comments Off

Things To Consider When Moving To A New Climate

Posted on June 9, 2015 by Expert Relocation Systems

So, you’re moving to a new climate and aren’t exactly sure how to prepare? Not to worry! Here are a few pointers to get you started on your new journey. From weather changes to home and office upkeep, what to pack, and more, there are many different things you should be ready for.

Sort and Replace Clothing Accordingly

If you’re moving from a sunny climate to someplace where it’s likely to rain or snow more than you’re used to, your wardrobe will need adjusting. Moving is a great time to get rid of things you don’t need. Take the time to figure out which items you will need, donate those you don’t, and replace them with more climate-appropriate attire.

Remember that the goal is not to get rid of all shorts or all winter outfits. You’ll still need a variety, no matter where you are. However, the items you will use most might change. You might like to shop for these items before heading out so that you have fewer errands upon arrival. On the other hand, you might prefer to go shopping in your new neighborhood instead.

Learn about Varying Home Maintenance

Every home will require some type of maintenance. When moving to a new climate, the way it’s done or the type of maintenance needed can be different. If you’re moving to a wetter climate, you may find that foundation and roof maintenance is done more often than in drier climates. When moving to a colder climate, you might need to worry more about freezing pipes and other plumbing issues. Each climate has its own specific considerations. Talking to your real estate agent and local residents will help ensure you know as much as possible to get prepared.

Avoid Looking like a Tourist

The last thing you want to do in your new hometown is look like a tourist. Pay attention to the way people go about daily life in the new climate. For instance, you don’t want to be the only one carrying an umbrella if everyone else wears raincoats and vice versa. If you’re unable to visit the new climate before moving, talk to potential new co-workers, do some research, and find out what the norm is.

Be Prepared for New Things

No matter how much you prepare for things when moving to a new climate, there will always be something you didn’t think about or realize. For instance, you may realize it’s commonplace in one area to wear coats in sixty-degree weather. But, in another place, it might be more common to wear shorts in this same weather.

Keep a Positive Attitude

Although there are many things to consider when moving to a new climate, it should be an enjoyable experience. You should be prepared for changes, both expected and unexpected. However, the main focus should be on the positive things about relocating to a new climate, whether for work or pleasure. Keep your mind on all of the reasons you’re moving to begin with.

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Seven Organization Tips and Ideas

Posted on May 26, 2015 by Expert Relocation Systems

Everyone who works in an office knows that employees don’t sit right down at 9 in the morning and focus on their work for 8 consecutive hours, save for lunch. Rather, the typical workday is frequently interrupted by distractions and digressions. Far too many people let various interruptions put a serious crimp in their work flow. Let’s take a look at seven helpful organization tips that will keep everyone squarely focused on actual work.

Understand the Cost of Disorganization

Most people complain that they don’t have the time to organize their office. Or they claim that it’ll just become dirty after a couple more days of work. Yet few take the time to really think about just how much time and productivity is lost due to a disorganized office. Stop rearranging piles over and over again. Establish a weekly or even daily cleaning routine where you clean off your desk, properly organize documents and place non-essentials into drawers and bins. Make workplace cleanliness and organization a habit. This way, you’ll be able to find documents with ease and you won’t be constantly distracted by various sundries scattered about your desk and office.

Create Work Zones

Determine exactly what types of activities and work materials should take place and be placed in specific areas of the office. Use the desk as the main work space. Dedicate shelves and filing cabinets as reference areas. Use desk drawers and/or the closet strictly for storing supplies. These work zones will help you quickly find items when you need them.

Use Labels

It will be much easier to abide by work zone boundaries if each zone is labeled. Pick out a good label maker that is easy to use. Label all of your bins, shelves, drawers and baskets. These labels will serve as handy reminders of where documents should be placed. They’ll also help co-workers figure out where to put documents when you are out of the office.

Condense Files

Nowadays, most organizations do not keep a surplus of tangible paper files. The vast majority of information is stored in a digital manner. Determine exactly what you can store digitally, and eliminate paper duplicates. Always perform regular backups of your computer files so that you don’t regret going digital. You’ll find that it is much easier to get work done when you don’t have to constantly get up to pull files out of a crowded filing cabinet.

Establish Discard Dates

It is not necessary to hold onto every single document for years. Some items can be discarded in days, weeks or months. Others should be held onto for posterity’s sake. Establish a discard date for all of your documents and files so that you know exactly when to shred them. Discard dates reduce paperwork, declutter the office and enable you to find documents much more quickly.

Establish a Flawless Filing System

Office workers haphazardly jam paperwork into files far too often. This might provide a bit of instant gratification but it creates considerable problems down the road. Create a filing system that is as simple and manageable as possible. Use a color coding and labeling system that empowers you to find information without significant effort. Place tab hanging style file folders at the front and use interior file folders to establish sub-divisions within large files.

Pre-Sort the Mail

Most offices receive a considerable amount of USPS “snail mail”. Don’t let it pile up into a mess that causes important letters, bills and other correspondence to be overlooked or lost. The daily mail should be pre-sorted into distinct piles for filing, analyzing and responses. If you don’t want to pre-sort the mail each and every single day, delegate the duty to a trusted employee.

Posted in General | Tagged Office Organization | Comments Off

Reorganizing: Improving Work Environment & Productivity

Posted on May 1, 2015 by Expert Relocation Systems

Methods for improving work environment and productivity when reorganizing.

Cleaning your work area sounds more like a chore than anything beneficial, but would it be surprising that it enhances productivity on the job? That’s right, cleaning your work area actually improves your ability to handle tasks quickly and efficiently for the well-being of you and your coworkers. As empty coffee mugs, garbage from candy wrappers, and loose paperwork all need organization, we’ve provided some excellent tips to help you not only clean your work space, but enhance your work ethic to perform above and beyond your wildest dreams.

No Excuses

The phrases “I’m too busy” or “I don’t have the time” are fairly weak excuses for explaining a messy work area. With a space where you spend a better portion of your day, an effective cleaning job is in order for a healthy environment. A messy work area doesn’t add to a busy work ethic, as it only complicates your thinking process when handling tasks. Being responsible and taking action regarding a messy area is only a small hurdle in the cleaning process.

Think Big

How would you like to see your work area once it’s clean and organized? Put this vision into perspective, then get to work. Although it may sound like a chore, once it’s organized and looking how you’ve envisioned it, your workload on the job will seem less stressful – and more productive – than it has ever been before.

What Stays, What Goes

There’s a huge difference between what you need, what you want, and what’s wasting your time. Gradually start from what needs to go from your work area, then begin throwing away things you have no use for. Broken printer? That can go. Gift from a terminated employee? It’s ready for the trashcan. Removing items with no use (whether non-functional or little sentimental value) will feel as if a large weight has been lifted off your shoulders, which eventually leads to high productivity.

Don’t Stop Cleaning

Since you’re familiar with how easy it is for work to pile up, try to keep your work area clean long after you’ve removed everything you don’t need. Even when your area is looking great, keep in mind that there’s always room for improvements. Keep chipping away at it until you look forward to work the next day.

With this being said, some drastic cleaning endeavors may need local movers, so don’t feel embarrassed if you need a serious readjustment to your office space. Local movers are here for a reason, as they handle the heavy lifting, so you can continue with your workload.

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5 Criteria for Finding the Right Location when Moving a Business

Posted on April 17, 2015 by Expert Relocation Systems

Location matters. When searching for the right spot to open or relocate a business, there are a number of factors to consider. A business owner must examine the new location from several different viewpoints, as described below. Take a look at these five criteria before committing to a new office location:

1. Do you have access to new hires?

Employee talent is one of the most important criteria involved in operating a successful business. Before hiring relocation services for the business, make sure the new location is commutable for people with the right skills. This will make it so much easier to recruit local employees.

2. Can you raise capital?

Many venture capitalists are more apt to fund a business that’s nearby rather than one located halfway across the country. A business location in the same city allows investors and board members to attend meetings on short-notice, as well as avoid the hassle of arranging travel plans.

3. Is there room to expand?

Before settling on a specific office location, make sure there is ample space for the business to grow when the time comes. This is particularly important if the company handles inventory. No entrepreneur or business owner wants their physical location to stunt their company’s growth.

4. Will your team be comfortable?

Find an office space where employees will want to work. If it’s necessary to recruit key employees from other regions around the country, they are much more likely to relocate if the area appeals to them. For example, most employees prefer to work in an area within close proximity to social attachments or family.

5. How does the surrounding area look?

Pick a new office location in a building or area that is near other successful businesses. This provides a great opportunity to piggyback on their success by capturing customers and clients who are already in the area visiting those other business. If there is already proven demand for your particular product or service in the area, even better!

Once the perfect location (or close to it) has been leased, it’s time to hire a reputable corporate moving company to pack up the business and transport everything to the new location. Be sure to hire a reputable relocation service that agrees to visit the current office to get an idea of what needs to be moved. This pre-move visit helps the relocation company create a much more accurate and detailed moving price estimate. Don’t settle for a quick quote over the phone, especially if this is a big move.

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How to Choose the Neighborhood That Is Best for You and Your Family

Posted on April 14, 2015 by Expert Relocation Systems

Are you moving to a new city in the near future? When you’re relocating to an area that you don’t know well, it can be tough to narrow down a neighborhood. You want to choose a region that’s a good fit for you and your family and that will help your home hold its value or even appreciate.

There is no single neighborhood that will suit every family, which means that you have to be honest about what is most important to you. Start by making a list of your top priorities:

For some buyers, their top priorities all have to do with the house or property itself, such as a certain number of bedrooms or a fenced-in backyard for the dog.
For other buyers, there are characteristics of the neighborhood that are more important, such as having restaurants within walking distance or having a 15-minute or shorter commute to work.

Unless you have an unlimited budget, you’ll most likely have to make some sort of compromise for the move.

Equipped with your list of priorities, you can start researching potential neighborhoods. As you research, take the following aspects into consideration:

Schools

If you have children or are planning to start a family, schools will be a high priority. Even if you don’t have kids, remember that most homes in good school districts hold their value better than homes in less regarded districts. If you’re planning to send your kids to private school, pay attention to tuition costs, enrollment fees and uniform expenses for the private schools in the area.

Transportation

How will you be getting to and from work? Is it important that you have access to public transportation? Be upfront about how much time you want to spend commuting for your job and whether you can afford a long commute.

Amenities

Think about the places that you frequent each week: grocery stores, banks, pharmacies, gyms and many other facilities may be on this list.

Some people want to be within walking distance of most of their amenities while other people don’t mind a drive into a neighboring town. Yelp and Angie’s List are two great places to find reviews for local businesses.

The best way to assess the livability of a neighborhood is to visit it for yourself. Whenever possible, check out the area on a weekday and on a weekend, visiting at different times. Inspect the homes to see if their level of maintenance meets your standards. Talk to local residents about the community, and try driving your commute during the times that you’ll be going to and from work.

Finding the right neighborhood is not something that will happen in a matter of hours. However, it’s well worth the effort to find a place where you look forward to coming home every night.

Posted in General | Tagged Moving, neighborhoods | Comments Off

Tips for Packing & Moving

Posted on March 31, 2015 by Expert Relocation Systems

Packing and moving can be a time-consuming and stressful moment for families relocating. There is a big difference between packing for a two-to-three-week vacation and packing for relocating from one office to another or from an old house to a new one. It could be a difficult and challenging time for families, particularly if they fail to plan the relocation move very meticulously. There are also many hidden costs involved in moving. Why put your family through the stress of doing the work yourself? Whether you are doing commercial or residential moving in the Austin area, you can count on a very reliable leader in the moving business. Here at Expert Relocation Systems, we will safely and conveniently do the moving work for you.

Step One: Put Together Your Packing Supplies

Create a moving file or folder for this purpose. Things could get rowdy and disorganized sometimes, but using a file will keep your moving process very organized and less stressful. Start by putting together all the packing supplies you will need. Here is a list of important supplies you may need for packing your items in boxes:

Scissors
Marking pens
Padding supplies
Bubble wrap
Newspapers, including newsprint paper
Heavy duty packaging tape
Wrapping sheets
Labeling stickers

Step Two: Gather Your Moving Boxes

Go to supermarkets or stores like Walmart and ask for empty boxes. You can also buy empty boxes from U-Haul. Once you complete this step, start labeling your packing boxes one after the other. Use bold pen markers to label each container.

Step Three: Start Packing Weeks in Advance

For stress-free packing, begin early. Start about one month in advance of the anticipated moving date. Visit your new house to see the order that items will follow when packing and loading. Sort all your items in accordance to the rooms where such items belong. For instance, pack all bathroom items and supplies in boxes labeled for bathrooms, and do the same for the kitchen, living room, bedrooms and so on. Use “Fragile”-labeled boxes for all your fragile items, including plates, glasses, art collections and others. Make sure you pad your fragile boxes very well so as to avoid any breakage during the moving period. Use protective padding for all other boxes, even if the items are not fragile. This will help limit scratches.

Following these steps in this order will help you a great deal when items are being moved from the moving truck into your new location.

Contact Your Local Moving Company in Advance

Take no chances. Planning ahead is the trick to reducing moving stress. Contact your local moving company in advance. In the Austin area, you can contact the best and most reliable moving company to help you move your items safely. Expert Relocation Systems has many professional staff members to help you move all your items conveniently and safely.

Loading and Unloading Your Moving Truck

During loading and unloading your moving company will make sure that all boxes are in line with the order of rooms where the items belong. When off loading, the first items being offloaded will be in line with the order of the rooms where the items belong. We will always use proper caution during the loading and unloading process to avoid common loading cracks or breakages.

For a stress free commercial or residential moving please contact us and let our highly trained staff do the work for you. You can reach us at 512-291-6683.

Posted in Moving Tips | Tagged Moving, moving truck, packing | Comments Off

8 Surprising Hidden Costs of Moving

Posted on March 5, 2015 by Expert Relocation Systems

8 Hidden Moving Costs

You know you should research your moving company, but did you know you should research the hidden costs of moving, too? Naturally, we’re all familiar with the routine costs, including renting the vans or paying movers, finding or buying a bunch of boxes, and the whole deposit shebang. But moving can hit you with some truly surprising costs when you least expect it. It’s prudent, therefore, to ensure you budget a little extra in case you encounter one of these eight hidden costs below … or something else entirely!

Replacement Items

Surprisingly, one of the hidden costs of moving has nothing to do with the move itself. Simply replacing “expendable” items like cleaning supplies when you arrive at your new destination can be very costly.

Incorrect Estimates

Estimates given over the phone, where movers cannot see your office or items to be moved, are necessarily rough. Don’t treat them as final. You can, however, call a moving company and schedule a time for a real estimate at your office, which should be more accurate.

Storage Costs

If for some reason (weather, blocked roads, etc.) you must change your moving date, you may be stuck paying for storage in your old or new location, which can add up quickly. Plus, you might have to pay for two moving trips instead of one.

Environmental Costs

Okay, so this one’s not about you, exactly. It’s important to remember, though, that your move affects the Earth as well as your working environment, and you should make every effort to move in an ecologically friendly fashion. This includes donating items you won’t need so you don’t use gas to ship them, avoiding excessive packing materials that damage the environment, and using eco-friendly cleaning supplies during your deep clean.

Broken Belongings

Delicate belongings often are broken in moves, especially if you pack without the help of professional movers. If the items are irreplaceable, there’s nothing anyone can do. If not, it always helps to have insurance. Which leads us to …

Failing to Insure

When you don’t insure your belongings, you’re out of luck if something breaks. Movers are required to offer two types of insurance, and sometimes offer a third, but they aren’t required to compensate you for anything if you do not buy insurance. Avoid the possibility of being unable to replace something valuable, and buy at least basic insurance for your move.

Lost Deposits

Sad to say, but some office renters never see their deposits. This can be particularly tough when you’re counting on it for your next place. Many people are in such a hurry to move on that they fail to take into account what needs to happen in order to reclaim their deposit. If you don’t want this to happen to you, read your lease for instructions, then start cleaning or hire a reputable service.

Transportation Surcharges

Some moving companies charge for operating in cities where labor costs are higher. Ask if your moving company is one of them beforehand so that you aren’t surprised by your bill later. Again, this is a good reason to read all materials the moving company gives you before it’s time to pay up.

Posted in General | Tagged Moving, Moving Costs, Moving Expenses | Comments Off

11 Fast Facts About Moving

Posted on February 19, 2015 by Expert Relocation Systems

11 Fast Facts about Moving

In addition to the death of a loved one and divorce, guess what people say is one of life’s most stressful events?

If you said moving without giving it a thought, you’ve probably suffered through more than one big move. Relocating a commercial business is even more stressful than residential moving, with expensive computer equipment, office furniture, and important documents to keep track of and safe from damage or loss.

Want more fast facts about moving? Here are 11 interesting facts that may take your mind off the stress of moving.

11 Facts about Moving

1. If the moving company your business hires does not give you a booklet called Your Rights and Responsibilities When You Move, it may indicate the moving company is not legitimate. By law, moving companies must provide you with this booklet before a contract is signed.

2. Companies relocating to another state should only use movers that are registered in the U.S. Department of Transportation SAFER system, which offers information about a moving company’s safety record, licensing, and insurance.

3. When you start feeling stressed from the perils of moving, just remember you are not alone. Nearly 45 million Americans move each year, an enormous number that also happens to be the same number as California’s entire population.

4. Hiring a local moving company is easier on your budget (and your nerves) than renting a moving truck and moving everything by yourself. Did you know that professional moving companies include the cost of packing, loading, transporting, and unloading all your stuff in one low bill?

5. It is against federal law for a moving company to hold a customer’s stuff “hostage” in order to extort higher payment after the move is completed. Protect your business against phony movers by learning about the American Moving and Storage Association.

6. If your company plans on relocating between May and September, you may want to start searching for a reputable moving company in April. More people move in spring and summer than any other time of the year.

Weight of an Average Move

7. The average weight of stuff moved by one household is about 6000 pounds—or the weight of one average-sized elephant. Depending on the size of a commercial move, that weight estimate could approach two or even three elephants!

8. The top reason for so much relocation happening in the U.S.? Personal reasons (marriage, divorce, etc), followed by job change, retirement, and military/government orders.

9. Something about graduating college makes people want to move out of their home state. Three out of every ten college graduates will relocate within five years of receiving their degree.

10. Friday is the most popular day of the week to begin loading a moving van. Seriously, who wants to move on a Monday?

11. So where are all these people moving? Take one guess. It’s the Sunshine State, of course—warm and sunny Florida. In fact, according to Florida’s official website, an estimated 1000 people take up residence in Florida every day.

Learn more great facts about moving and how we can help your company enjoy a stress-free move by contacting us today.

Posted in General | Tagged Facts about Moving, Moving | Comments Off