How To Hire a Mover: The Top Services That Can Help a Business Move
What services do you need for your business move? Before you book a mover or agree to an estimate, take a look at the following questions business owners need to ask their would-be potential moving contractor.
Do You Specialize In Business Moves?
Commercial and residential moves are not the same service. Businesses have special needs that the mover should address. This means you need to hire a contractor who has experience with and expertise in commercial/small business moving services.
What Types of Businesses Do You Move?
Does the moving company work with every type of business—or do they only offer some special commercial services? While most commercial movers have experience with office relocations, these companies may (or may not) move retail stores, physical fitness businesses (such as gyms, martial arts schools, or dance studios), businesses that use complex or delicate technology, medical or healthcare centers, hotels, science laboratories, or pet stores/animal-focused small businesses. Ensure the mover has experience moving various types of businesses, especially in your industry.
Do You Offer Extra or Additional Technology Services?
Companies that offer tech services and businesses that have computers or other electronic devices may need specialized or additional moving services. These could include disconnecting hardware and peripherals (such as monitors), packing delicate electronics, transporting computers and other similar machinery, and unpacking/reconnecting your business devices.
A professional disconnect, reconnect, and relocate service for technology can save you time, money, and energy. This additional moving option can also help you to organize your company's move and reduces the risk of mid-move technology losses or damage.
Can You Move New Furniture?
Will you move your old office furniture or leave it behind? Whether you plan to completely refurbish your new office space or you will buy a few new signature pieces for your upgraded location, a professional can help.
If you will add new furniture to your office, ask the movers if they can receive the pieces for you, inventory everything, deliver the items, and put together or install everything (as needed). This eliminates an unnecessary extra delivery step and can save you time during the moving process.
Along with delivering your new furniture, ask the movers if they can remove the old items. If the movers offer this type of service, you will need to arrange for disposal, recycling, or storage before your move-out day. Some moving contractors offer liquidation services to help business owners. Not only will the pros remove unused furniture, a liquidation service gives you a chance to profit from your move.
How Do You Handle Sensitive Items?
Some businesses have sensitive documents or valuable items to move. If you won't move every document, ask the contractor if they provide a shredding service.
While old marketing materials and similar paper items can go into a recycling bin, sensitive documents that contain personal information, confidential information, bank details, or similar content present challenges during a move.
Instead of recycling sensitive documents or leaving them behind, you will need to shred these paper items. Even though the mover won't "move" these documents, a contractor who offers shredding services can dispose of sensitive items safely and appropriately. This reduces your moving workload and gives you back time to focus on other aspects of the transition.
You may also need a professional to help you handle delicate assets. These valuable, breakable, or hard-to-move items require special attention before, during, and after a move. Whether you have paintings, photos, sculptures, and other artwork, an inventory of breakables, or other valuable business belongings, a moving company that specializes in asset management can make the transition easier and safer.
Do you need help with your business move? Contact Hudson River Moving for more information on our commercial moving services that include I.T. disconnect and reconnect, disposal services, asset management, and more.