When it comes time to relocate your business, there can be a lot of emotions going on. You may be excited because the new place will be bigger or more suited to your employees’ needs. You may feel overwhelmed because you have so much work to get done, and now you have to stop and pack up. Perhaps you are concerned that something might be lost or stolen in your move.
On top of all this, you’ve got to ensure a smooth transition for your business. The worst thing that could happen is for you and your employees to show up to the new place Monday morning on “Move In Day” and realize that none of your technology works. So before getting too far into your move, you need to start planning ahead for connectivity. While shopping for real estate, make sure you think about how your technology will work wherever it is that you might go.
Before you sign a lease or buy an office space, keep in mind these 5 tech questions to ask before moving offices.
Will there be room for servers with proper cooling?
One of the first things you should ask yourself before settling on a location is whether there will be room for your servers as well as room for proper cooling.
An office without the proper space and cooling techniques could not only lead to technology problems, it could also increase costs. For example, it might require you to build a new area for your servers, or it could run up your electricity bill.
It might seem great to get the cheapest place you can find, but if it ends up costing you more in other ways, then you are not helping yourself.
TechTarget has listed several server and cooling room guidelines that everyone should follow. When you are looking for property, you should be taking these into consideration before making a decision.
Are there enough connection points?
In an office, there are a lot of things that need to be plugged in.
- Printers,
- Fax Machines,
- Computers,
- Phones,
- TVs,
- Cellphones, and
- The list goes on and on.
Not only do they need to all be plugged in, they also need to be plugged in safely. This means surge protectors cannot be plugged into surge protectors, cords should not be laying all over the floor causing a tripping hazard, and outlets should not be overpowered.
When you are looking for a new space, consider how many outlets there are and where they are located.
You also need to think about wireless connections. Will you be able to access wireless networks from where there? If so, how many connections will you need?
These might not seem like typical things to consider, but if you do not, you may very well end up regretting it later.
Are there any wiring concerns?
Bad wiring can cause severe financial hardships, delays in production, and unsafe working environments. Before moving in, you should always check out the wiring in the building. This is especially true if the building is older.
Many older buildings were not wired with today’s tech-centric design in mind. This means that you could have severe problems unless you come up with a fix for the problem.
When considering a new place, make sure to check out the wiring. If it is not up to the standards you need it to be, then try to find another place or else figure out some work with the landlord to address the problem before signing a lease.
Will I need multiple wireless routers?
How big is the office building? Is it shaped oddly? Is it segmented into different areas?
These and other questions need to be asked before making a move. Of course, these are the things that you knew you needed to ask. They are listed here, though, because you also need to consider them in the tech conversation.
You should figure out how many wireless routers you will need to ensure access for everyone who needs it. Access to the Internet is important to your business, so you do not want to be delayed by slow connections or “black holes” of service throughout your office.
Thoroughly evaluate the space to determine how many routers you would need to be fully functional. Those routers should be purchased and set up before people get to work on that first day.
Do I have access to multiple ISPs?
Does the space provide access to multiple internet service providers in case your primary ISP goes out?
You want to make sure that you are always online so that you can keep your business running. So, if you think Internet service will be a problem, you need to have backup plans in place.
Make sure you always connected with an always-on service, such as Allied. This way, if you do have connection problems in your new office, you will be able to use a backup provider and still access all of the documents and data you need.
Now You’re Ready to Start Packing
Now that you have all your concerns eased, you are ready to start the next phase of your journey. At least as you are packing, you know you have one thing already off your plate.
