Excellent Advice on How to Relocate Your Company Safely without Risk and Downtime

92% of small businesses say lockdown affected their operations, and that was only during the first wave. Today—a year later, four in ten SMMEs lack the financial resources to get through another obstacle. Over the past year, hundreds of SMMEs had little choice but to close their doors. Others minimised and chose to outsource, changing the way they do business. These changes set off a trend in company relocations, moving from their plush office spaces to secure gated office parks or stately homes in the suburbs.

 

Moving Office Costs Time and Money

South African businesses are struggling, with economic uncertainty meaning expansion for some and downsizing for others. However, moving house and office are some of the most stressful human events, leading to increased stress levels. In business, moving costs time, and disruption costs money. The last thing any business owner needs—especially after lockdowns effects, is unforeseen relocation problems that lead to surprising relocation costs. As a leading household and company relocations company that has seen and heard it all, we understand the many risks involved when hiring movers to relocate your investment from A to B. To help you navigate the many scams, look out for these red flags.

 

The Risks of Company Relocations

Every moving company suffers a loss of productivity in the days before – and following a move. Relocations can affect a company’s bottom line for weeks if not planned efficiently. Think about it—records and files require packing, unpacking and filing, which cause delays. You will also need an IT guy to connect your servers, phones and security system, which can also cause further delays. However, that’s the least of your problems when you learn about the many moving scams companies must navigate.

South Africa is one of the most beautiful countries, boasting 10-months of sunshine, wildlife, and a pristine coastline that stretches for kilometres. However, crime is at an all-time high, with criminals looking for an easy payout. As a result of the moving property wheel, criminals make hundreds of thousands of rands targeting desperate companies looking to save money.

 

Steer Clear from These Moving Scams

Moving a company is fraught with risks—from downtime, breakage, and loss to outright theft. That is why you must do your homework on the moving company. Start by getting at least three quotes from established local and national relocation companies with credible, honest reviews. Pro Tip: If the reviews and prices do not look right, it’s because they are not. Do not let fake reviews and cheap quotes fool you. Insist on a transparent quote with a complete breakdown of every step of the project, with every expense listed. Once you have all the quotes, compare the rates and deposit, and read the small print, noting their cancellation policy.

The changing business landscape is attracting a tsunami of criminals posing as moving companies. As mentioned above, we constantly hear stories about desperate cash-strapped companies hiring cheap movers that insist on a 50% deposit upfront. There are also many stories about rogue movers charging astronomical rates and even convincing business owners they require zero insurance coverage. To put it simply—if a mover says you do not need insurance coverage—because they have never experienced an issue before, that is the red flag you need to walk away. Credible movers understand the dangers they might face on the roads and respect you enough to insist on insurance.

Moving your company is not something to take lightly. It is not a quick one-day operation but a project that requires months of planning. That means you need a moving company with years of experience in local and national household and company relocations. They must hold a superior reputation in the industry, as you cannot afford to take chances with such an enormous investment as your servers, computers, and furnishings.

At Elliott Mobility, we recognise the risks businesses face should their valuables arrive broken or not arrive at all. As a result, we provide an all-inclusive company relocation service—from packing, loading, transporting, storing, and unloading to installation. Delivering solutions and services that minimise downtime and save money, we are FIDI (Fédération Internationale des Déménageurs Internationaux) and FAIM certified, all our vehicles have excellent security in place—and we provide full insurance coverage.

As leaders in the industry, we view each move as a project. That means we assign each relocation operation to a professional project manager to create and execute a seamless, stress-free move. To get expert help with furniture removals or a free furniture removal cost estimate, chat with one of our project managers.