Our Five-Step Plan for International Office Relocations
As you might expect, moving an entire business overseas requires lots of planning and hard work to ensure things go smoothly. It’s sometimes difficult to know where to start, which might put business owners off deciding to relocate. However, there’s plenty of advice available for people who are considering an overseas business venture.
Safe Removals is London’s leader for business and commercial removals, storage, and a range of related services. Here’s our five-step plan for international relocations, including some additional tips to help you settle down in your new country.
Our Five-Step Plan When Moving an Office Overseas –
Even though all moves take a lot of energy and time to undertake, international relocations require more planning and effort. In simple terms, you’re taking a typical removals service and scaling every part of the process up a level. It might sound daunting, but by booking a reputable removals company, you’re already making wise choices.
You will need to factor in a few trips to a new location before the move happens to make sure everything is ready on both sides. This will allow you to get a feel for the place you’re going to work, and possibly, live in for many years. That means looking for networking events and setting up meetings several weeks before you fly out there.
Like all savvy business owners, it’s vital to have contingency plans when relocating an office. And business self storage is the ideal option to counter any unexpected delays. Additionally, it will help the transition if you need to vacate your current premises before your new location is ready. All with the knowledge your furniture and equipment are entirely safe and secure in our warehouse.
Safe Removals has a range of business services available, and they’re essential for anyone who’s moving their company overseas. We pride ourselves on being London’s number one for business and commercial relocations and storage. Our team has the expertise and tools to take on and complete any removals or storage job.
One – Revisit Our Previous Five-Step Plan –
Earlier this year, we published a five-step plan for business removals, and you can read it here. There are lots of simple, practical steps in the blog for any business owner to enjoy a successful relocation. As we noted in our introduction section, moving a company overseas is an entirely different task. That’s why we’re revisiting this outline to provide five more appropriate steps.
To start, we’re going to reiterate the need for preparation and lots of it. To a certain degree, it might be possible to cut a few corners when moving within London or even another part of the UK. But try to do it with international relocations and problems will occur. You can start by evaluating and listing every detail of your move. Then, work with a calendar to calculate how long you have before the relocation.
You should also enlist as much professional assistance as possible regarding the legal aspects of relocating your business. Every country has different rules and regulations, and it’s vital you don’t fall foul of any before you start trading. This leads us to our next section, where we’ll discuss how to begin researching.
Two – Thorough Research – Don’t Cut Corners –
The word research has an unsettling effect on some people. If this describes you, unfortunately, it’s a necessary evil for international relocations. Busy people often have a lot on their plate, and it’s tempting to skip a few details here and there. Ultimately, this will make things harder in the long run, so let’s agree to get into the habit of doing research.
One area you’ll need to read up on is visas. You’ll need to understand the visa regulations in detail. And that’s not just for you; it’s applicable for everyone at your company (if they’re going with you). Every country has specific visa laws, even if they’re in the EU. This is why it’s crucial to back-up any research by consulting with an overseas visa expert.
Have you put any thought into things like learning a new language? It’s important to avoid making assumptions regarding people speaking English. For example, in the Netherlands, *the level of English literacy is very high. Whereas in Portugal, the number is much lower, at roughly 50%. And integration is essential to any new business.
You’ll need to win the confidence of new associates and sub-contractors, as well as a new audience of potential clients and customers. The best way to do this is by speaking their language and understanding the local culture. So, it might be time to book some classes or download a language app to study.
*source at Dispatches Europe
Three – Book Our International Business Removal Service –
You should never rush into booking a removals company. It’s essential to do your due diligence when moving an entire business from London to Europe or further afield. Unfortunately, there are lots of removals providers vying for your business, and most will say they can meet your specifications to secure a job. Sometimes they’re genuine and do a great job, but we’ve heard many stories of poor service, undue delays and things like breakages occurring.
When it comes to our range of services, no other company offers the business removals and storage options that we do. Safe Removals works with the Master Removers Group, and this network of elite companies makes it possible to relocate you to anywhere on the continent. A lead person will assess and plan your relocation in detail, and they will oversee the entire move.
By choosing a reputable removals company like Safe Removals, you’re getting the best London has to offer. We are the capital’s number one for all your business removals and storage requirements. That’s because we can successfully take on any type of removals job, and we always attain 100% customer satisfaction. When it comes to full overseas office or work relocations, we plan everything in advance to ensure a high standard of service delivery.
Our team will bring all the right packing materials and will arrange to have everything ready before the day of the move. At least two team members will undertake your relocation, and we are experts at handling tricky objects. You won’t have to worry about any issues with damage to your office furniture or work equipment.
Four – Visit Your New Location More Than Once –
It goes without saying you’ll need to make a trip out to your new town or city for business purposes. However, the typical overseas relocation also means moving over to live, unless you intend to commute. For people with families, you’ll have to start by finding somewhere suitable to accommodate everyone’s needs.
Expand your research to include things like healthcare provisions and what’s available to non-nationals. For people with children, you’ll need to look into the education system and arrange school applications. And the school will insist on at least one meeting before the beginning of term. Then, see what information you can gather regarding local life and available amenities.
More than anything else, you’ll get to experience what life will be like there. And nothing beats first-hand knowledge and understanding of the new country. You can make some friends and get to know local hotspots for entertainment. Moreover, you’ll be more comfortable with your decision to move there, both professionally and on a personal level.
Five – Ensure Your Company and Brand is Ready –
Now for the final step in the process – it’s time to double-check everything. This will start with us to see if everything is ready at our end. We’ll go back through every key point in your preparation to ensure nothing is outstanding. Then, a schedule with deadlines will be drawn up to block out specific time and tasks. A lead person will oversee your relocation and will be in contact with you at every stage.
Then, you can hold meetings with your team to list and delegate tasks to. This will include contacting your suppliers and associates with a notification on your relocation. Similarly, you’ll need to reach out to all your clients and anyone that connects to your business in London. Eventually, this will include a launch event when you arrive in your new office.
In situations where you’ll still retain an office in London, and this is an expansion, the transition will likely be smoother. But there will be a need for a marketing strategy and implementation of project management. Additionally, translations of any physical and online copy are something you should factor in. This is why international relocations take months to plan and execute because there are so many moving parts.
Safe Removals – London’s Number One for International Business Relocations –
Safe Removals is known as the business and commercial specialists in London. No other removals company can offer the same range of services as us, and we can take on any international office or commercial relocation request. We work with larger corporations for office relocations, as well as construction companies who need site clearance.
The Safe Removals team moves thousands of companies in London, the surrounding areas, the UK and Europe yearly. We deliver on our promises; our team are punctual, friendly, and willing to go the extra mile to get the job done. Similarly, we work to strict deadlines to ensure that there are no delays in relocating your company to London.
If you’re planning on relocating your company overseas, please contact us today. We have the right business and commercial removals service for your company’s needs.
