It is always exciting to move into a new fresh office! There are many important things you need to do in preparation for this move. One of the most important is moving your office phone systems. Start by identifying who in your firm is going to be the lead person on this task.
Your lead person needs to bring in the key players:
Phone Systems Vendor
You first need to contact your phone systems vendor and inform them of your moving plans including a projected timeline. This vendor is usually a licensed contractor who specializes in low voltage systems i.e. phone systems. Using a qualified vendor, who is preferably trained and authorized by the manufacturer of your phone system, is always a best practice. They will be your trusted resource and lead you to a successful move.
Dial Tone Provider
The second step is to ensure your dial tone provider is also contacted and made aware of your impending move and timeline. In many cases the office phone systems vendor can and will do this for you free of charge! You will sign a form authorizing your phone system vendor access to your account and a huge stress will be removed from your plate. Your dial tone provider will need plenty of notice as they can take up to 6 weeks to process your order. This is dependent upon the types of lines and circuits you are using. It is crucial to provide a complete list of all your numbers, line, and circuits. You can provide this to the office phone systems vendor if they are facilitating your move or to your dial tone provider. The common mistake we often see is a customer forgetting fax lines and data circuits. Moving without those can cause tremendous headaches so be sure to add them to your list!
IT Vendor
Another key player in this age of VOIP could be your IT vendor. Your IT vendor will work closely with the office phone systems vendor to coordinate the roles and duties of your move so as to avoid duplication and therefore increased costs for you.
You need to communicate your needs with the office phone systems vendor
You need to meet with your phone systems vendor at your new site. Take an opportunity to walk the site and explain how you plan to use the facilities. If you are building a new office your phone systems vendor will need a copy of your plans and to coordinate with your general contractor and electrician. If you are moving into an existing facility your vendor will review all the existing cable, phone jacks and the equipment room to determine what work may need to be done to prepare your new office.
You need to keep all parties informed of any changes in your move date. It is common for move dates to change during the coordination process. Forgetting to notify your dial tone provider that you are not moving on the original date can result in your lines being moved without you! Many times your dial tone provider will dictate the general move in date and you can select the best time for your business. You may need an after-hours or weekend move, but be prepared to pay more for this.
You need to know what this move will cost
You should request an estimate from the office phone systems vendor. Typically when you purchased your office phone system a large portion of the installation costs were for labor to place cable and jacks so if you can reuse the existing ones in your new office that is best! Typically you can budget the costs to move all your lines at the same amount your dial tone provided charged you for initial installation.
Your phone system will be down. Yes, you need to work with your office phone systems contractor to determine the length of time it will take to physically move the phone system and the best plan for when this should occur, as well as how you will respond to your customers during this time. The easiest method is usually to forward your calls to an answering service or cell phone. Some small phone system moves can be accomplished during a lunch hour or another time when you have low call volume.
Your new office layout may necessitate the need for some redesign of your office phone systems programming. Perhaps calls will need to ring differently or you will need to have lamp indication of call status for team members you used to be able to see who are now in offices.
This is always a good time for a quick one hour or less training session from your vendor on how to use your office phone system. Many times these refresher classes are performed free of charge! Take advantage of this or negotiate it into your move estimate.
You need to properly prepare for move day
Now you know the crucial basics to moving your office phone systems and can relax and pick out some new fun furniture or art. If you’re researching new office phone systems for your business, or you have additional questions about moving, contact us to chat with one of our sales professionals today.