We are on the move – Part 2
Time for a fresh coat of paint and new cable!
As mentioned in Part 1 of our moving journey, we knew our new office had a few items to complete before we would be ready to move in:
- No cabling for phones or data in a portion of the office, which means we will need to pull cables to get adequate connections where we need them.
- We need to strategize how we move our internet service. Our IP is a linchpin for our network and connectivity. (We will share more on this in Part 3.)
- A few remodel items would need to be completed before we move anything over.
Since we are our own IT team, we knew what needed to be done to get the cable to what would be our “Tech Center”. To start, we drew out our plans and determined the scope of the necessary cable.
Get the Cabling Completed
For your business, we recommend having a detailed discussion with your IT Partner and cable vendor. It is imperative to know where you are wanting desks, phones, printers, network, and business phone equipment. Also, know where your printer(s) would be located, so that it will have a connection to your network.
This can be part of the initial conversation you have when you let your IT Partner know that you are moving. We welcome you to utilize our experience so that your move is as smooth as possible.
Reference our Moving Checklist to start the conversation.
Another reason to plan ahead and discuss with the necessary parties is that plans change. Our plan changed when we did a physical inspection of the ceiling access and outside wall. We determined we couldn’t cable inside the needed wall, so we opted to run along the surface and dress the cables.
For us, once we had a plan for the cabling, it was a matter of getting it pulled and terminated. We managed to fit in the work between servicing our customers! (Customers come first!)
Get the Remodel Items Completed
Besides the cabling, we had a list of remodeling items to accomplish – painting and carpet installation. These two projects we outsourced and were able to get completed quickly (even with the shortages of supplies and service).
Watch our Orange Couch Tip – Fresh Coat of Paint
Remember that it is better to plan ahead and have time to spare, than the alternative. When you are utilizing third parties it is a balancing act between availability, the scope of work, and access.
For example, with the high demand for carpet installation and shortage of supplies, we were four weeks out on the schedule. Yet, there was a cancellation and it was completed three weeks ahead of schedule. That moved our entire moving timeframe up several weeks.
Throughout this process, we also traced and labeled each jack in the building. That way we wouldn’t have to worry about it the day of the move. Tracing jacks is helpful for your IT Partner to know the connection path from point A to B.
Once your remodel work and cabling are completed, it is time to confirm the moving schedule…..to be continued in Part 3.