Moving a restaurant to a new location is sometimes necessary but always a challenge. Before moving day arrives, make sure you're ready by accomplishing these five planning steps. 

1. Walk-Through With Movers. Once you vet and choose a moving company, stay in good contact with those who will be physically moving your equipment and furnishings. For the best results, walk through both the old location and the new one so that everyone is on the same page. Ask about unusual equipment needs or special services so that you can work with as few moving vendors as possible. 

2. Install Services. Have your new services — such as internet connections, telephones, utilities, and security — turned on and set up before the big day. You want the least amount of distractions and interruptions while the movers are working. Start services early even if it means you have to pay for a few extra days or weeks of service that you aren't using. 

3. Have Purchases Delivered. Buying new equipment or furniture for the new location? Avoid having it delivered too close to move-in day. By putting these items in place before the rest of your goods arrive, you can ensure that they are all as expected and working properly. And once the movers arrive, all your items will be all together and you can get things chilled, frozen, or connected quickly. 

4. Choose the Right Days. Limit interruptions by designating a slow-traffic day for the move. If you are in a busy downtown with plenty of foot traffic on the weekends, you may opt to move on a weekday. On the other hand, if the area is filled with commercial parks and offices, a weekend might be quieter and have less traffic to get in the way. 

5. Create Two Teams. Arrange for two sets of employee or volunteer teams. One should stay at the old location to oversee and assist with moving out. The other team should stage at the new site to help direct the move-in. Keep the team leaders involved on all moving arrangements for their location. If you don't delegate responsibility for at least one of these locations, you will likely find yourself overworked and unable to successfully manage both sites.

Planning is vital to a successful move. Involving your vendors and staff will help you craft the best possible moving experience. Then you can get on to the exciting business of starting your new location and growing your business. For more information, contact a commercial moving company such as South Sound Movers.

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