Corporate Relocation
April New and Used Office Furniture Sale
“McGauley’s were fantastic, right from the first phone call: always responsive, great problem-solvers, kept us fully informed of all the options at each stage and calm in the face of every crisis.
Looking to refresh? Do you need new office furniture to update your company offices and renew your business style?
D.J. McGauley and Associates often receives exclusive offers for new office furniture from our many trusted manufacturers and distributors. And we pass on these savings directly to our valued clients.
And if we don’t have exactly what you’re looking for, let us know. We won’t stop searching until we find the style of furniture you need, at the price you want.
Click here to see our New and Used Furniture Specials for April.
D.J. McGauley is a dedicated team of professionals providing Design and Space Planning, Renovation, Relocation and Facilities Management services to our clients. Based in Toronto, we provide the same excellent professional and personalized service, whether office relocation is down the street or across the GTA. We work with both small and mid-sized companies to save time and money, as well as enjoy a stress-free corporate transition or corporate renovations experience.
Call 416-239-1931, Email or visit our website for more information.
Happy Easter from D.J. McGauley & Associates
Easter was the beginning of hope for all! That hope continues on to today and in the future.˜
On behalf of everyone at D.J. McGauley & Associates, we would like to wish all our clients, past and present, a very happy, healthy and safe Easter weekend. Thank you for your continued trust in us.
D. J. McGauley & Associates Inc. will be closed this March 30th for Good Friday and will reopen April 2nd .
D.J. McGauley is a dedicated team of professionals providing Design and Space Planning, Renovation, Relocation and Facilities Management services to our clients. Based in Toronto, we provide the same excellent professional and personalized service, whether office relocation is down the street or across the GTA. We work with both small and mid-sized companies to save time and money, as well as enjoy a stress-free corporate transition or corporate renovations experience.
Call 416-239-1931, Email or visit our website for more information.
Happy Labour Day from D.J. McGauley & Associates
“Each person deserves a day away in which no problems are confronted, no solutions searched for. Each of us needs to withdraw from the cares which will not withdraw from us.” —Maya Angelou˜
D. J. McGauley & Associates Inc. will be closed this September 4th for Labour Day and will reopen September 5th. Have a safe and happy long weekend.
D.J. McGauley is a dedicated team of professionals providing Design and Space Planning, Renovation, Relocation and Facilities Management services to our clients. Based in Toronto, we provide the same excellent professional and personalized service, whether office relocation is down the street or across the GTA. We work with both small and mid-sized companies to save time and money, as well as enjoy a stress-free corporate transition or corporate renovations experience.
Call 416-239-1931, Email or visit our website for more information.
5 Packing Tips To Take The Stress Out Of An Office Move
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again—moving can be stressful. An office move is no exception. There are so many aspects of an office move that have to be taken care of even before the moving truck arrives—and those aspects just multiply when you have to coordinate that with your staff members.
So let’s talk about one of those key stressful aspects of moving: Packing. In an office move with multiple staff members, organization, coordination and minimization are key tricks to taking the stress out of packing up for an office move. Here are a few packing tips your organization can use during an office move:
Packing Tip #1 – Decide: Trash it or Pack it? Before you or your staff even begins the packing process, each of you should evaluate and identify the items in your work areas that will not be needed in the new office location and disposed of them immediately. Why move these “Trash It” items twice when you can save time, space and money ensuring that only the necessary “Pack It” items will be shipped to your new location.
Packing Tip #2 – Third-Party Storage – For such items as hard-copy files which may be important to keep yet may not need to be readily accessible in your new location, a third-party storage company could be a viable option. (Of course we would also encourage keeping a soft copy of these files in case of an emergency.)
Packing Tip #3 – Take personal valuables and memorabilia home. If there is anything that can add stress to a staff member during an office move, it is having their personal memorabilia packed in with the rest of their office equipment and stuffed onto a moving truck in the hope that they will see them arrive safe and unharmed at their new location. Save them from that stress. Encourage them to take their valuables and memorabilia home with them until after the move. They can always bring those items to their new location after he move.
Packing Tip #4 –If possible, try to attain and utilize boxes that are the same size. This will help lessen any wasted packing space when loading the moving truck.
Packing Tip # 5 – Label everything! Proper labelling of packed boxes and other items that can be easily missed such as lamps and wall hangings will help ensure that everything will be delivered to your new office and not be left behind at your old location.
So don’t stress over the packing. Instead organize and minimize using the above five packing tips. Doing so will save time, space, energy and money.
Will One of Blackberry’s Commercial Properties Be the Site of Your Next Corporate Expansion?
Considering moving your business to a new commercial facility? Well, if you had your sights on the Mississauga, Waterloo or Ottawa regions, one of Blackberry’s commercial properties might just be right for your business.
Last week, Blackberry announced that it is planning to sell off their 19 Canadian commercial properties totalling over 3-million square feet of commercial space. What does that mean for other Canadian businesses?
Well it may change competition in the marketplace as businesses, both domestic and foreign, will now have the opportunity to increase their presence in the Canadian market place.
Companies that , at one time or other, wanted to move into the Waterloo, Mississauga or Ottawa commercial properties that Blackberry originally purchased will now have their chance to claim those properties for their own corporate expansions.
But who is going to jump at the chance? Will other educational institutions follow the example of the University of Waterloo, which bought four of the 19 commercial properties to expand their campus? Will property management companies purchase the buildings and lease the space out to small or medium-sized companies. Will other Canadian companies band together to purchase these commercial properties? Will foreign investors jump at the chance to own some of the property holdings?
Regardless of the mix of potential buyers, one thing is certain – Blackberry remains committed to maintaining its Canadian presence.
Though Blackberry is selling off their commercial properties, the company plans to lease back some of the space needed for their corporate operations. They are already leasing back space in two of the buildings that the University of Waterloo has purchased.
CBRE is handling the sale and leasing of the properties. Transactions are expected to happen between now and the spring 2014.
So, with all this in mind, I ask: Looking for a new location to expand your business?
What Not To Forget When Moving Offices – “Redirection of Mail”
The end of the year is in sight! With year-end comes the urgency to tie up loose ends, boost sales, and finalizing business deals. Year-end is also a prime time for implementing organizational changes for the coming year such as changes in staff or moving to a new office location. Top that with the hustle and bustle of the holiday season and you have the perfect platform for missing some essential details, especially when it comes to moving offices from one location to another. In fact, in our 20+ years of experience of helping companies relocate, we have found that 8 out of 10 companies make the same common errors when relocating to a new office.
Want to know one of them? Here it is:
- Failure to arrange the redirection of mail with the post office
Surprised? Don’t be. Companies can easily negate arranging the redirection of mail because they may have internal systems in place to inform their database of current stakeholders of any changes they make with the company. As well, the rise in the use of social media for businesses may appear to slowly negate the need to address the redirection of mail with the postal company.
So why is arranging the redirection of mail with the postal service so important? Here are a few reasons:
- It covers all bases. Even if your company can inform its entire CRM database of your company’s new address, utilizing the postal company’s redirection of mail service both emphasises the change and can catch any drippings of important mail from those patrons who may not be on the CRM list or who may correspond with your organization once or twice in the year.
- It’s a time-saver. With all the other intricate details involved in moving offices and running your regular business operations, contacting your postal service and taking advantage of their redirection of mail or mail forwarding service is one way to take care of a very important job in less than five minutes, especially since those arrangements can now be made online. In addition, the postal service can continue ensuring your mail is forwarded to the correct address for weeks, months or even a full year, so you won’t have to worry about it.
- It can be cost-effective. Postal services, like Canada post for example, may charge a small fee for taking care of the redirection of mail, but compare that to the cost of having a staff member take time out of their regularly scheduled activities to consolidate a list, prepare a “change of address” announcement and managing the sending of that message to your contacts, paying the postal service may be the cheaper route to go.
So if your company is planning to start the upcoming year in a new office location, remember to contact your post office and take advantage of their redirection of mail service.
Tips to Stay Productive During a Corporate Relocation
For many companies, the fear that productivity will come to a standstill during a corporate relocation is enough to make them shy away from deciding to undergo the big move, regardless of how beneficial it might be in the long run. This is a valid concern. It is, after all, a common experience shared among companies who endured the daunting office relocation process by themselves or faced it with an ill-experienced corporate moving company. We’ve all heard the horror stories of corporate renovations and relocations that went over budget and well past the expected timeline. But this doesn’t have to happen to you.
At D.J. McGauley & Associates, we’ve been successful in helping our clients move to their new office without putting the productivity of management and/or staff at stake. Here are just a few tips for keeping your company running at an efficient pace while undergoing a corporate relocation.
Timing is everything. Even the most experienced corporate movers may forget this in their haste to finish the move as fast as possible. But it’s not only about how fast the move is, it’s also about how strategic it should be. We’ll find the best time in terms of efficiency and speed for you to move into your new location.
Consider telecommuting. If the job function is operational and ministerial—meaning it doesn’t require collaboration and can be done on a computer—then you might want to let employees perform their work from home. If you’re not sure if this will work, you can experiment. Do a couple of test runs with your employees – once a week, perhaps. Set clear ground rules and expectations. Many companies that offer telecommuting options will hold set daily meetings over Skype or other remote conferencing platforms.
Set up temporary work stations. Some corporate movers think their job starts and ends with the moving. At D.J. McGauley & Associates, we think your business is as much of our concern as your move is. After all, what’s the use of a bright, shiny new office if you lose your valued clients along the way? If what it takes to keep your productivity at an all time high is to put up temporary work stations, then we’ll help you set one up.
Keep everyone informed. Sometimes it’s easy to forget to bring those who are not directly involved in the corporate moving process into the loop. To keep people’s minds off the move, however, it’s important that they stay informed. Time spent fearing the unknown will occupy much of an employee’s time and end up distracting even the most focused staff member.
These are just a few tips to get you on your way to a productive and efficient corporate relocation. Moving your office doesn’t mean that you should put a hold on your office activities. We’ll do what it takes to make sure you stay at the top of your game. Call us for more tips, advice and free corporate relocation quotes.
Should You Buy New Office Furniture During a Corporate Move?
During a corporate relocation, you will inevitably ask the question: should you buy new office furniture? Many companies undergoing a corporate relocation will choose to purchase entirely new systems office furniture, while others will hang on to as many pieces as possible. Which decision is right for your company? Here are a couple arguments for and against purchasing new office furniture during an office move.
Keeping the old…
- Cost Savings
What do you hate most about the office furniture you have? Will it simply not work in the new space or are you just searching for a new look and feel? It can sometimes be more cost effective to renew instead of replace those worn out or squeaky chairs. If certain pieces can still be freshened up by having them reupholstered and refinished, you get the best of both worlds while saving money along the process.
- You can get LEED points by repairing your furniture
LEED certification gives credits for waste management, recycled content, and materials reuse. You can also get additional credit if you use pieces with lower VOC emissions. If you’re serious about getting LEED-certified—and it’s long been proven that having LEED certification is good for business—then you might want to hold on to your furniture during your corporate relocation.
Bring in the new…
- Ergonomics
If the office chairs have seen their years and simply aren’t good for the spine or resting of the arms, etc., then you’re putting the productivity of your employees and, ultimately, the profitability of your company at stake. Invest in your employees’ health by buying new office furniture while also investing in your company’s net worth.
- You need a new look now
If you’re moving into a new office with bold colors and a chic design, your old, dated furniture might ruin the entire look you’re going for. If you need a new look and do not have the time to refurbish, or if no amount of work will hide the old-fashioned bones of the furniture, new and contemporary furniture might be exactly what you need to complete the look of your new office.
3 Strategies to Retain Customers During a Corporate Relocation
Don’t let the fear of losing your customers stop you from moving into a new office. If the current office is not in an ideal location or it can no longer sustain your manpower, there is no other option but to relocate. At D.J. McGauley & Associates, we are dedicated to ensuring that your corporate move is seamless in every aspect. Here are three proven strategies to retain your customers during your corporate relocation.
1. Have a relocation marketing strategy
Your relocation marketing strategy must not only be intense; it must also be well-planned. At least one month prior to the move, you should reprint all your brochures and letterhead with your new address. In addition, change signature files on all outgoing email correspondence to include the new address.
Post announcements about the move in highly visible areas within your current location. Your past customers should also be sent postcards, with highly valuable clients receiving handwritten notes. Print correspondence should be followed up with emails to remind them of the move. All correspondence should visibly highlight the new address.
But it’s not enough for you to tell your employees that you’re moving to a new location—the why matters just as much. Emphasize what moving to a new location means for them: a better quality of service, accessibility, and convenience are among the reasons that you can point out.
2. Hold a Grand Opening event
Lure your existing customers to the new location by holding a special event just for them. Give them discounts, a special sale, or irresistible freebies—anything to get them to attend to your new location. Getting them to your new location is the first step to retaining them.
Once they’ve stepped foot in your new office, talk about the highlights of the new location and why it’s a much better place than the former. Giving customers the VIP treatment while sharing your insights with them will make them feel like they are part of the decision and the reason for the move. This will surely offset any inconvenience caused by your corporate relocation. Involve your existing customers in the “journey”, and reward them for sticking with your brand through and through.
3. Have an online relationship with your customers
Social networking is an extension of your relationship with your customers. Find a way to bridge that gap caused by the corporate relocation: network with them online. Get them to your new location by holding exclusive online discounts and coupons for your loyal customers. If you do not have one already, this might be the perfect opportunity to start a loyalty club, where your customers can track their points through an online platform.
For more tips and strategies to help you stay connected with your customers during a corporate relocation, contact us today. We will help you along every step of your corporate move.
Telecommuting During an Office Relocation, Yes or No?
Late in February, Yahoo! HR Head Jackie Reses sent out a memo to all staff, saying that employees are no longer allowed to work from home. The memo states that being one Yahoo! “starts with physically being together”. The new stance raised more than a few eyebrows, and many companies could not help but reflect on their own policies on telecommuting.
Corporations who are undergoing an office relocation often have to choose between telecommuting or setting up a temporary location. Temporary office locations mean added expenses that may take away from the relocation budget. They may also cause more stress and disruption for employees. Telecommunication, however, is often a worrisome solution for employers, as they worry that productivity and communication channels will be compromised if employees telecommute during corporate relocation process.
When the Best Ideas Happen
The reason for Yahoo!’s telecommuting ban is cited in the same Jackie Reses’ memo: “Some of the best decisions and insights come from the hallway and cafeteria discussions meeting new people, and impromptu team meetings.”
There may be a grain of truth to this—but is it really necessary to impose a blanket restriction on telecommuting? After all, not everyone’s job description requires creative thinking. Many companies hire employees to perform largely routine, administrative, or operational tasks. For these tasks, the above reasoning does not apply. In fact, it might even be more reasonable to let them work from home when circumstances require it—during an office relocation—as long as there are target goals that they must accomplish for the day.
When Employees Are More Productive
Granted that one’s home contains distractions, from the lure of the television to the comfy bed, that can easily hamper the productivity of anyone working at home. However, a report from Brad Harrington of Boston College Center for Work & Family suggests that the potential for distractions does not necessarily outweigh the benefits for both employees and employers. According to the research, telecommuting results in less stress and more productivity. Working from home allows employees to achieve optimum balance between personal life and work, which may result in higher output.
Setting Goals
What it all comes right down to is that telecommuting has its perks, but it also has its clear disadvantages. For companies undergoing a corporate relocation, they might not have a choice but to let their employees work from home. This doesn’t have to worry management as long as there are clear target goals and deliverables. The progress of your organization should move along just fine.
Find the above and more Dilbert telecommuting cartoons here.
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Corporate Space Planning & Relocation Advice 