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Running a business can be one of your career's most challenging yet rewarding undertakings, filled with uncertainty. When it comes to location, however, business owners in our hometown of Kelowna, B.C., can breathe a small sigh of relief as BCBusiness and Environics Analytics ranked Kelowna as this year’s fifth-most economically resilient city in B.C., with West Kelowna coming in at 11th.

The survey examined 10 factors, including economic diversity, unemployment rates, and housing growth, for 50 of the province’s largest communities. 

It’s easy to see the benefits of owning a business in the Kelowna area, which blossoms with craft breweries, wineries, and aerospace opportunities. Kelowna is a wonderful place to operate a business.

The process doesn't have to be stressful for businesses looking to move within or to the Kelowna area. This guide from our experienced office movers will help ensure a smooth move for your business with no disruptions or unpleasant surprises. 

Moving your business in the Kelowna area

Moving your office or business can be a daunting experience, whether you're expanding into a larger space or relocating for better walk-in traffic. 

Office moving encompasses the regular stresses of house moving and additional pressures like avoiding disruption to operations, specialized equipment, and communicating with an entire staff—rather than just your family. 

Which industries in Kelowna can benefit from using commercial movers?

We can handle more than just offices. Businesses in Kelowna and the Okanagan that can benefit from commercial movers include:

• Large or small office spaces

• Retail outlets 

• Government buildings 

• Technology companies

• Restaurants

• Breweries

• Tasting rooms

• Distilleries

Tips for a successful business move

Simple planning steps can take a business move from stressful to exciting. Our office movers have put together this advice:

1. Give yourself plenty of time
The more time, the better, frankly. The seeds of moving a business should be planted at least six months in advance. This gives you plenty of time to sort through admin tasks, including:

• Review your current and new lease 

• Create a budget

• Pinpoint challenging items to move

• Research commercial movers 

• Source multiple moving quotes

• Assign an employee moving team

• Employee announcement

2. Look for affordable moving and storage services
We all understand the pressures of running a business and balancing your bottom line. Work with an independently owned moving company that offers competitive rates and has your best interests in mind. 

Bighorn Moving And Storage offers affordable moving options without cutting corners on quality or professionalism:

• Professional, experienced, and uniformed movers in the Okanagan

• Affordable, all-inclusive moving and storage services

• Flat-rate pricing options* can be locked in before moving day, including:

  • Protection and wrapping of furniture

  • Extra care for walls, floors, and doors

  • Travel and labour expenses included flat fee, no hidden extras

*Conditions apply. Contact Bighorn Moving And Storage for more details.

3. Communicate with building managers
An important moving tip that could easily be forgotten is communicating with building managers on both ends of the move. This will help ensure you have space for the moving team and access to any loading docks, freight elevators, or parking when you need it. 

4. Lock down the plan
Hopefully, your team has a strong project manager willing to manage the move! Once you’ve tackled the bigger picture items, nail down specifics several months out. This could be tackled by you or the team of employees helping out, but what’s most important is that everyone is aligned on the plan, including:

• Moving date

• Moving company

• Client notifications

• Employee point person/moving team lead

5. Communicate clearly with employees
Employees must be kept in the loop about the moving basics and what is expected of them. The best way to do this is to create a document for your employees that clearly outlines:

• Moving date and new address

• What employees need to pack and label themselves (i.e., personal belongings)

• When personal items should be packed by

• When employees will receive new key cards or door codes 

• When old access keys will be disabled

• Any frequently asked questions the moving team has already encountered

• Who to contact with additional questions or concerns

6. Create an inventory
This moving tip is an asset to a home move, but it's essential when relocating an entire business—misplacing your cheese grater is one thing, but a piece of valuable equipment is much higher stakes. A moving inventory also allows you to purge unnecessary items and save costs on moving day. 

7. Consider commercial storage solutions
With the inventory and new space in mind, consider whether commercial storage is beneficial to your business. Commercial storage is an excellent solution for many businesses that lack storage space or a traditional storefront. It is also an invaluable tool for undergoing renovations. Be sure to look for storage that is secure and climate-controlled. Learn more about commercial storage solutions. 

8. Have a floor plan ready
Don’t add any additional chaos to a business move. Create a floor plan for your new space well in advance, and make sure you give copies to your employee moving team. 

9. Make your moving day leader known
On the day of your move, the employee moving team lead/point person should introduce themselves to the moving company and make themselves available for any questions, coordination, or important communications. 

The benefits of business movers in Kelowna

In the same way, you do your best to understand your clients; experienced business or office movers like Bighorn Moving And Storage work with you to meet your needs and standards. 

Working with commercial movers is the best way to:

• Alleviate stress 

• Avoid disruptions to operations

• Move heavy, specialized equipment

• Move sensitive documents securely

Understanding the needs of your business

The key to a successful commercial move is finding a moving company that will take the time to understand your business's needs and work with you to ensure those needs are met and communicated appropriately. 

Experienced commercial movers work with you to understand logistics, including:

• When is the best, least disruptive time for our movers to operate

• Loading and unloading schedules

• Which specialized equipment needs to be moved

Common concerns when moving your business

Having been in the game for a long time, Bighorn Moving And Storage understands that having questions and concerns about moving your business is normal. These are some of the common questions that we encounter:

Will there be a lot of disruption to my business operations and employee productivity?
Rewinding to all the planning you did earlier, part of that was working with your office movers to pinpoint the best times to pack, load, and unload your business. To ensure your move goes smoothly with minimal disruption to your team, Bighorn will work as efficiently after business hours or on weekends as possible. 

Will there be any damage to the floors of the office space?
To avoid damage, carpets, and floors are protected using moving techniques and tools, including floor runners. 

My business deals with sensitive documents. Is it safe to use office movers?
When selecting your moving company, ensure they are properly licensed, insured, and accredited. Beyond that, look for a company with a long history and good reputation. These movers, like Bighorn Moving And Storage, will act professionally and discreetly to move sensitive documents. We’ve even moved the Kelowna RCMP! 

Can you move heavy or specialized equipment?
Many business owners probably think: “We don’t have specialized equipment for manufacturers or breweries.” That’s often not the case. Specialty items could be specific to your business but could also include items like:

• Safes

• Large coffee machines

• Vending machines

• Computers (important note: movers will not assemble or disassemble computers but will walk you through best practices)

Additional specialty items might be industry-specific but aren’t a problem for experienced commercial movers, including:

• Industrial equipment

• Pool tables 

• Restaurant equipment

• Brewery and distillery-specific equipment

Long-distance movers: Moving your business to Kelowna

Economic diversity is only part of the appeal of moving your business to the Okanagan. Better work/life balance for your employees, excellent schools, and an accessible international airport are other reasons to move to Kelowna long-distance. 

Bighorn Moving And Storage is among the best long-distance movers in Canada, and we can help with your cross-country relocation. See how we can help.

When you’re ready to make your next move, look local for the best movers in Kelowna. Bighorn Moving And Storage is moving made easy with affordable pricing options and professional, uniformed moving services in the Okanagan. Get a moving quote today.