On the move? Changing your business address and settling into a new space is no small project. The entire endeavor will require months of careful planning and adjustment, but it doesn’t need to be a logistical nightmare. 

With the right preparation and a clear action plan, you can minimize disruption to team workflow and overall business operations.

Let’s dive into eight actionable tips that’ll help you manage your business address change like a pro.

Content summary:

🎯Create a thorough inventory to see if some assets need to be disposed and if there is a need for new equipment. 

🎯To make a business address change official, you’ll need to update your business information in several government agencies. 

🎯Let your customers and suppliers know you’re planning to move to a new address. 

🎯Use your company’s natural downtime to your advantage to further minimize business disruption.

1. Plan at least a month ahead

How extensive your relocation plan is will depend on the workspace needs of your team. For smaller operations, it might take you a month of planning or less. Meanwhile, larger and more complex businesses can take as long as two months — potentially more. 

During your preparations, you should:

• Map out your timeline. Work backwards from the official date of the move to the fit-out, contract negotiations, office space search, and so on. 
• Examine the new location. Commute accessibility and proximity to urban conveniences are some of the top considerations when weighing in on a new workplace.
• Take into account the business plan. Does the move align with the goals outlined in the business plan? If you’re growing the team, you’ll need a bigger office space. If brand awareness is top of mind, you’ll need to find a prestigious business address. 
• Do a workplace audit. Are there any areas for improvement with your current workplace? If so, make sure a potential new space addresses most of those gaps. 
• Create an IT infrastructure migration plan. It’s costly for businesses to lose critical data or experience extended downtimes due to connectivity issues. Make sure there’s a seamless transition from one office to another. 

2. Take stock of all workplace assets

Create a detailed inventory of all the assets in your current office. Then, see how well these items fit into your new workplace. 

With a thorough inventory, you’ll be in a better position to determine whether or not you’ll have more space for potentially new equipment like printers, desktop computers, filing cabinets, furniture, etc. Or, you may find out that some existing assets are no longer needed when you relocate.

Additionally, your inventory will also help you better plot out which rooms or spaces certain teams will be assigned to.

3. File your business address change with relevant government agencies

An essential step to never overlook is duly filing a business address change, which can take weeks or even months to complete. You will need to submit new information on your new business address to the following:

• Department of Trade and Industry, for sole proprietorships
• Securities and Exchange Commission, for corporations
• Local barangay and city/municipality 
• Social Security System and PhilHealth
• Home Development Mutual Fund or PAG-IBIG
• Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR)

However, you’ll first need to retire your outgoing permits and documentation that contain the old address — making the process quite long and tedious. 

For instance, the BIR will only allow you to retire a business address after settling pending issues and/or outstanding arrears. If your filings/submissions and BIR official records don’t match, it’ll take longer to get through this step. 

For more information, check out our previous blog post on how to change your business address.

💡Consult Loft for your business address change

Loft can assist you with changing your business address. We have an in-house team of corporate compliance experts that has supported thousands of companies in the Philippines. With several local agencies you need to get through, we’re here to help make the entire process less grueling. 

Tired of back-and-forth trips to government offices? Get in touch with our team today.

Call us at (63) 917 899 111 for a free proposal and price quote. You can also reach us via email at [email protected] or through our contact form.

4. Give a heads up to customers and suppliers 

Don’t leave customers and suppliers in the dark while you’re relocating. And depending on the nature of your business and the duration of the move, you may need to send frequent updates.

Keeping key stakeholders informed throughout will help manage expectations and ultimately mitigate chances of miscommunication. Here are some pointers to keep in mind:

• Clarify when the old business address will cease to be operational
• Share a definite date when the business will resume normal operations
• Provide time and location updates for pending pickup and delivery 
• Provide alternative contact information 
• Release an official announcement via website, social media, and other channels

5. Make the move during your company’s natural downtime

Timing your move during periods when business is typically slow can significantly reduce unwanted disruptions. You can spread out relocation tasks on weekends, holidays, or even outside of business hours. 

Ideally, you’d want to finish everything in one fell swoop. But if that’s not possible, consider scheduling the move in batches. 

By making the move during the less busy times of the year, you can also make it easier for your team to adjust to the new workplace. 

6. Let your teams work remotely

If your relocation timeline gets extended and your team can’t keep using the old workplace any longer, remote work should be seriously considered. 

Nowadays, there are many business functions that can be done outside of a traditional office setting. Unless your company handles extremely sensitive or confidential data, remote working teams can help ensure business continuity and keep customers happy. 

7. Outsource the heavy lifting to professional movers

Moving companies can save you a lot of time and resources when you’re moving offices. Not only are they faster in most cases, but professional moving services also give you peace of mind when handling fragile/expensive equipment.

Here are a few tips to find the right movers for the job:

Get your search started with the following steps:

• Get referrals from colleagues and your professional network
• Look for professional movers with decent experience in transporting workplace assets
• Check reviews for anything that might dissuade you from signing up 
• Determine whether or not they offer insurance coverage, and up to what extent 
• Complete a pre-move survey to get a better sense of service inclusions
• Get a price quotation from multiple contractors so you can find the best option

8. Make your move with Loft

Loft stays on top of the legal aspect of your business address change, so you can focus on ironing out the logistics of your relocation. We have an experienced team ready to assist you with updating key business documentation.

Ensure full compliance with the relevant government agencies. Get in touch with our team by completing the short form below.

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