Weigh the Pros and Cons
Now that you have made the decision to think through the question of whether to relocate your office or not, there are many things to consider. Let’s use the Pro and Con columns on your page to help. For example:
Pro Staying
- Great location, Easy to find
- Parking – Ample spaces and free
- Building – clean, secure building and offices.
- Nice landlord – always has a smile and returns calls promptly.
- So much easier to stay here and not disrupt business – reduces stress!
Con Staying
- Location – how important is this location to the actual business I perform? Do I depend on foot traffic to gain business or do people come here primarily to see me and others in my company? Do I only leave from here to go see others at their offices?
- Parking – Outside areas are not kept neat and clean and it’s a bad first impression to the people who do come here.
- Building – do I really need to pay this much per square foot or could I get the same or better space at a different location?
- Landlord – nice, yes, but he is not very responsive to requests. Always has to “try to schedule someone” and it will “take time to fix it’.
- Is the stress of HVAC, plumbing, or poor communications services worth staying?
Now that you have begun your list of pros and cons, take time to add to and revise this list. There will be other things that will come up and they may be just as important as your initial thoughts. Do not discount anything – add it to the list in one or the other column.
Remember to keep in mind the additional expenses of a move including little things like having new printed materials and website changes. Will you have to have a new phone number, or decide to go wireless? All of these things are part of a business move decision making process and should be on your list of pros and cons.
When you have made your decision to move or stay it’s time to take action on either decision! If you have decided to stay, make an appointment with your landlord and take your list of pros and cons to the meeting. Go over the list and discuss the things that are the most important to you first. Those things are more likely to stick in the mind. Ask for a definitive resolution to the issues at hand and agree on a date by which these things are to be accomplished. Put the agreement in writing and set follow up dates on your calendar.
If you have decided to relocate, it is time to take different steps which we will discuss in Part 3.