Moving your office to a new location is a considerable endeavor affecting nearly every aspect of your business operations. While there are many important projects to consider, ensuring that the primary means of communication-aka your telephones-transition seamlessly should be one of the top priorities.

Successfully moving the phone system is vital. If you have ever experienced a few hours of downtime you will know what I mean. This can cause thousands of dollars in lost revenue or opportunities. Even the most competent professionals can experience a heightened degree of stress due to the scope and time-sensitivity involved in the project. Unfortunately, most businesses make sure that their coffee services are moved well in advance of the phones. Taking the time to put together an action plan well in advance, though, will keep anxiety to a minimum. The following five steps will help you get started.

1. START EARLY. Each of the services required for your move will typically take 30 to 60 days to implement. Addressing these steps early in the move process will ensure that you have ample time to evaluate your options. Waiting as late as even a full month before your move date could result in hasty and potentially expensive decisions due to a time crunch. If possible, begin making arrangements ninety (90) days or longer in advance.

2. ESTABLISH LOCAL, LONG DISTANCE AND INTERNET SERVICES. Contact your current local voice and internet providers to find out what services are available to you at your new location. A good provider will review your current setup and determine if a different solution or contract would be of a benefit. If your current provider does not offer a review, it might be in your best interest to check out the competition. Technology and products continue to improve and prices are constantly changing in today’s market.

A major consideration for most businesses when they move is whether they can keep their main listed telephone number. Traditional local telephone providers (former regional Bell companies) usually have geographic restrictions on what number can be assigned, even in the same city. If your business is moving across town or further, it is likely that a number change will be required by those carriers. If keeping an existing number is important and your current provider requires that you make a change, consider switching to a different carrier. Competitors to the former Bell companies typically do not have the same restrictions on phone number assignment and will be able to move, or PORT in telecom lingo, your existing numbers over to their service. Timing is crucial. Porting numbers form one carrier to another can take up to 6 weeks and requires a great deal of coordination between the new and incumbent carriers.

3. DECIDE WHETHER TO MOVE YOUR CURRENT PHONE SYSTEM OR PURCHASE NEW. Moving offices presents a great opportunity to evaluate whether your existing system is still meeting your business requirements or not. Your service provider may recommend a change in your local and long distance services when you move that will save you hundreds of dollars per month but will not work with your existing phone system. Changing from analog phone lines to a digital circuit (PRI), for example, could prompt a system change or upgrade if your current phone system does not support this type of service.

If your system is over five (5) years old, it is likely that new technology could increase efficiency and reduce costs. If you office move is prompted by company growth, your current phone system may not have the capacity to handle the increased end-user or traffic. For older phone systems, it may not make financial sense to sink the move cost into a system that is discontinued or no longer supported. On the other hand, a system less than five years old may just need some minor configuration changes or upgrades to accommodate your new environment, costing much less than a full system replacement.

A complete telephone system vendor will conduct an extensive needs analysis to help you determine whether a system change is necessary. Favor vendors who will focus on your business operations, processes, and people first. Be skeptical of vendors recommending acronyms and buzz words without merit. (See our “What type of phone system should I buy?” article online at www.goccsg.com)

If you plan to move your existing system, choose a vendor who is certified by the manufacturer. A certified technician will be able to address any possible problems that may arise during the transition and will have access to manufacturer resources that can assist in almost any scenario.

4. DETERMINE VOICE AND DATA CABLING REQUIREMENTS. If you are moving to an existing building that was occupied previously, some cabling may already be in place. Share your floor plans with your cable installer. If you do not have a floor plan for an existing structure, make your own drawing of the layout and mark where each phone and computer will be located.

If you are constructing a new building, new cabling will be required. Cabling a new facility will require an accurate electrical floor plan drawn to scale. Ask your general contractor or architect to provide one to you as soon as possible.

It will usually cost less if your computer networking equipment and your phone system reside in the same location. Your cabling contractor can follow the same route with both voice and data cabling, reducing the overall labor cost. Locating this room in a central area of the building will lessen the amount of hardware needed to complete the job and avoid distance issues on your data network.

One area that is overlooked is the extension of your local, long distance and internet services into the equipment room from the building entry point. It is likely that this entry point, called the point of demarcation (dmarc) will be in a different area of the building than your equipment room. Most service providers will not extend their dmarcs, deferring to your cabling contractor for this service.

It is helpful to schedule a conference call between your phone system vendor, cabling contractor, and network integrator if they are all separate entities. The type of phone system you are installing will likely determine the type of cabling required. Your phone system vendor will know exactly what is needed and is most qualified to communicate those needs to your cable installer. If you are moving into an office with existing cabling, your phone system and network vendor will need to determine if the right type of cable is available at each phone and computer location. For a new facility, it is a good idea to run data grade cabling for both voice and data. Data Cabling (Category 5e or better) is required by the newer voice over IP (VoIP) phone systems and is not much more expensive that the traditional Category 3 voice cabling. Even if you are not planning to implement a VoIP system now, cabling is a permanent fixture in your new building, and it makes good sense to plan for the future.

Make sure that your cabling contractor obtains all of the appropriate permits and that they meet the building code requirements for your area. Also, make sure that the contractor is properly licensed and insured. This could cause financial issues down the road if the contractor does not carry the required insurance. Select a cabling contractor who is familiar with the regulations in your county and will commit to pulling all if the appropriate permits required to perform the work. Complying with codes can also make a difference in the price quite so be sure to gain a commitment upfront that the proposal you receive meets the appropriate specifications.

5. HIRE OR DESIGNATE A PROJECT MANAGER. A successful telecom move requires the coordinated efforts of service providers, phone system vendors, cabling contractors and data vendors. The most frustrating part of the transition can be delays caused by lack of communication among the parties involved. A dedicated project manager can make sure that everyone is on the same page. If someone in your organization is not available to take on the role of project manager as a primary responsibility, consider hiring an outside party on a temporary basis. As an alternative, many phone system or data vendors offer project management as a professional service or even as a value added component of their product offerings.

Moving a phone system to a new office is a long process that requires organization skills, diligence and, not to be overlooked, the ability to work well with others. The process doesn’t have to be a harrowing experience, though. Remember to select only the highest quality vendors and service providers, and remember to keep your sense of humor. If you use these five steps to guide you through your course of action, you will enjoy a smooth move without missing a call.