Technology Checklist for Your New Office
Moving your business into a newly constructed building or into an existing building can be overwhelming. Technology is a critical piece of planning that must be considered before you begin this process. In order to help you understand the timeline of events and hopefully save you from costly oversights, we have put together a technology checklist for your new office.
In general, with new construction, you should account for the technology in the planning phase of the building. If you are moving into an existing location, you need to know how your current technology and workflow will fit into the new space before you move.
Security System
A security system should be taken into consideration during the design phase of the building. You need to make sure you can place your cameras and wireless systems where you want them and that you have paths for wires and cables as needed. This can be costly if you realize you have no paths once the building is up.
Technology Closet
Don’t forget to account for technology space when designing a new building. You need a specific room or closet that doesn’t have water pipes and doesn’t house your electrical functions. You don’t want to have to backtrack once construction has started.
For an existing location, do you know where your technology pieces will be stored? Are you sharing a closet with other building tenants? This is not necessarily ideal, but if this is the case, then make sure you can access that location at any time.
Internet Provider & Cabling
For new construction, you need to decide on the type of internet and provider you are planning to use. If cables and/or wiring need to be laid underground, you’ll want to do this at the beginning of the construction phase (typically 120-200 days out). Wireless Access Points (WAPs) should also be mapped out and considered during the design phase.
If you are moving into an existing location, find out who your wireless provider will be and what the coverage is like within your space. Can your internet bandwidth handle all your needs?
Electrical
When planning the setup of your workspace, it’s also important to note where you want your copiers to sit. This will ensure there is convenient access to a power source. While not necessarily a costly oversight, it can be quite a pain to have to reorganize when you find out there is no nearby outlet.
An existing location will already have electrical outlets in place, and you will want to consider this when planning the layout of your workspace and maximizing your workflow. Depending on the size of your copier, you may not have many options for the location of your equipment.
Phones
Phone systems are a much simpler process than they used to be, especially if you’re using a cloud system, which we would recommend. However, if you know you’ll need traditional lines, you’ll want to visit this step early on during the construction phase. Additionally, when planning phones, consider creating your call tree ahead of time to make setup as smooth as possible.
Employee Training
Before you move into a new space, and especially if you are a new company, it is helpful to train your employees on any new technology ahead of time. This includes phones, email, cloud services, security and equipment. If possible, it’s also a good idea to do a building walk-through prior to move-in so employees are also familiar with the space. This training will help make the transition more efficient.
A few final thoughts.
We recommend finding a provider who can walk you through the whole process. Your general and electric contractors can sometimes wear multiple hats, but that doesn’t mean it’s their specialty. One provider can help you plan and find the right contractors for each project, so everything works together.
Account for lead times on each project. Depending on supply/demand some things may take longer to order and you don’t want that to set the entire project back if you can help it.
It’s also a great time to evaluate your technology environment and overall needs. If you have systems that need updated or added, now is a great time to do that whether that be your IT infrastructure or your copier equipment.
As always, Braden Business Systems is here to help answer your questions or guide you through the process.