Tips for Relocating a Business to Miami

When moving offices, it’s important to have a plan in place so that assets are transferred safely and that you don’t make any mistakes that would put your company at risk. It’s best to create a preliminary outline and then reach out to company leaders and stakeholders to dive into the details as the target move date approaches.

When moving to Miami, there are certain things to keep in mind. If you are thinking of moving near a beach, consider Miami Beach, Surfside, Bal Harbour Village, or Sunny Isles Beach neighborhoods. Brickell and Downtown Miami have vibrant city feels to them. Coconut Grove and Coral Gables are great spots with a residential feel, which might make your employees happy if they are resettling near your new office, and Doral and Homestead are two neighborhoods that offer a calm, suburban feel.

Before you dive into the details, start by scoping out high-level initiatives:

1. Build a realistic timeline

Before anything, you need to develop a timeline for the move. The size of your office can dictate how long your move will take. A large office could take anywhere from six months to over a year to plan and execute.

Work with stakeholders and department heads to ensure that the move will have a limited impact on business operations. Work your moving plan into a Gantt chart or project calendar with your other business objectives to verify that essential projects will still be completed on time.

2. Finalize a budget

In addition to creating a timeline, you’ll need to assess all finances and finalize a budget. Understanding the costs of relocating office equipment, employees, company vehicles and assets will be a crucial step in your initial prep phase.

When you’re moving to Miami for the first time, you’ll also want to familiarize yourself with local business regulations. Some of them may actually work in your favor. For example, Miami-Dade County tax requirements can provide more flexibility for allocated expenses. According to the Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau, “Miami offers a number of tax advantages, including the fact that there is no local corporate tax, a very low state corporate tax, and no state personal income tax.”

3. Take inventory of assets and equipment

Create another list of all the office furniture, electronics, company cars, machinery and equipment that will need to be moved and installed in your new Miami office. If you hire a commercial moving company this will allow them to accurately quote you for the job and ensure that company assets will be properly packed, stored, and safely transferred. This is also a great time to order new furniture and have it arrive at your new office.

After you create a general plan for the office move, start coordinating the move internally:

4. Coordinate with an internal team

Once you’ve figured out the initial logistics, the next step is to organize an internal moving team to help plan the finite details. Recruit people from different departments and have them outline primary initiatives that are necessary to their success.

Assigning tasks to members of the internal team can help to spread out responsibilities. For example, you can assign a project manager to find a reputable moving company in Miami to help facilitate the relocation.

If you are a smaller organization, you often don’t need separate teams and can rely on a smaller team of volunteers throughout the company to get things in motion. Once your internal team is built, you should hold regular meetings to make sure everyone is moving forward together. This will help coordinate deadlines and goals so that team leads have something to work toward.

5. Provide resources for employees

When moving to Miami for the first time, assigning a team member to put together a helpful packet of local resources for your employees will make their move across the country much easier.

Here are some examples of helpful resources to include in a packet:

• Property search services and contact information
• Local tax services and contact information
• Motor vehicle registration and contact information
• Voter information
• Local healthcare facilities that will accept your employee’s insurance provider etc.

For example, include a section informing employees to go through the Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles department to get a Florida license and license plate for their vehicles.

Neighborhoods like South Beach also offer bike share programs, for those who want to get some exercise while commuting. There are also public transportation options in Miami, such as Metrobus, Metromover and Metrorail.

Even a simple email with this information can save your employees time and reduce stress, allowing them to focus on the business instead of personal matters.

6. Send updates to partners and stakeholders

Compile a list of people and organizations that your company partners with (suppliers, clients, contractors, etc.) so you can let them know you’re moving in the future. While you may not know the new address of your new office yet, it’s important to keep partners updated. This ensures that they will be aware of changes in communication during the move, as well as the location change that occurs afterwards.

Conclusion

While moving a company to a new location can be daunting to think about, planning ahead can make the difference. By relying on leaders within the company and finding the right professionals for the job, you are setting yourself up for success. Once you’re in Miami with the beautiful weather and rolling coastal waves, you’ll be happy you decided to make the move to The Magic City.