Planning to establish an office moving company, but don’t know where to start? Take a look at this article for steps you should follow when establishing your office moving business.
Steps to Start Your Office Moving Business
You’ve worked in the moving industry for some time. Now you want to establish your own operation. The plan is to open an office moving company in Calgary since that’s the type of moving you’ve done in the past. How will you get started? Here are some basics that will help.
Create a Viable Business Plan for Your Moving Company
Any new business needs a plan, and office movers are no exception. The plan has to be comprehensive in terms of setting realistic goals, creating strategies to achieve those goals, and in general demonstrate that you understand how to operate the business effectively. The plan is more than a guideline for you to follow; it’s also a resource that lenders will want to see if you seek financing for your new venture.
Registration and Permits
Commercial movers must incorporate and register their businesses. You’ll also need all moving and transportation permits required in the areas where you plan on offering services. Those must be in place before you think about advertising your commercial moving services in any capacity.
Find a Base of Operations
While some new businesses can begin life in a spare bedroom, that’s not the case with office moving companies. You need commercial and possibly warehouse space of your own. Look around and find something with a decent amount of square footage. Remember that in addition to services, your business will need to sell boxes, containers, and other type of moving supplies. Enough space to keep a reasonable inventory is essential.
Purchase Equipment and Supplies
You’ll need office equipment for you and your team. Moving vans, blankets, hand trucks, and other equipment to use for moves must also be in the mix. It’s a good idea to outfit at least two full moving vans to begin the business. That should be enough to get you started and be competitive with other office movers in Calgary.
Hire and Train Movers
You need staff for the office and to handle the actual moves. When possible, hire staff who’ve worked for other commercial moving companies in the past. That will shorten the training time and allow you to officially launch the business sooner rather than later.
Don’t Forget to Establish Your Online Presence
If you want to get the word out quickly, establish an online presence before telling anyone about your new moving company. You’ll need a mobile-friendly website along with business pages on Facebook and Twitter at the very least. Starting a blog that allows you to create informative content and link back to relevant pages on the website is a good idea. Social media makes it easier for people to share the good word about the business and help establish your brand.
There are other essentials you’ll need to address before and immediately after launching your office moving company. They’ll be easier to handle once these basics are in place. Market the company responsibly, keep your customers happy, and the business will be a success.