There are an overwhelming number of things to do when opening up a new business — this IT checklist can help you ensure that key preparations don’t slip through the cracks.
Being able to expand your business is always a great sign that revenue is increasing and that an exciting new chapter is on its way. While growth represents a thrilling time for your business, it is important that the excitement of opening a new location not overshadow the practical details. For example, it can be easy to want to focus on the new equipment or furniture you might be bringing into the new space — but these details are minor compared to elements like your network infrastructure. These IT components require detailed planning, and are crucial to the continued success and daily operations of your business.
In order for your new location to be a success, it is critical that you take time to think through all the IT elements of your new space before you even sign the lease. Regardless of whether you’re opening a warehouse, an office, or a production space, this process requires evaluation of your specific requirements, as well as substantial research into the potential location. Your new space must be able to support all of your needs, from the location of electrical outlets to the presence of a server room. If you’re not sure where to start, this checklist can provide you with some guidance.
What to Consider Before Committing
There are a huge number of things to keep in mind when opening a new business location. It is critical that your IT considerations not get lost in the shuffle. While some of those considerations will depend on the type of space you are creating and the business operations you need to support, there are a number of steps that are a good idea for everyone.
Examine the floorplan. Conducting a thorough on-site survey is one of the most important steps you need to take before opening a new business location. This survey will help you understand whether or not the physical space will be able to support your cabling requirements. Without that due diligence, you might discover too late that your location does not meet your needs in terms of outlet installation, the capacity for the number of workstations and phone lines you want to bring in, and so on. Ideally, you want to be able to create a full visualization of how the space will eventually look before you begin to move in.
Contact your internet provider. Before you commit to a new location, you need to make sure that there are internet service providers who can guarantee high-speed internet connectivity throughout the space. If you’re happy with your provider in your existing location, reach out to them to see if they can supply broadband internet to your new space. If you’re unhappy and would like to branch out to new providers, consider this the perfect time to start conducting research.
Evaluate your hardware and software needs. Determining what new hardware and software licenses you need to procure in both the short-term and the long-term is an important element of expanding your business. Identifying your business critical applications, which users will need to be able to access them, and how frequently they will need to be updated is critical to ensuring that your new location will be able to get up and running quickly. This sort of evaluation can also help you save money in your existing locations given that you may discover that you are needlessly paying for software licenses that are going unused.
Build an inventory. Make sure you have a solid record of all the hardware and software assets you have within your organization and what you expect to need in the new location. This can help you determine what you will need to purchase and what you may be able to transfer from your other locations. This will also be key to managing your budget, and keeping up to date with asset and lifecycle management is a good practice regardless of a new location.
Secure your data. Migrating your data to a new location while keeping it secure should be of top concern when expanding. In order to do so successfully, you need to make sure you have a backed-up copy of all your company data systems, including servers and firewalls.
A Partner in New Business
Opening a new business location is an exciting time, but it can also be incredibly stressful. Between hiring or transferring employees, creating and sending out press communications, and handling the financial aspect of a new space, you’re likely to already be overwhelmed by your to-do list. It can be difficult to know even know where to start — but letting IT considerations fall off that to-do list would be a huge mistake. Turning to a trusted IT partner can help lighten the load and help make sure that no item goes unchecked.
With nearly 30 years of experience helping businesses open up their doors, the trusted cybersecurity experts at Turn-key Technologies, Inc. (TTI) are ready to help you manage all the IT preparations that come with a new location. TTI’s managed services can help you tackle getting your IT in order for any new space or move, no matter how daunting. Contact us for a free consultation or site survey today.
