Moving to a new office is a significant undertaking for any size business, and one factor that is often ignored is the upgrading of building access control systems.
When relocating your business, it’s critical that you have all of your security systems in place and ready to go before the move takes place. However, as a business owner, we understand that you have numerous things on your plate, and several items can fall between the cracks.
In this article, we will provide you with a brief checklist of essential security items you should consider when moving to a new office.
From password protection to cloud storage and building access control systems, this guide will provide you with everything you might have forgotten to help ensure a smooth moving process.
SECURITY CONSIDERATIONS WHILE MOVING OFFICES
Moving offices can be a very challenging task. There is a range of items to consider when moving to a new office, which is why it’s a good idea to build a comprehensive checklist for office relocation beforehand.
Here are a few items to remember before moving your business to a new office.
PLAN IN ADVANCE
First and foremost, before any relocation process begins, it’s critical that you have a plan in place. The purpose of planning ahead is to provide adequate time for the security system to be tested and to ensure that any issues are worked out before daily operation begins.
The best time to get a new security plan started is when the new office space lease is signed. Consider scheduling an appointment with a commercial business security professional to review the office space to ensure your existing security system will work with the new area, or if you will need to make updates.
Furthermore, the security professional will also be able to provide additional insight regarding any unforeseen security issues with the new location and help you fulfill the security needs based on those factors.
SECURE HARDWARE AND ASSETS BEFORE THE MOVE
Once you’ve put a plan together, all high-value assets, hardware, and resources that will be moved to the new office location will need to be adequately secured and accounted for.
Damage to company hardware is a common concern, and certain types of equipment may be more vulnerable than others during the moving process (i.e., physical damage, changes in temperature or humidity).
This process begins by ensuring that any boxes that are protecting this equipment are tightly sealed with high-quality tape, properly labeled, and accounted for in the company inventory.
If you are moving hard drives or servers, careful shipping and handling are necessary to prevent the need for data recovery to retrieve the missing information.
As far as information security is concerned, any sensitive records or information should be stored and shipped in compliance with strict security guidelines and under the supervision of a supervisor or management.
SECURE DIGITAL INFORMATION
When it comes to securing digital information, one thing you may want to consider is storing data on a cloud service.
There are several reliable cloud services that your business can sign up for to ensure that you have digital access to the information regardless of the location of company machines or servers. Having a cloud storage service also means that you can clean company servers and computers before the move to help protect sensitive data during the moving process.
Once you have moved into the new office space and installed the servers and computers, you can begin to download the data.
USE EXISTING SYSTEMS
If possible, try to keep as much previously used security equipment and processes in place when the move is complete.
This will not only prove to be helpful in avoiding having to issue new key cards or key fobs, but it will also help maintain consistency with existing access control systems.
While this may not be possible for all commercial businesses, as some security systems are custom built for the original locations they were installed in, this can be extremely helpful for companies looking to save money wherever possible.
HAVE A RECOVERY PROCESS
In the unlikely event that something goes wrong during the move and company hardware ends up being damaged or missing, it’s critical that you’re prepared. As such, you need to make sure your disaster recovery process is up-to-date.
With a robust recovery process, you can have a truly stress-free move and the peace of mind that your most valuable business data will still be waiting for you when you finally settle into your office space.
USE ACCESS CONTROL
Last but certainly not least, if your business doesn’t already use building access control systems, you may want to consider investing in one.
Whether you own a new start-up company gaining momentum in the community or a well-established business, you never want to put yourself in a position to lose intellectual property or company assets. Not only can you now better monitor all aspects of your business, but you also have around-the-clock knowledge of who’s in your building, what times they are in your building, and give you full control of your company’s security in the event of an emergency.
With an electronic access control system, you can custom build the security of your business and achieve more efficient database and asset management 24/7.
SECURE YOUR BUILDING WITH ACTION 1ST LOSS PREVENTION
Moving your business to a new location takes a lot of preparation and foresight, and it’s critical that you don’t neglect the security of your company. If you’re considering moving your business to a new location and are interested in consulting with a team of professionals beforehand, contact Action 1st Loss Prevention today.
As a business owner, you need a modern security solution that you can trust to keep your business and assets protected 24/7. At Action 1st Loss Prevention, we help provide commercial businesses with building access control systems that meet their needs and budget.
With over 30 years of experience, we have the expertise and know-how to provide your Orange County business with a high-quality electronic access control system.
To learn more about how we can help protect your business, contact Action 1st Loss Prevention today.
