How to Reduce Customer Loss During Business Relocation

While businesses are far less likely to relocate than residents, corporate moves can become necessary for many business owners. You may have to move to get into a better building for your business, widen your customer base, or even simply rebrand or reorganize your business.

According to one study, 29% more companies relocated in 2022 through 2023 than in the prior fiscal year. Moving may be necessary, but losing money as a business will not be a good change. Therefore, it is essential to ensure you work to reduce the loss of customers during the transition. Look at a few ways to minimize losing customers during a business relocation.

Select the Best Location

Your company’s success will largely depend on where you choose to set up shop. Positioning it in a strategic area is essential. Most loyal customers will continue to do business with you even if you relocate. Your company’s new location should support growth, enhance its reputation, and improve public perception.

Keep Your Customers in the Know

Companies that do not disclose relocation plans can lose customers. Inadequate customer communication can mean you lose a lot of customers simply because they will not know that your location changed. Therefore, when you develop your moving plans, think about how you will publicize the news of the move to your customers.

You can inform customers in several ways:

• Website banners
• Announcements on the company’s social media pages
• Emailed newsletters
• In-store or in-office signage
• Local radio or television advertisements
• Local newspaper announcements
• Mailed alerts or letters

Create a Moving Strategy and Stay on Task

Once you have alerted customers of the move, following your moving strategy closely will be necessary. Customers like to know what to expect from the companies they patronize. Therefore, stick with these plans if you state that you will be open on a specific date or that certain departments will be available at certain times. Otherwise, customers can begin to view your brand and business as unreliable.

Provide Excellent Customer Service

Providing outstanding service to current customers is the best way to keep them happy and bring in new ones. Ensure the customer service team provides excellent services before, during, and after your move. By implementing this strategy, you can prevent the loss of customers to competitors.

Focus on Employee Morale

A move can tax all people involved, right down to your hourly staff members. Unfortunately, if your employees feel burned out and unmotivated, this negatively impacts your everyday customers. Employees are most often the faces of the company. Therefore, do what you can to boost employee morale during the business move. A few ideas that may be of value offered by Slack include:

• Continue to promote a life-work balance and avoid overworking employees
• Keep employees in on the moving plans and make sure lines of communication remain open
• Encourage healthy habits at work despite the changing workplace landscape
• Recognize employees for their efforts and roles played during the move

Lastly, support your employees with fun initiatives like games, contests, or even a free lunch on specific days during the move.

Work Closely With An Office Moving Company

You must carefully plan your business relocation to minimize customer impact. If your company needs to relocate, hiring a company that offers comprehensive moving services for businesses is best. Contact our team to discuss your needs and how we can help.