To move or not to move

Universal Commercial Relocation are a specialist workplace and office relocation company that was established in 1978.

However, we are that and so much more though and increasingly our core business is as a workplace solutions provider rather than simply a relocation or removal company.  Whilst we have been providing award winning relocation services, office clearance and storage solutions from the outset, we recognise that relocating might not always be the best option for a client so there are  increasingly projects when as a relocation company, we support our client by not moving them!

Granted that sounds counterintuitive, but more and more often that is how Universal supports some of our major corporate clients and statutory bodies to unlock benefits a move would achieve without the upheaval of moving and disturbance to business functionality and continuity and at a fraction of the price a move would cost.  We have evolved to offer a variety of solutions for our clients, which unfortunately are often overlooked or not considered by new clients when instructing a commercial relocation company.

Too often a company looks to instruct a relocation company such as Universal when they have decided to move and we are obviously very happy assisting them in relocating, but larger organisations often realise that the upheaval caused by a relocation may not be the best option. Raising awareness of this solution with smaller organisation or new clients is a much harder task.

The perception of many is still the traditional image of a removal firm with one or two men struggling to move an item of furniture to repetitive chants of “left a bit, right a bit” or “to me, to you.”  However Universal has evolved over the years to offer a complete and professional turnkey solution, whether that be in moving a client’s workplace from A to B, including furniture, desktop IT, storage, safes and server rooms or actually assisting a client in remaining in their current workplace, working with them to promote smart working in their current premises and reimagining the space they already occupy.

Office relocation is a major business decision.  It can affect staff morale, operational continuity, productivity, and involve major capital expenditure.  Whilst moving may seem like the obvious response to growth, shrinkage, hybrid working or space challenges, repurposing an existing office, especially through redesign and furniture resizing and refreshing their environment can often meet the same needs with far less disruption or cost.  Universal seeks to re-imagine the classic adage of “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” to something more akin to “it isn’t broke, it doesn’t mean we can’t improve it.”

One of the main drivers for an organisation considering relocating is often a belief in a requirement for more or indeed less space, but repurposing your current space, rethinking the workspace layout, refreshing and resizing furniture can have a similar effect, at a fraction of the cost.  Alternatives such as renewing, refurbishing or repurposing the current workspace can even have a similar uplifting and transformative effect on your workforce without the upheaval of a move and the obvious downtime and risk.

Increasingly we work with some of our longstanding corporate clients, government bodies and statutory bodies to help refresh their working environment and furniture.  Removing bulky traditional furniture and replacing it with ergonomic, slimline alternatives is often part of that process.  By resizing furniture alone, many companies discover they suddenly have 20–30% more usable floor area in their current premises.  That space can then be used to accommodate more, smaller desks, project desks, breakout or quiet spaces, refreshing and updating the working environment.  To achieve that end, Universal can temporarily remove furniture, have it resized, refreshed or refurbished and return it as good as new for a fraction of the cost of disposal, recycling, and replacement with new furniture.  Removing surplus furniture can also free up space and Universal helps clients with this by either temporarily storing it usually at a sizeable reduction to fees charged by self-storage units or by attempting to resell on behalf of clients or by donating it to charities and schools that Universal has established long-term relationships with.  Universal’s approach satisfies our sustainability goals and those of our clients.

As an example, it is estimated that over the last 3 years, Universal has saved one particular long-standing client, a statutory / local government body, in excess of £400,000 -£500,000 by resizing, repairing and refurbishing over 700 items such as desks, desktops, frames, bridges / screens and chairs.  That saving is simply as a result of Universal undertaking the removal, resizing and return of the furniture, and does not take into account how much additional expenditure would have been incurred if the client had chosen to go through a costly relocation or chosen to replace old furniture with new furniture where additional charges would be incurred for clearance and recycling on top of any relocation charges as well as installation.  This approach also has a positive and impactful effect on our clients’ performance in its circular economy and carbon footprint goals.

The objective of a relocation is not simply about changing addresses; it is as much about enhancing the work life, productivity and engagement of employees and that can often be achieved as much by remaining, rethinking and optimising an existing workspace as by relocating.  Universal aims to helps a client achieve the ultimate goal by either option.