Google Apps Power User Tips 1-3

Posted by: Chad Massaker  /  Category: Best Practices, Computer Networks

Google Apps Tips

1. Two ways to access your work and personal GMail accounts from the same computer:

Say you have your business email, j.doe@acmewidgets.com, running in Google Apps and you have a personal GMail account, johndoe@gmail.com. Logging in an out of these accounts throughout the day can be tiresome. Here are two solutions that can make it less painful.

    1. Method 1: Use the “Switch Account” Feature
      • Log into the your Google Apps account and click your email address in the top left corner (in this case, j.doe@acmewidgets.com). Select Account Settings. Underneath your email address and aliases you’ll see an option called Multiple Sign-In. Click Edit. Select “On” and check the boxes that verify you understand how it works (actually read these). The biggest drawback with this method, in my opinion, is that you cannot access your Google Apps email or calendar offline. Another issue is that if you use a browser with tab pinning like me, and you always have you calendar and docs open, you have to relog into those as well every time you Switch Accounts.
    • Method 2: Use Icognito Window in Google Chrome or RockMelt (a Chrome-based browser). 
      • Run Google Apps (and Calendar, Docs, and whatever else) in a standard browser tab. For your personal GMail, launch an Incognito browser window from within Chrome (click the wrench icon) or RockMelt (click “RockMelt” in the upper left corner). This will allow you be logged into both your Google Apps account and your personal GMail account at the same time, which I much prefer. Thanks to Erica Strickland of Right Hand Maam for this tip. 

 

2. Schedule Emails in Google Apps with Boomerang

One of the features I instantly missed when Carceron transitioned from Microsoft Exchange / Outlook to Google Apps was the ability schedule emails. I often used this feature to send out timely reminders for any number of things, such as to my staff about things they needed to be prepared for at our next meeting, or to remind people of a far off event but with an email that would arrive closer to the actual date (without me having to remember to do it on that closer date). That problem is now solved by Boomerang, an plugin for Google Apps. (Thanks to Marcus Bearden at my company, Carceron, for this tip).

3. Hit the Mute Button to Remove Yourself from Email Conversations You Don’t Want to Be a Part Of.

If you have any kind of management role in your company, odds are you’re CCed or BCCed on a lot of emails, to say nothing of email jokes that get commented on for days. A very simple way to rid yourself of this problem is to use the built-in Mute feature. Open a message/conversation that you would like to ignore, click on More button then click on Mute. This is a Lab that you will need to activate from your options (gear icon on the top right, then click mail settings, then click Labs). You can also search Muted threads and even unmute conversations. Very handy for managers with email overload. (More information)

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Boost Your Computer Productivity: Use Multiple Monitor Displays

Posted by: Chad Massaker  /  Category: Best Practices, Computer Networks

Dual Monitors, Multiple Monitors

I can’t stress enough how powerful of a change this can be for your productivity. Once you get two displays running off of one computer, you’ll wonder how you ever lived without it. The ways in which this can be used are limitless:

  • Comparing documents on two different screens
  • A dedicated program for each screen (for example: email always on one screen, internet browser on another, and a third “working” screen for productivity apps such as Microsoft Office or Google Apps – maybe a fourth for instant messenger chats or to watch stocks)

To take advantage of this, you’ll need a computer with 2 or more video output ports. Most mid-range to high-range desktop systems sold today already have 2 video ports (usually a VGA and an HDMI port), as do some laptops. If your desktop does not, you can purchase such a video card from your local electronics store (I recommend getting it profesionally installed unless you’re comfortable with the inner workings of a PC). If you’re laptop does not have a second video port, you can buy a USB video adapter as your secondary video output. CAUTION:  USB video adapters do not have video processors or RAM built-in, which means that they will use your laptop’s built-in processor and RAM which can effect system performance – make sure that you have plenty of RAM in your laptop and that you’re running at least a dual core system. Consequently, you may also be limited to a lower effective screen resolution for the monitor that is attached to the USB video adaptor as well. It also goes without saying that run more than 1 USB video adapter is not advised because of the drain on system resources. Another option for laptops with a single port is to use the built-in screen as 1 of the monitors. However, this can be a bit awkward in terms of monitor placement.

Assuming that you have the necessary ports and monitors, you’ll need to configure your Windows display settings for “Extended” like the picture below. Once you have configured this correctly, you should be able to drag and drop windows from one screen to another. You can also fine tune how the monitors are aligned by dragging the monitors into position in display settings. To do this, first click the identify button to make sure you know which monitor is which, then put your mouse of the monitor that you want to adjust, push and hold the left mouse key.

In the picture below, I have connected monitors 2 & 3 to my laptop, which has two built in ports. Note that monitor 1 is the actual laptop screen, which has been disabled as indicated by being greyed out (some dual port laptops will let you use the integrated screen as a third monitor, mine won’t). This means that I can drag and drop windows from display 2 to display 3 (left to right) and vice versa as needed. If I had 4 screens (like the graphic above), I could drag and drop left-right and/or up-down (in display settings, you would see two more monitors stacked on top of the 2 & 3 that you see below).

 

Windows Display Settings

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How to Write Off 100% of Technology Purchases Made Before Year End

Posted by: Chad Massaker  /  Category: Best Practices, Computer Networks

In this tough economic climate, we’re all trying to figure out what our next moves should be. For those in a position to buy, the time has never been better. If you have tabled any capital expense projects due to the economy, you’ll want to move forward on them in Q4. Here’s why:

Section 179: The Hummer Deduction

Often called the “SUV Exemption” or “Hummer deduction”, this little chuck of tax code allows business owners to write off 100% of most equipment expenses in the first year it is purchased. While you can buy a new gass-guzzling vehicle with it, there are obviously more practical uses like new office furniture or upgrading computer systems.

Visit http://www.section179.org/ to learn more and also seek the advice of your accountant

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What’s in Store for 2011

Posted by: Chad Massaker  /  Category: Best Practices, Business Management, Computer Networks, Managed IT Services, People Networks, Social Media

Coming in 2011(This article appeared in the special edition of the Atlanta Business Chronicle that was distributed at the 2010 Annual Atlanta Small Business Growth Expo)

Whether you believe we’re headed into the second dip of a so-called “double-dip recession” or you think that the worst is behind us, one thing is clear: We have all learned how to do more with less.  And if we are headed into a second “dip”, I predict that there will be far less casualties than the first one, having learned our lessons the first time around… I hope.

More Cloud Adoption

Among those lessons learned was to preserve cash at all costs. This has certainly increased the adoption of Cloud-based solutions for everything from email (Hosted Exchange & Google Apps), to online file sharing and storage, as well as a large range of line of business applications (accounting software, customer relationship management software, etc.).

Adoption of the Cloud as a business’s core IT infrastructure will continue to gain momentum in 2011 for many reasons. As I have already stated, the Cloud lets you hang on to your cash by converting large upfront capital expense’s to much more affordable operating expenses, generally on a monthly basis. This is important for new businesses because it dramatically lowers startup costs and alleviates concerns about scalability. Existing businesses can benefit in a similar way. They can now upgrade their aging infrastructure at a much more manageable cost.

The Cloud is also a much more efficient way to enjoy consistent system and feature updates on a regular basis. Our helpdesk system is cloud-based and we enjoy feature updates once a quarter, versus the once per year that you often get with on-premise software solutions where you’re waiting for the next version to come out.

More Regulatory Compliance

Also in 2011, look for more fines from the Federal Government over violations of regulatory compliance. Despite its passage being 14 years ago, the Feds have started issuing the first fines for violation of HIPAA this year. The recent passage of the American Recovery and Reimbursement Act of 2009 (commonly referred to as “The Stimulus”) included another act called HITECH (Health Information Technology for Economic & Clinical Health Act) which reinforces HIPAA by specifically addressing the privacy and security concerns associated with the electronic transmission of health information.

The medical businesses aren’t the only ones that have to worry. All manner of financial intuitions have a wide range of regulations on them now: Sarbanes-Oxley (commonly called SOX), Graham-Leach-Bliley Act (GLB), PCI DDS (for credit cards), etc.

There are several technologies that companies worried about regulatory compliance will need to invest in:

  • Email Encryption: Secures email communication so that only the intended recipient can view the message
  • Email Archival: A record of all incoming and outgoing email communication. Most regulations require 7 or more years of retention
  • Disk Encryption: secures the content of hard drives on computers. This is especially important for laptop users. There have been many stories in the media lately stolen laptops that contain sensitive data. The Veteran’s Administration is a recent one that comes to mind.
  • 2-Factor Authentication: A 2-phase process of authenticating to a network or computer system. Examples are: a password and a thumbprint scan or a password and a token ID gotten from a special application on your mobile phone.

How to Grow Business in 2011

So after you’ve saved money by adopting the Cloud and made the appropriate investments to get the regulators off your back, how do you continue to grow your business in 2011? Ask this question to 10 people and you’ll get 10 different answers.  Some will say “more traditional marketing”, others will say “ implementing social media”,  and another might say “networking”. They’re all correct. You can’t just rely on one medium to market your business. My advice would be to get the online marketing (web site, Google ads, social media, etc.) as automated as possible (hire a firm to handle this for you if you can) and focus on your networking. Expand your personal network with the right people and develop strategic partnerships that are highly synergistic. Make sure that you are also connecting people together. It will pay off, I promise.

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I.T. Requirements for Compliance (HIPAA, HITECH, PCI, GLBA, SOX, etc.)

Posted by: Chad Massaker  /  Category: Best Practices, Business Management, Computer Networks, Managed IT Services

Given all of the recent corporate scandals and security breaches, the government is cracking down on all businesses – holding them more accountable for the security of their sensitive information like credit card data and personal health records. Since many businesses accept credit cards as a form of payment, almost every business is subject to PCI compliance.

Here is a high level view of some of the government regulations that might affect your small business and some suggestions on how to achieve information technology compliance (I specify information technology compliance because you may have to do other things from a human resources or business process perspective that this article does not address.)

Disclaimer: I’m not lawyer and am providing you this information to the best of my knowledge. If you have concerns, seek out an attorney, compliance consultant relative to the the regulation(s) you are concerned with, an IT consultant or any combination of the above.

You can find more information about these regulations and others at http://www.compliancehome.com/

Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS or commonly called just “PCI”)

PCI is a set of comprehensive requirements for enhancing payment account data security and was developed by the founding payment brands of the PCI Security Standards Council, including American Express, Discover Financial Services, JCB, MasterCard Worldwide and Visa International. Credit card companies and acquirer banks can levy stiff fines and remove the merchant’s ability to process credit card transactions until the merchant is PCI compliant.

Health Insurance Portability & Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA)

HIPPA requires that to ensure privacy and confidentiality, all patient healthcare information be protected when electronically stored, maintained, or transmitted. It also mandates that each user be uniquely identified before being granted access to confidential information. It specifies that access to personal health information (PHI) be restricted to only those individuals who need access as part of their role.

Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act (GLBA)

GLBA mandates privacy and the protection of customer records maintained by financial institutions. These security requirements include access controls on customer information systems, encryption of electronic customer information, procedures to ensure that system modifications do not affect security, and monitoring systems to detect actual attacks or intrusions.

Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002

This Act came about as a result of the large corporate financial scandals involving Enron, WorldCom, Global Crossing and Arthur Anderson. Effective as of 2006, this Act only affects publicly traded companies. However, being “SOX-like” is a good idea if your goal is to be acquired by a large publicly traded company.

Technology Required for Compliance:

In the case of PCI, HIPAA and GLBA “encryption” and “archival” are the two words you will run into the most and likely to cost you the most money because it will require additional purchases in technology solutions.

Encryption

Encryption simply means “To conceal information by means of a code or cipher” so that only authorized people can access and use the information. In the case of PCI, HIPAA and GLBA, and, as it relates to information technology, files (information) and email (communication) must be encrypted.

To encrypt disks and files you can use Windows Server 2008 using the built in Encrypting File System feature or, for R2 users of Windows 2008 server, Bitlocker is available. which is what you would use on Windows 7 Enterprise or Ultimate desktops and laptops as well.

Email encryption would need to be done through a third party provider such as Carceron.

Email Archival

HIPAA and GLBA also require email archival. Even though recent versions of Microsoft Exchange come with some limited archiving ability, it’s not sufficient from a compliance perspective. You will need a third party company that can capture all ingoing and outgoing correspondence in an off-site archive where messages cannot be deleted. This is especially important for any financial businesses regulated by SEC through GLBA.

Access Control & Auditing

All of the above regulations have requirements regarding access control to files, email etc. as well as auditing requirements. Auditing in this case translates to “logs of who access what and when”. All of the current Windows systems (both server and desktop based) have these features built in – they simply need to be configured by an IT consultant. Another means of preventing access to sensitive information is 2-factor authentication.

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Is Business & Life Getting in the Way of Your Company’s Goals? Shut Up & Adapt!

Posted by: Chad Massaker  /  Category: Best Practices, Business Management, leadership

When we started this year, I wrote two blogs surrounding leadership and goal setting:

Leadership & Goal Setting in 2010

Accountability – From Resolution to Reality – How Will You “Get It Done” This Year?

Now that we are 1/2 way through the year, how much have you gotten done? Are you on track to complete all of your company’s goals this year?

I can safely say that Carceron is not? Why not?

We moved offices in Q2, which is still in progress with various capital improvements like a new air conditioner for the server room, conference room furniture and other amenities, etc. Somehow, something as big as an office move never made it onto our original list of goals when we planned everything last year. Needless to say, moving into a new office is something of a time sucker. Consequently, this, along with a wave new business opportunities (certainly no complaints about that), has delayed some of our other goals that we had set to complete – especially the ones due for completion at the end of Q2.

So what happens now? Do we pout about that fact that we are behind schedule? Of course not! Things happen! Life happens! You simply adapt. If a few things get pushed into Q1 of next year…  so be it.

What I would recommend doing is going over all of your goals with your staff or at least your management team. You may find that some goals are no longer relevant and can be removed. Other goals may need to have their completion dates changed because of the unexpected life events or just because you realize that goal A is really dependent on goal B and you only just now found that out.

Don’t give up. Reassess, adapt and execute. Get everyone back in alignment and march forward!

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Is it Possible to Achieve Zero Time in Business? What About Negative Time? How much control of time do we really have?

Posted by: Chad Massaker  /  Category: Best Practices, Business Management, Computer Networks, leadership, Managed IT Services

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The concept of Time Compression was recently introduced to me by a client at the conclusion of a recent meeting. I was so enthralled by what he taught me that I did some more research that night and found several articles that further elaborated on the concept and what it means for business.

The first article I found, Technology’s Time Compression, is an excellent primer. At the bottom of that article are links to several other articles, all worth reading, but the two that were most interesting to me were It’s Time for Zero Time and We are Literally Trying to Stop Time.

What I got out of the latter two articles is that, at a minimum, we are trying to reach zero time, preferably negative time. The analogy of a track runner is quite appropriate. Track runners are constantly trying to reduce their times, with the ideal time being zero seconds. But can we achieve negative time? I don’t think a runner could, but we might able to as business owners. This is why business intelligence (BI) and dashboards are so hot right now. Dashboards are more than being able to see real time performance – they are about predicting the future and being ready to adapt to it instantly. You might argue that adapting instantly would be a definition of zero time. However, without proper business intelligence, you won’t be able to make the necessary predictions and subsequent preparations for that instantaneous switch. Negative Time is about being able predict when the change will come and changing at that precise moment (because you’re ready for it), versus reacting to the change once it has come to pass – where the first phase of the reaction is planning (what are we going to do?) and execution (doing it) both of which take time and make you late to the race.

Think about how this translates to business in terms of things like response time, resolution time, order time, processing time, or any other operational task where time is “consumed”.

In my business, Carceron, we monitor servers, networks and desktops in attempt to predict failure. These articles tell me that we can probably be doing a lot more with our monitoring and other business processes.

How can you achieve Negative Time in some of your business processes?

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Outlook Inbox Management: Tips & Tricks For Business Owners

Posted by: Chad Massaker  /  Category: Best Practices, Business Management, Computer Networks

Outlook is a very powerful time and communication management tool if you decide to take advantage of some of it’s less often used features.

While these tips and tricks can be used by anyone, for almost any reason. I am going to explain how I use them from the perspective of a business owner. Why the distinction? Because business owners are generally juggling many responsibilities at the same time: business development, operations, administration, short and long term projects, serving on non-profit and association boards, etc.

In the digital age, a lot of management is done from the inbox. For many business owners, the inbox serves as both a communication repository as well as a t0-do / follow up list. The problem with this approach is, that given how many things the business owner is involved in, the inbox can fill up pretty fast – to-dos get mixed in with communication follow ups, etc. Here’s what I handle it: (all of these tips are based on Outlook 2007)

Organize Using Subfolders & Categories

The most commonly used method of organizing email is to use subfolders. I have several just under my inbox. I have one subfolder that acts as my GMail inbox, so those emails stay separate from my Carceron email (I use my GMail account strictly for personal stuff). Another way that I use subfolders is to store important emails relating to any association management that I am involved in. For example, I might have one subfolder called “Corporate Connections”, one called “Kiwanis”, etc.  – anything where I am on a board of directors or serve in a management capacity outside of my company, Carceron. It is important to note that I do not archive all of my business emails in my personal subfolders, but in Public Folders in Exchange – this way everyone in my company has access to them. To create a subfolder in Outlook, simply right click on the Inbox (or whatever folder you want to create the subfolder under) and select New Folder. Name the folder and you’re ready to go.

Many business owners and managers use their inbox as their follow up repository. An easy way to organize your inbox is by Categorizing email. To Categorize email, simply right click a message and click Categorize. You can create your own custom categories and colors by selecting “All Categories” at the bottom of the Category menu. Once you start categorizing, then you’ll want to sort your Inbox first by Categories and and then by date. This way, newer and un-Categorized emails is always at the top and  email is always together bundled below. The end result should come out something like you see below. Note that the “Categories: (none) (1839 item, 2 unread)” is my unread and or unprocessed email.  The email in the Category containers below are for follow up (e.g. CARCERON Accounting – which I will open when meeting with my book keeper or CPA)

Prioritizing & Email That Needs Your Attention

I get a ton of email from a variety of sources: my staff, clients, the associations I belong to, social media, vendors, etc. Obviously I want to prioritize my staff and clients. To do this, I “re-color” their message in my inbox so that I can quickly identify them amongst the hundreds of other messages in my inbox. To do this, simply click on any message from a person that you want color coded in the future, then, from the top menu bar, click Tools –> Organize; select the “Using Colors” options and then simple select your color. Here’s an example:

If you have a very full inbox, a more effective way to get to the emails you need to respond to faster is to use Search Folders. If you look just below your Tasks folder, you will see the Search Folders section. To create a new Search Folder, simply right click “Search Folders” and select “New Search Folder”. A window will pop-up that will allow you to configure the your new Search Folder (which is really more of an inbox filter). There are many ways to configure your Search Folders. The primary way that I use them is to filter by people. For example, I have one folder for my company, Carceron. When I click this folder, it will display all emails currently in my inbox from everyone on my company (assuming that I have specified them in the search folder criteria). I have similar folders setup for various Corporate Connections chapters, clients, VIPs, etc. It also comes in very handy for voice mail. I use YouMail for my mobile phone’s voice mail. This service emails me a transcriptions and MP3 file of all voice mails that I get. Using a Search Folder customized to view only emails from YouMail is a very fast and effective way of processing voice mails because I can just “read” the voice mail as an email message and respond to it or delete it without having to listen to every single voice mail.

Automate Email Sorting

Using the Rules, you can automatically sort emails a variety of ways. I use Rules to route all of my GMail correspondence to a separate subfolder, to route all e-newsletters to a separate folder (I can get to those later when I have time), routing electronic faxes to other folders, Google Alerts, etc. To setup custom Rules, click on Tools –> Rules and Alerts. You can do a great many other things with Rules, like create different sound notifications based on the sender, or automatically flag messages for followup base on sender. Have fun with it.

Some Other Strategies

Do It, Delegate It or Delete It

If you want to really take your mastery of Outlook to the next level, purchase the book, Take Back Your Life with Outlook which is chock full of tips and tricks to make Outlook really work for you as well as how to better manage your time. One of the core teachings of the book, as it relates to inbox management, is “Do it, Delegate it, or Delete it”. Basically this means means do whatever needs to be done at the time you are reading the message, or, delegate it (forward it to a staff member, convert it to a Task and assign, etc.), or, delete it (junk mail, unimportant FYIs, etc.). If you follow this to the letter, than you should have a very small inbox. This philosophy does not work for me as well it could, because I keep so many categorized follow up emails – but it is essential to keeping my Inbox much slimmer than it could be. Delete is especially useful when your checking messages via a mobile device like a Blackberry – as long as you remember to do it. I get tons of FYIs and CCs  (e.g. FaceBook notifications, etc.) that I have no need to keep that clutter up the inbox. If I remember to delete these messages that become useless once read, then they will not be waiting on me when I open Outlook later on for some real email processing.

Schedule Email Checking

If you are trying to focus on a particular task, like writing a proposal or SOP, it can be very distracting to have emails continually flow into your inbox, making noise and popping up notifications in the lower right corner of your screen. The solution is very simple, yet surprisingly hard for so many people who have the need to always feel connected: Set Outlook to Work Offline or close Outlook down while you’re working. When I have an admin day where I need to get a lot done, I check Outlook 2-3 times a day: 1st thing in the morning, after lunch and, perhaps, late afternoon. In between those times it is set to Work Offline. Incidentally, this is also a great way to catch up on email without being interrupted. How many times have you been working on trimming down your inbox only to be stalled by new incoming emails as well as ongoing email back and forth from what you are working on in your inbox? When I process my inbox, I have a goal, usually in days, of email that I want to process using Do It, Delegate It or Delete It. So I set Outlook to Work Offline and I process, for example, all email from the previous 3 days. Anything that I send, will hang in the Outbox until I set Outlook back to online.  To set Outlook to Work Offline, simply click the the area in the lower right corner of Outlook that says “Connected to Microsoft Exchange” and then select Work Offline.

I hope that this returns a little sanity to your life.

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Moving the Office Part III – Reestablish Base Camp

Posted by: Chad Massaker  /  Category: Best Practices, Business Management, Computer Networks, Outsourcing

So moving day is upon you.

First and foremost, you will need to get your communications up and running. This means moving the telephone and computer systems and having them hooked backed up by professionals. In the Atlanta market, for telephone systems, I recommend Robert Brock’s company, Square 1 Technology. For computers and the network, I obviously recommend my company, Carceron.

As far as moving your office is concerned, you can do it yourself of course (that’s what we did, along with an army of youth volunteers). But you may want to outsource that part, especially if you’re a bit bigger (2000 sq ft. or more). In that case, Debbie Ponder from Suddath Relocation Systems is who I would use in the Atlanta market. Regardless of who you use to move or how, you should have a space plan for the new office. A space plan is a layout map of the office that shows where every piece of furniture is going to go and how it will be positioned. It’s especially helpful to have measurements of your furniture relative to each room’s dimensions. also be mindful of the position of the door into the office relative to your desk. “L” shaped desks may not be able to go into the office just how you want it based on the position of the door into the office. If you’re getting any additional new furniture for the office, make sure to coordinate with your furniture rep on the move in as well.

You also might have a lot of loose ends to tie up here. Such as:

  • Getting office and server room locks re-keyed and disseminating those keys to relevant employees
  • Signage (reception area, parking, etc.)
  • Touch painting after move in (hopefully not)
  • Security system operational
  • Interior Decoration (hanging plaques, awards, etc. – adding some plant life to soften the place up a little)
  • Stocking the kitchen / break room
  • Commercial Insurance is updated for the new property and you have a certificate of insurance into the landlord / lender

If you brain storm with your staff over everything that needs to get done from the very beginning, then put that list where everyone can see it (in LifeTick or SharePoint for example), you should have a very successful and relatively pain-free move.

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Moving the Office Part I – Timing & the Tenant Rep

Posted by: Chad Massaker  /  Category: Best Practices, Business Management, Outsourcing

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Moving an office is a process accompanied by so many possible emotions: joy, dread, relief, stress, and more – that it can seem like you need a therapist just to deal with the move… for everyone in your company. After all, you still have a business to run, and if you’re reading this, you’re most likely not a Fortune 500 company that can outsource all of the planing and execution that goes into it; you’re most likely doing it all yourself. So how do you run a business while moving somewhat painlessly -  change the oil while driving car, per se? I am about to tell you.

Timing and the Tenant Rep

You need to give yourself as much time as possible, 6-12 months ideally. The less time you have the more likely you’ll be forced into something you don’t want due to less time to search for vacant properties and less time to negotiate the deal. And let’s talk about negotiating that deal. Two Words: Tenant Representative. You’ve most likely used a residential real estate agent to purchase and home, it is doubly or more important to secure a tenant rep for your commercial space. Here’s how a tenant rep benefits you directly:

  • They are free (they are paid a commission by the landlord)
  • They have access to commercial MLS (multiple listing) systems that provide real time information on vacant properties which helps you narrow your search based on pre-defined criteria like:
    • Access to interstate(s)
    • Power & Data Cabling
    • Office Layout
    • Class A vs B vs C (think quality)
    • 1st Floor vs any floor
  • They are master negotiators (or should be), protecting your interests from the landlord and negotiating the lease for and with you.

We used Bob & Rob Hill of Hill Corporate Partners. They walked us through our 56 page lease in painstaking detail and knew things that needed to be changed right away that I would have never know to ask for. That is the biggest reason you need to use a tenant rep.

Some other notes when considering properties:

  • When you walk through your final choice of office to develop the “buildout and refresh” scope of work for the landlord, make sure to so in full lighting. When we did ours, the power to our unit was turned off due to small flood in the adjacent office suite. So we viewed the space with our BlackBerry video lights. While this did not really affect the buildout that we needed done, it did significantly impact what we asked for in terms of bringing the unit back to an acceptable move in condition (refresh). In our case it was painting walls, peeling wallpaper in the bathroom, carpet stains, and other cosmetic blemishes. No worries. We handled it ourselves. It was just a pain that could have been avoided.
  • If you need any buildout work done, make sure that you have you, your tenant rep, the landlord and the architect (usually hired by the landlord) in the room and go over precisely what your recommendations are and arrive at a consensus on the final total square footage. In most offices this might be pretty straight forward, but because our new office has a curved front, many of the of the interior walls are at weird angles which made calculating square footage accurately a challenge.
  • Be extremely detailed in your scope of work for both the buildout and refresh. Insist on meeting with the property or construction manager personally to go through each item so that there is no confusion.
  • Check the functionality of everything mechanical, like:
    • Doors fully closing and latching
    • Sinks work correctly and don’t leak
    • Toilet Flushes
    • Light Fixtures all work
    • Ceiling tiles are all intact and not cracked
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