New Office Technology Considerations
If you are setting up a new office, technology should be a priority consideration. Whether setting up your first or moving from another location, there are some important considerations to be aware of.
Location and cellular reception
Location and cellular reception are sometimes a problem. If your employees will need good cellular reception, it is worth scouting the area, inside the building, with your cell phone in hand, so salespeople wont miss that million dollar call. If necessary, a cell tower repeater can be installed that gives you a strong signal in the office, but has been know to have problems in reliability. Additionally, most new smart phones have the ability to place and receive calls over your existing Wi-Fi network, you just want to make sure you have a fast, low-latency internet connection, and fast, blanketed coverage, across your office space.
Open Workspace or Private Office
Open workspace or private office and cubicles, can be a tough decision. It is popular in recent years but reports show that the result is lower productivity and morale. if you are seeking convenient creative collaboration, this may be the way to go.
Cabling and Connectivity
Cabling and connectivity are crucial to how flexible your office arrangement can be. Though Wi-Fi is convenient and flexible, it is typically not as fast or reliable as a hard wired connection. The typical cabling solutions, for a new office, are two drops (network cables) per anticipated wall plate, where a device will be connected. Don’t forget printers, and that new phone systems can utilize VOIP (voice over ip) calling. when everything is integrated on the same network, you have the option to make and take phone calls from your computer.
Building Construction and Wi-Fi
Building construction and Wi-Fi coverage can be an issue, especially of your are in a concrete or cinder block building. Keep this in mind depending on whether you intend to cable or use Wi-Fi for your device connections. It may be necessary to plan additional access points for thick walls or large floor plans.
Lighting for Work Areas
Lighting for work areas is really important, especially if you are moving to a building that was used more for storage than office space. Walk the building with layout in mind, and consider the possibility of a drop ceiling in warehouse type buildings.
Applications and Platform Support
Applications and platform support do not also mix. If you are like most business, you will be running Windows based PCs for office and application support. Apple’s Macs make great computers but business software providers do not always support them equally. Remote desktop solutions and other software may compatible as a work around, but unless you specifically know that Mac is going to be your hardware platform, consider doing a compatibility assessment for the software you plan on using. Some third party applications simply will not run on an Apple computer.
Business Type and Initial Impression
Business type and initial impression is an important consideration for your office layout. Consider a reception area, if you plan on having one. Sometimes you will also want to consider where a guest waiting area will be. If you will want to provide guest Wi-Fi access, make sure it is configured to prevent access your local network resources. Ask your managed services administrator about this.
Conference areas can be important when you need space larger than your office to host a meeting, and in cases where you want a centralized seating area or group video conference calls. Since Covid, video conferencing solutions have been one of our most requested services.
We are always happy to join you on a new office walkthrough assessment. We will offer you expert and experienced advice that may help you decide if you have the right space.