As you begin to see your walkways blocked by pallets, your unused office is converted into a warehouse, and your staff has to navigate through an increasingly disorganised clutter instead of a system, you know that you are experiencing some degree of awkwardness as your growth is happening. This is a “good” problem. However, this will still continue to add to the pressure.
Adding more space seems very straightforward; however, when you consider the cost involved with creating additional space (whether it be rental/lease, purchasing a larger facility), the commitment of having to spend money on adding more space, and the disruption this could cause in your business, expanding permanently might seem overwhelming. Relocating your business could appear to be too much of a risk. Staying exactly as you currently are, however, could slowly hinder the progress you made toward developing the business you had envisioned.
Recognise The Pressure Before It Costs Too Much
Most often, space issues don’t present themselves completely overnight. At this point, you need to stop. Don’t panic. Simply assess your business’s current situation.
Are you experiencing seasonality? Is there a new contract? Do you need to increase your inventory levels? Are you going through an extended production cycle due to temporary excess capacity? Or is your business undergoing a fundamental change in its operations?
Each type of question above presents itself differently. Some require short-term solutions. Others need long-term answers. Understanding which type you are dealing with is important; not all space challenges require a long-term solution.
Don’t Allow Yourself To Be Pushed Into Making A Permanent Decision Due To Urgent Need
There’s no doubt that when things get busy, it’s easy to act impulsively and rush into making decisions simply to alleviate immediate pressure. You may find yourself considering large facilities, lengthy leases, costly renovations, or even high-priced storage rentals. While these options may ultimately be appropriate for your company at some point in the future, they can also limit you financially before you’ve determined whether this is truly the direction your business will head.
Instead of acting so hastily and putting yourself under an obligation to pay for something long after the urgency subsides, we would recommend separating true urgency from long-term strategic planning.
While you may need additional storage at this moment, it doesn’t necessarily follow that you’ll always need it. You may need an enclosed loading dock for one contract and not for every month of the year. You may need more working room while testing out a new product line before determining if it warrants a larger location.
In situations such as these, temporary industrial buildings can provide you with the flexibility to handle your day-to-day needs without making decisions about your overall operation.
Select Space Flexibility That Also Makes Sense Logically
Temporary does not inherently mean unsteady or haphazard. Many companies find that their most valuable benefit is not solely in providing additional square footage. Their greatest advantage lies in the speed of response and the ability to maintain control over costs, layouts, and risks associated with each phase of the process.
Your company shouldn’t be forced to operate in a state of confinement. At times, the most logical course of action is not to continuously grow forever. Sometimes the smartest thing you can do is give yourself sufficient space to move forward while deciding what your future holds.
