Changing location? Create an on-site 'relo' team. (Advertising Supplement).

Because managing and decision making cannot be done effectively from a distance, successful site relocation must be done upfront and personal.

You or your relocation team, or both, must be on hand to ensure operations flow smoothly. Otherwise, your story may be similar to the following example.

In order to escape a 60% annual worker-turnover rate and gain a better quality of life for family members, a family-owned company relocated to a site about 175 miles away. One of the sons went ahead to get the building ready; the physical move was to occur in stages. The plan was to bring each stage of production up to speed in the new location prior to phasing out that activity in the former location. The company could not afford a break in service to its customers. Further, because of the company's federal contracts, the building had to meet full government inspection prior to producing capacitors to fill its government orders.

The plan did not work well. More than a year later, the family members were still racing back and forth the full 175 miles, carrying equipment and capacitors in various stages of production.

The firm did develop a plan for managing the move, but it did not work the plan. It also tried to cut corners in retrofitting the building. One of its cost-cutting methods was to hire two carpenters by the hour to construct one interior wall 42-feet long and 8-feet high; paint three offices and a hallway; and set a new steel door through a block wall. At most, this was a three-to-four week job. Eighteen months later, the two "by the hour" carpenters were still on the job.

The son in charge of the retrofit, as electrical engineer, had been told by everyone not to hire carpenters by the hour--to get a contract. The slower the carpenters worked, the more heat the young man took, and the more his ego got in the way. "I'll get it done," he insisted.

Part of the problem with this particular move and the carpenters was just a fact of life in a family-owned business--people's egos and birth orders get in the way. Perhaps as the oldest son, the young man thought he had to exhibit command and thus stick to his original plan to hire carpenters by the hour, even when it was apparent that this was not the most efficient method. Another problem was the owners' lack of business knowledge about construction and contracting. A time and cost contract could have saved the company significant time and money.

Still another problem was a lack of common sense. By first getting on the telephone and calling contractors to find out how long the job should have taken, the time problem would have immediately been red-flagged.

There was, however, an even bigger reason for allowing two carpenters to hold up a multimillion dollar operation: The other parts of the relocation plan were not working. The carpenters and the young engineer became scapegoats for other family/company members who were not doing their jobs.

While it is easy to say that such a situation could never happen to you, there are indeed many ways for the physical relocation plans of a company to become ensnarled. The first step to making a move work is to adopt a "get-it-done" philosophy.

Following is a review of how to develop a critical path of procedure and set realistic time frames. Successful moves involve selecting a goal-oriented site relocation team. These tough-minded team members must be able to work out of their briefcases, motel rooms, and rented office space. This advance party has specific functions, such as:

* Providing communication about arid coordination of the move;

* Establishing a pool of employee applicants;

* Selecting and providing initial training of employees;

* Overseeing leasing and preparation of temporary work space; and

* Managing the construction or retrofitting of the permanent structure.

A three-person team, with whatever support is needed, can form the relocation group. If you have to do all of this yourself, you will be exceptionally busy. If you are a one-person relocation unit, at the very least employ someone part-time to inspect the construction or retrofitting activities. A recently retired construction superintendent is ideal in this role.

Consider the three relocation team job descriptions shown below.

Relocation Team Leader:

* Coordinates activities of other personnel;

* Establishes communication among and between company officials, architects, building contractors, employment security office personnel, legal representatives, suppliers, and new employees;

* Organizes initial office operations and procedures, including liaison with the payroll office;

* Establishes initial filing and records systems for efficient retrieval of information;

* Supervises and approves the work plan of the personnel generalist and the construction liaison specialist; and

* Plans the delivery and setup of equipment.

Relocation Personnel Specialist:

* Conducts a wage survey within the labor market to determine competitive wage rates;

* Prepares the budget for a personnel operation;

* Plans and carries out policies related to all phases of personnel activities;

* Recruits, interviews, and selects employees to fill vacant positions;

* Plans and conducts new employee orientations and oversees employee training;

* Maintains hiring, promotion, and termination records; and

* Ensures compliance with the Equal Employment Opportunity.

Construction Liaison:

* Reviews and approves change orders in construction plans;

* Inspects construction work to ensure that procedures and materials comply with plans and specifications;

* Measures distances to verify accuracy of dimensions and a structural installation and layouts;

* Verifies levels, alignment, and elevation of installations;

* Observes work in progress to ensure that procedures followed and materials used conform to specifications; and

* Examines workmanship of finished installations for conformity to standards, and approves installation.

The relocation team must have a "get-it-done" philosophy of meeting all problems head-on. The best way to present this philosophy is to make it clear to all involved that the team speaks for the company and that the company is in charge.

A determined, "get-it-done" philosophy does not require being unpleasant with people. It is simply a process of exercising the power you have because you are paying the bills. To make certain the bills and everything else stays in line requires a plan, which in turn requires a planning method.

Steve Wyatt is an independent business consultant based in Claremont