Supporting a Tech Lead during a 4-month office move
We helped a Reading-based CTO manage his commute while relocating his team to a new site. He needed a practical SUV for moving equipment during the week and a sedan for meetings. We coordinated 6 swaps over 4 months to match his changing needs. He saved roughly £1,200 compared to short-term rental rates.
Simon needed a reliable way to move hardware without ruining his own daily driver. He was relocating 14 workstations and a heavy server rack to a new office near Reading Station. We set up a monthly car subscription that allowed him to switch between a large SUV and a professional sedan.
The challenge
Moving a software team involves more than just desks. Simon had 9 high-end 32-inch monitors, 14 UPS units, and a rack of network switches to move in small batches. His personal hatchback was too small for the equipment and he didn't want to risk scratching the interior.
He also had to attend four major client meetings in London every month during the transition. A rental van was too bulky for London parking, and traditional short-term car rentals were quoting £475 per week plus high insurance excess. He needed a solution that could change as fast as his move schedule did.
Our approach
Two of our team at Off Hours Coding met Simon at a cafe on Station Road to map out his 16-week timeline. We decided to ditch the idea of a single car. We planned for an SUV during the peak moving weeks in August and October.
For the 'business as usual' weeks, we scheduled a quiet electric sedan. This kept his fuel costs low for the commute from Caversham. We handled all the insurance paperwork upfront so each swap took less than 12 minutes at his office car park.
The solution
We provided a Skoda Kodiaq for the heavy-lifting phases. This gave him the boot space for the server rack and monitors without needing a van. For the weeks focused on client meetings, we swapped the SUV for a Tesla Model 3.
Simon used our mobile app to confirm his swap dates 3 days in advance. One monthly bill covered everything: the cars, the comprehensive insurance, and the maintenance. There were no hidden fees for switching vehicles, and he didn't have to deal with a rental desk once.
Results
Simon completed the relocation on schedule without renting a single van. He managed the entire vehicle logistics for the 4-month project with just 5 text messages to our team.
Timeline
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August 3, 2024Initial SUV delivery for first move phase of 14 workstations.
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August 21, 2024Swap to electric sedan for London client meeting cycle.
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October 12, 2024Return to SUV for final server and rack migration.
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November 4, 2024Final handover and transition to long-term sedan subscription.
"I didn't want the hassle of a fleet lease or the high cost of daily rentals. Off Hours Coding handled the swaps while I focused on our server migration. Saved us over a grand in the end."