If you’re someone who has been closely involved in an acquisition are you the right person to view your merger with an objective and unbiased pair of eyes?

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Deloitte’s Post-Merger Integration Survey & Report 2015, which focuses on the post-merger integration phase of the merger and acquisition lifecycle, collated the views of 800+ executives. What did respondents to this survey say they would do differently? “Focus on a swifter and phased post-merger integration, better communication, and a more rigorous process to select an integration team.” They also said they’d allocate more budget to the integration. That’s easy to say in hindsight. However at the time, most organisations are working with the resources they have in-house. Which is why it pays to take expert advice from independent experts when it comes to post-merger integration.

Stretching your in-house resources

As we’ve said before, post-merger integration is not just another IT project. Anyone taking on the role of managing an integration must prepare themselves for at least several months of intense activity. In most M&A situations, the transition period needs to be fast and efficient. Teams should be clear about their duties and responsibilities in order for the integration to achieve its scheduled timescales. Planning and project managing the post-merger integration and assigning tasks to teams is extremely time-consuming. There also needs to be post-integration support as employees get used to new systems. This is a lot for any one person or team to take on – especially in addition to their normal duties.

Making independent decisions

Managing a PMI project also requires a high level of decision making. And this can be tricky if you don’t have all the relevant information at your fingertips. These decisions can’t be made in isolation. This is when it really pays off to have post-merger integration experts come in to scope out your business. By taking a full asset inventory and looking at your current hardware and software - and comparing it to what will be needed in future – they can help you to start to plan strategically.

Creating the perfect plan

Once you have the information to make these critical decisions, a plan will start to form. Accountability becomes more widespread, rather than just focused on one person or team, and you’re able to set achievable delivery stages. Experts in PMI will be able to look beyond the integration phase and into profitable business outcomes. With input from stakeholders across your organisation, PMI experts can guide you into a seamless integration – while at the same time helping you to position your company correctly in preparation for future growth.

If you’d like a fresh pair of eyes to look at your post-merger integration and show you how to get maximum value from your teams and IT, contact us for a friendly discussion regarding your particular business needs on 0330 043 4532.