Integration Support
Helping you deliver the multi-threaded integration
Acquisitions are undertaken to grow a business. The delivery of integration tasks and projects are where the return on investment is achieved.
Integrations have hundreds, if not thousands of tasks. Every team in both businesses are disrupted by the change that is taking place.
- Does your company have the capacity to deliver an integration on time and schedule?
- Can you maintain the existing business, while undertaking the integration?
We help you deliver the integration in a supportive role, in line with your business strategy through
Flexibility
Determination
Pragmatism
Empathy
Support
We provide support, managing the program if required, to keep it on track and ensure that leadership is aware of the true status.
Integration Support is part of our 5 steps to a successful integration team: Integration Readiness, Certification, Implementation, Support, and Resources
At the outset, we define what success is. Small and mid-size businesses are not acquired for their financial status, their clients or contracts (usually) – so why define success in financial terms?
- We work with you to define – and message – what success is, and when it should be achieved
- Give people a Why you acquired, and we will help you with the What we are going to achieve
The assets of a business that has the potential for a great future, are tied up in the employees: their knowledge, skills and business relationships. Communication is one of the key ingredients to employee engagement and productivity – especially during the stressful period of an integration.
- We understand this and constantly ask ourselves if we are communicating sufficiently
With the high number of tasks to be completed during an integration, there are opportunities are everywhere for employees to step up and help out. However, with that comes new challenges. How do you ensure that these eager volunteers can carry out their tasks?
- The role of the Integration Management Office includes the mentoring of newly assigned task owners and project managers
On Day 1 the acquisition is announced, and with it some high level vision of what is to be achieve. This high level vision is turned into an integration plan of projects to be carried out by workstreams. Workstream Leaders are solely responsible for delivering their workstream’s projects.
- We encourage Workstream Leaders to pass the accountability down to their team members for each project, and the tasks with them. Although it is tempting to name two people to own a project or task, we recommend a single person is accountable for everything in the hierarchy of activities
Scope creep cannot be accommodated during an integration. The sheer volume of important and desired projects and tasks to be completed, means that the luxury of adding tasks cannot be allowed.
- We understand that integrations always contain an element of surprise, which will force the integration to increase the scope. Our experience will guide you in helping decide what is important, and what can be postponed for later improvements
- We are firm advocates of Integrate First, Improve Second
Typical engagements include subscriptions to our Certified Acquisition Integration Manager program for your team members
COO
CEO
HR Director
Facilities Manager
Purchasing and Facilities Management