Different Ways to Integrate
Learn about the different approaches to integration
This course is part of the Certified Acquisition Integration Manager program
The task of selecting how to integrate your acquisition is not time consuming. However, it is extremely important that you understand the approaches so that you can frame what is best for your business, correctly.
This course looks at four broad-category approaches to integrating an acquired small or mid-size business, along with the “Keep Separate” strategy (an approach where no integration takes place). We will describe how each works, its advantage and how to succeed when using it.
The smallest integrations can involve hundreds of tasks or projects
How you to create these projects is critical to the successful management of this busy time
Different Ways to Integrate covers the following topics
- An overview and comparison of the different ways to integrate
- The consolidation approach
- The benefits of leaving an acquisition autonomous
- Should you wait before starting an integration?
- Rolling up multiple acquisitions with one integration program
- How to tackle an integration of two mismatched businesses
- How to integrate a business you intended to keep separate
Check out the contents of this course!
Upon successfully passing the course assessment, you will be awarded a Learning Achievement for completion. It contributes towards the Certified Acquisition Integration Manager (CAIM) qualification. To review your Learning Achievements go to Online, My Learning Profile
To review your Learning Achievements go to Online, My Learning Profile
Contact us to get a credit!
Intista's Sales Integration Checklist is a great tool to use when bringing two separate teams together, with all its supporting elements in place. There are other tools for merging sales teams, but this is the best there is for mid-size M&A integration. I recommend that you download and use this tool when planning next steps.
Chris Perfect
I used to worry about integration after signing the papers I'd think "What do I do now?". It was a really good program that helped me understand the things that I need to consider to get the most value out of my acquisitions, based upon my acquisition goals. There were a lot of things that I wasn't thinking about.
Andrew Swanscott
It was very valuable. Saving me or an organization involved many times the cost of the class. There was lot of the practical advice that I wish I had had about 12 months ago with an integration that we did.
David Cusimano
The class was comprehensive, and very practical. There's a lot of these that are theoretical and academic, and this is anything but that.
Ed Jurica
I loved it: the information, the way that everything is explained. The way that it flows all the way to the end. It is so well explained. It helps you concentrate and guide your process.
Luis Acevedo
I would really recommend [it for] people who are already in the field of M&A Integration, or for those who are interested in pivoting to this field to consider the course. There are a lot of fundamental learnings one can get from this course, [including] the structure, processes, and results of integration...”
Jarvis Luu
The [course] exceeded my expectations. I think we were all 'experienced' coming into the class, but we all walked away with a much better understanding of the process which should help us collaborate better with corporate development on future integration work.
Rich Cone
I highly recommend Intista's integration training. The training is comprehensive, based on years of integration experience and data-backed insight and very relevant to my integration work.
The best thing I learned was an overall framework and process for integrations. From this baseline, I can then adjust based on unique circumstances. But I now have a very good starting point.
Ernie Lopez
The amount of knowledge and wisdom in this course cannot be met by anyone else.
... very responsive and helpful at every point of the course. I felt very supported.
Sarah Thornhill
[Intista] made the platform very easy to follow. The way [it] organizes the content to align with the actual integration process, I think it was very easy to follow. It is a great product that is highly customizable and has the structure that is needed for anyone who [wants to] jump in on it at any time.
Winnie Lee
Exceeded expectations. Substantial spreadsheets and checklists to support integration activity.
Tony Mulvahil
Very valuable, I was able to immediately apply a lot of what was taught. I recommend this to anyone tasked with M&A work and leading M&A integration efforts. This course gives step by step relatable information that can be applied right away.
Maidei Burnette
Great course with comprehensive coverage of acquisition integration. A great facilitator kept the content engaging and encouraged robust discussions.
Drew Von Buseck
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Addresses questions that acquired employees have, including "What is an acquisition integration?", "How are the integration teams and decision makers organized?" and "How long can an integration take"
Considerations that leadership should have before acquiring, discuss 6 myths about integrations, and differentiate between the priorities of the acquisition team and the integration team
Four broad-category approaches to integrating an acquired small or mid-size business, along with the “Keep Separate” strategy
The teams that oversee, manage and deliver an acquisition integration; the members of these teams, their roles, qualifications and ideal qualities
Initiatives that define the focus areas, for the journey ahead: how to identify the objectives, and how these fit into the SSIM™ as a whole
Learn how to estimate and budget the finances of an acquisition integration: three types of cost estimation, budget submission, and three types of synergy
Staff retention should be a priority of smaller integrations. We discuss non-financial and financial incentives and introduce The Staff Retention Toolbox
Onboarding an entire acquired business is complex, emotional, and critical to the success of integrating acquired smaller businesses
The way that you announce and welcome new employees can be the difference between integration success and failure. Here we teach how to prepare and deliver the Day 1 announcement
Learn how to communicate to the different audiences for an integration, applying seven communication objectives
Walk through the process of turning integration objectives into workstream charters, and deriving the high level and details tasks.
The Results are There
Intista were really helpful in strategic planning and finding solutions. We had positive results that helped the company and employees move forward. They were definitely worth the time. The results are there, and motivation is part of the process.
Strongly Recommended
We [were] dealing with a big integration project between a China and a Europe based company.
A great experience... [the] contribution to our email migration project is highly appreciated, excellent communication and coordination skills are highly praised.
Definitely Steve and his company will be strongly recommended to our partners. I would say that if we have any chance doing the project based in USA and Europe, they will be on the preferred vendor list for sure.
A Huge Positive Difference
Extremely organized, detail-oriented, thorough, timely, and importantly... made a huge positive difference on many occasions, helping to gain loyalty, bridge differences, and get newly acquired companies up and running
Holistic Thinking
Really appreciate your dedication, professionalism, hard work and holistic thinking.
Value Beyond the Scope
They were very responsive to my needs and gave added value beyond the scope I requested, finding gaps that we didn't realize were there. The attitude, support and professionalism were outstanding. We would have no hesitation in asking them back for future projects.
Made for a Better Culture
Able to assume solutions many times before problems occur and can remain collected. …also quickly made personal relationships with members of both companies and helped to integrate them by learning process and introducing counterparts. It not only made for a better culture, but a smoother run in streamlining both lines of business.
