Mergers are an incredibly stressful time. This can be doubly true if the technology part of an integration is not thoroughly understood in the context of business objectives. Because of the complexity and sensitivity of the process it is little surprise that over 50% of all mergers fail.
HMC Technology can help by providing independent analysis and guidance in all phases of the M&A process.
Assessment and Evaluation
Once a merger is finalized it can be tempting to start migrations and other technical integration activities immediately. This can cause problems. A thorough analysis of both companies should take place first, which should lead to the generation of a list of goals and metrics. This will help both companies understand what the end state will be, and help maintain focus as the process finally gets underway.
Understanding Integration Models
There are many different ways that companies can merge. The best case will be unique to each situation, from a full absorption model (where one company completely assimilates another) to a simple holding model (where a company continues to run entirely independently, with minimal technical changes.) The results of an assessment can help guide a decision towards what is right for your situation.
Planning
The process of integration should not begin until all the preparatory phases have been completed. Most important is the finalization of all decisions and timelines into a project plan. This plan should be built with the full knowledge and understanding of all stakeholders and held to with the highest regard for project and change management protocols.
Constant Communication
Once the technical aspects have been complete and the merger is underway, it is critical that everyone in the company gets regular updates on progress. This will likely be the most intense and stressful activity many employees will go through during their employment. It is far better to over-communicate during this time.
Wrap Up and Proper Data Disposal
The merged organization will have to be sure to dispose of all hardware, software, and data that is no longer needed. In some cases, this disposal will have to be attested to in a formal way in order to satisfy legal or other regulations. Depending on sensitivity, different data will have to be disposed of in different ways. This should have been identified in the initial Assessment stages- now it is a matter of confirming the disposal is accomplished as planned.
