Plan the first 100 days of integration

Who this is for

Founder led lower-middle market companies with 5 to 50 million in annual revenue that want a simple and effective integration plan.

The quick answer

Prepare day one so people get paid, customers are served, and systems keep running. Stand up workstreams for people, customers, finance, systems, products, and risk. Set ten must do outcomes with owners and dates. Meet weekly, track issues, and show quick wins that matter to staff and customers.

The method in eight steps

Protect day one
Payroll, customer support, invoicing, fulfilment, and access. Confirm each has an owner and a test.
Stand up six workstreams
People, customers, finance, systems, products, and risk and compliance. Each has a leader and a one page plan.
Set ten must do outcomes
Examples. keep service levels at target, issue one invoice cycle in the new flow, and migrate the top twenty customers to new terms.
Publish the cadence
Weekly standup with a visible action log. Monthly review with leaders.
Track issues and decisions
Use one list with owners and dates. Close the list each week.
Show quick wins
Remove a painful step, align pricing fences, or add a customer promise that builds trust.
Communicate with staff and customers
Share what is changing and what is not. Provide a single contact for questions.
Close with lessons and plan two
At day one hundred share results and the next six month plan that moves from integration to growth.

Example

A company completed payroll testing before close and ran a one page plan for each stream. Customers saw no service dip and staff could name early wins by week three.

Pitfalls and fixes

No day one plan. Test payroll, invoicing, and access before close.
Too many projects. Limit to ten must do outcomes.
Confusing updates. Use one cadence and a simple action log.

Checklist

Day one checklist complete
Six workstreams and leaders
Ten must do outcomes
Weekly standup and action log
Quick wins identified
Day one hundred review booked