The Data Challenge with post-merger integrations

Post-merger integrations are complex and critical endeavors, requiring the alignment and integration of people, processes, and systems to achieve synergies and strategic goals set out in the acquisition business case. Often, these synergies, while attractive on spreadsheets, demand meticulous attention to detail and pose significant challenges. Key questions must be addressed, such as enabling cross-selling, consolidating order desks, merging invoicing and distribution, and determining when and how to achieve these goals. The speed at which integrated processes are enabled directly impacts the realization of synergies.

Challenges:

1. Synergy Realization: The transition from theoretical synergies to practical implementation requires addressing a multitude of operational challenges.
2. Data Migration: Migrating back-end systems between companies, often involving different software platforms, necessitates mapping, translating, and cleansing master and transactional data. This process is traditionally manual, costly, error-prone, and slow, typically relying on Excel spreadsheets.

Solutions:

1. Data Transparency and Comparability: Versatyle facilitates quicker realization of integrated processes by making data transparent and comparable between parent and acquired companies. This supports informed process design decisions, accelerates data-driven dialog, and expedites decision-making.
2. Data Migration Streamlining: Versatyle’s DataFlow includes AI-enabled solutions, such as smart deduplication and data enhancement, enhance data quality and reduce manual data manipulation efforts. These tools free up critical resources, enabling them to focus on data quality and testing rather than spreadsheet-related tasks. The work done during the integration migration becomes reusable for future system migrations and integrations, serving as a foundation for a company-wide data model.

Results:

• Faster realization of integrated processes with enhanced data quality.
• Reduced costs and accelerated timelines for post-merger integrations.
• Reusable data model for future system migrations and integrations.
• Efficient use of resources through AI-enabled data solutions.

Key Takeaways: This case study highlights the effectiveness of addressing post-merger integration challenges with transparent and comparable data, backed by AI-powered solutions. A streamlined approach to data migration and process integration allows for quicker realization of synergies and strategic objectives. By leveraging Versatyle’s solutions, companies can achieve integrated processes more rapidly, enhance data quality, and reduce the costs associated with traditional manual data migration processes. The reusable data model created during integration provides long-term benefits, serving as a foundation for future system migrations and integrations, ultimately contributing to more efficient and successful post-merger integrations.