Day 1 is a key stepping stone to ensuring that an integration delivers maximum value and minimum disruption, but, it requires a clear focus on essential deliverables, communication with all stakeholders and interim processes that ensure that externally it is seen as “business as usual” whilst internally everyone is clear on how to deliver this. Given the inherent stresses that will occur with all stakeholders, external and internal, Day 1 is a challenging task for your teams if they do not have the experience of integrations (and sometimes even if they do), a clear detailed plan is essential.
Communications, with all stakeholders, ensuring uninterrupted supplier and customer interfaces. These stakeholders will be concerned about the impact on their own businesses, good communication will ensure they support your business during integration and beyond.
Your people, communication internally has to ensure that they are fully engaged, have clear direction on the RACI Management structure (who makes decisions). Your people, from senior management throughout the organisation, will be delivering Day 1 they must be fully informed and work safely (maintain focus).
Functions such as Finance, HR, IT have to ensure that systems run, adequate controls are in place (purchases, sales and costs are accurately recorded and reported, limits of authority are clear and workable).
Procurement and Sales/marketing, process changes (i.e. invoicing details, new entity information) and responsibilities have to be fully functional and ensuring business is seamless.