Here are four keys to success when planning and deploying your communication strategy during a healthcare brand merger. Keeping customers fi rst in merger integration stable with no defections following the merger, and its churn rate actually dropped. While both companies had a cohesive approach and style in announcing the merger, not all brands who amalgamate with another are as well equipped to handle customer inquiries or proactively communicate the benefits of the merger. If customers feel uncertain about direction of the merger, they will be very sensitive to any dips of communication and service. Probably the most important strategy to prevent customer attrition is clear and effective communication. The way you communicate with your future business partner is important. If you own a business, there are many times you may find it necessary to write to your customers. Equip internal teams with communication best practices And make sure you regularly communicate your appreciation to employees for all their efforts during a merger; when they feel valued and engaged, they’re more likely to go the extra mile for customers. Mergers and acquisitions go through three broad phases. Start at home. As with any major change effort, the approach needs … And remember, you don’t need to wait until things feel settled to collect feedback post-merger … How to Communicate with Customers . Be ready with an explanation of how the deal will benefit them and the changes, if any, that they can expect. Using the old sender name gives customers a chance to associate both Storenvy Printing and Threadbird Printing as one and the same company prior to sending under the new Threadbird banner. Without frequent communication, rumors can develop and speculation can occur. They can also access all the presentations, playbooks, books, articles, checklists, software, assessments, webinars, research, tools, and templates on MergerIntegration.com. In fact, poor communication can lead to the failure of the transaction, making it vital that your HR and executive teams work together to effectively communicate all impending changes with staff in an easy-to-digest form. They won’t much care about impact on customers immediately; they’ll care about changes to their jobs, benefits, pay, taxes, etc. A merger or acquisition will create numerous questions in the minds of stakeholders. It’s especially important to focus on people and culture during times of transition. There are several different types of merger, but essentially, it’s an agreement that unites them as one. Below are three ways to avoid losing customers during an acquisition or merger. Here are his five simple rules to help any communicator be more effective when it’s time to put on the merger comms hat. As part of an AT Kearney global survey, […] Rather than leaving everyone to wonder how the reorganization will affect their relationship with the company, it’s wise to develop communication strategies that address employee concerns as well as questions from customers, suppliers and vendors. Letters to customers are letters written by businesses to people or organizations who buy goods and services from these businesses. When you reply to an official proposal for the business merger, and you accept to discuss further, you will have to draft a polite answer to the opposing party. There are plenty of reasons for a company to decide to merge with or acquire another company. We intend to communicate additional information as the transaction progresses. They are often “equal” in the agreement. Embed consideration of the cus-tomer experience as an integral part of merger planning. Your M&A messaging strategy will … By anticipating their concerns in advance, you’ll be better prepared to address them. Communicate early on the anticipated level of integration and assimilation and what that will mean for employees. Communicate. Will leadership be changed or kept intact? Some may do it in order to get rid of competitors, while others create value for their businesses by gaining new customers, boosting business productivity, and expanding into new markets, which are all possible through this strategy. As the Gallup study suggested, if you are not doing a good job of welcoming new customers today, you better start to get on your game to welcome those coming to you through a merger. For Clarion and the communications team the delivery of the merger was the beginning of a process, not the end. Post-Merger Integration Plan. Plan Before the Announcement: The reason behind the merger should be explained to employees, shareholders, government agencies, and customers. Communicate, communicate, communicate. The earlier you communicate, the better. Competitors will certainly seize any opportunity to poach customers and top-performing employees. Which systems, policies and processes will change? The communication role needs to begin during the preliminary stages to set the scene. Corporate reorganizations, mergers and acquisitions affect employees, customers, suppliers and vendors. ( Read More: Good Merger Communication Strategies Make or Break Banking Deals ) 1. But when is the right time to tell employees about a pending merger? even so, social loafing also has an effect on the people today that comprise the team. Until the closing, GoTo and LogMeIn remain entirely separate entities, and will continue to provide support for their respective customers. In the past six years, AccentCare has doubled in size organically, and through a lot of acquisitions, going from about 12,000 employees to 25,000 employees. At the outset, employee concerns are going to be top of mind for them. Communication tools such as community press releases, letters, emails, employee intranet announcements, brochures for customers, and FAQs should be used. organization will look once the merger is complete will: Communicate the strategic rationale for the merger and the value to be realized. Design merger conversion communications as if you were onboarding a new customer. In this episode, we have Lindsay Williams, not only a friend of mine, but also, more importantly, the Director of Digital Communications at AccentCare.. It will give them a sense of ownership and establish support. These letters can be addressed to specific customers or to all customers, depending on the issue. Is this a merger, acquisition, joint venture or divestiture? The more your employees, partners, customers, and shareholders know about the nature of the deal, the more likely they are to get behind your decision. Once your customers are aware that a merger or acquisition will take place, they are sure to have questions for you. An acquisition is when one company is purchased by another. Give your employees and community members a voice by allowing them to offer input whenever possible during the merger process. Best-selling author Simon Sinek said it best, “Customers will never love a company until the employees love it first.” It is formulated to support and define where the new company is going and communicate how the formation of this new company fits the overall vision. Failing to properly manage a merger or acquisition can come with significant risks. 4. Before the merger takes place, make sure that you: Find Your Narrative When a merger or acquisition takes place, everyone in your organisation will want to know what’s happening, and why. Communicate quickly to customers the rationale and new value proposition of the merger. A merger is when two or more companies combine to become one new company (and legal entity). 2. A merger process for creating a Shared Vision that can be owned at each level of the organization and readily expanded into an integrated strategy. The audience for this video is primarily employees but also customers and vendors. The news spread quickly to industry regulators, but spread even more quickly to T-Mobile and Sprint customers. We have many opportunities ahead of us – from driving effective, modern communications that meets customers’ expectations using the latest methods, to enabling the integration of what is now a large group with some 4,000 colleagues. Sometimes it’s referred to as a takeover. Preannouncement Communications. In the meantime, you can learn more about the announcement in our press release and on our merger website. The preceding area identifies the impact of social loafing on a bunch which can be arguably essentially the most notable Breaking the News the best way to Communicate a Merger to Employees consequence on the group behavior. PRITCHETT Merger Integration Certification Workshop Attendees, and Paid Website Subscribers can access this resource. The mere mention of the term "merger and acquisition" (M&A) can send messages of misinformation or half-truths. Keep the organization and customers focused on the benefits and drives the realization of these Good communication is essential to successful mergers and acquisitions. Clarity about motives and intent, as well as timing the release of information during a merger, requires strategic information management. Gaining a deeper understanding of existing brand perceptions and the nature of the brand experience of both brands through research before any merger is complete will help guide brand strategy decisions. Be sure to keep your message consistent and communicate it clearly and effectively to employees, customers and investors. Keep in mind that whatever you tell employees will leak to the press, vendors, suppliers and customers. Culture, Comms & Cocktails is internal comms served straight up. Too often the communication starts too late and doesn’t deal sufficiently with the post-merger integration issues. Employees are people. Even in business, communicating with customers effectively can help you gain their loyalty - leading to repeat purchases, positive word-of-mouth, and referrals.. On the flipside though, failure to communicate well can create dissatisfaction, frustration, and a decrease in sales. During organizational change, it is important to communicate frequently with those involved and impacted by the change. If you deny the rumors when you are negotiating, any communications you make regarding the merger or acquisition from that point on will be suspect. Communicate long-term value of merger: The merger is safe and the value of the combined company will be enhanced, giving us the scale to compete: Press releases, website, direct mail: Customers at bank being acquired: Service, pricing: Retain customer relationships Communication plays a key role in every merger or acquisition. Post-Merger Integration Progress Reports. Ensure that you begin with the end in mind and drive the merger with a clear view of the end state. Who should make the announcement, and what communication channels should they us We have compiled lists from our M&A integration consulting projects of the most common questions asked by: Some more reasons to enter into a merger or acquisition include: An integration is always a time of uncertainty. The merger or acquisition is sometimes prompted by a desire to improve CX, ... “On the surface, M&As can elicit a feeling of uncertainty for both employees and customers… Effective communication is the key to building and nurturing any relationship - be it personal or professional. Be sure to communicate with employees, collect feedback to take targeted action for retention, and provide ongoing support. Recognize And Reward Your Loyal Customers During Periods Of Change Airlines have certainly had to communicate changes like this on a periodic basis, in … After a merger takes place the two companies require a face of unity to allay the fears of the workforce and show that the company will be stronger in its new incarnation. What should employees say to customers, vendors and other publics? Our press release and on our merger website, suppliers and vendors loafing also has an effect on people! 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