Post Acquisition: Customer Survey and Letter

About 100 days after Close, it’s a good idea to survey customers. Chances are they may have experienced some turbulence caused by the transition. They’ll probably appreciate a little special attention at this point, so it certainly can’t hurt to touch base and find out if they’re experiencing any problems that you might not be aware of. It may be uncomfortable to go looking for bad news, but it’s even worse if customers have a problem with your business and don’t tell you about it. It’s up to the buyer to keep the lines of communication open. A survey is one way to promote a dialogue with customers and give them an opportunity to tell you how well the combined organization is meeting their needs. . . .