Areas of Focus
Contract Synergies
Review existing contracts to identify opportunities for consolidation and cost savings.
Back-Office Standardization
Establish common platforms and processes across the merged organization.
Connectivity
Ensure seamless integration of email, network, voicemail and video conferencing systems.
Talent Retention
Implement strategies to retain key IT personnel during the transition.
Cross-Team Collaboration
Support action & implementation plans of other transition teams.
Digital Infrastructure Transition
Execute internet/intranet migration plan.
Synergy Review
Objective: Conduct a budget review looking for potential organizational and expenditure reductions. This would include contract review, data center rationalization, etc.
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Contract Review
Identify duplicate services and negotiate consolidated agreements.
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Data Center Rationalization
Evaluate existing data centers and develop consolidation plan.
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Budget Analysis
Identify potential organizational and expenditure reductions.
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Completion Targets
Americas: August 15
EMEA: September 15
Back-Office Standardization
Future Standards: Acquirer and Acquiree have similar homogenous back-office and client tool sets. Plan establishes common operating system, and client and back-office software versions.
Common Operating System
Standardized OS across all systems
Client Tool Sets
Unified software versions for end users
Back-Office Software
Standardized administrative applications
Communication Plan
- For all major IT projects and/or resource requests we ask that our business partners communicate their projrct requests via Project Initiation/Requirements Document.
- These IT requests will be prioritized by a team of leaders selected from the transitional team. Prioritization will occur across NewCo and not at the individual business unit.
- The weekly reports and the scorecard will communicate the IT team's project status.
- IT employee communication plans will be developed as the transition plan progresses.
Project Initiation Document
Business partners submit IT project requests through standardized documentation.
Leadership Prioritization
Transitional team leaders evaluate and prioritize requests across the entire organization.
Status Reporting
Weekly reports and scorecards communicate project status to stakeholders.
Employee Communication
Detailed communication plans for IT staff developed throughout the transition.
Support Integration Teams
Objective: Support action and implementation plans of other transition teams, including Customer Support, PeopleSoft, payroll, change in accounting calendar.
Assumptions: Migration from core business systems can commence once the planning from the transition phase is completed. There will be no migration from Lotus Notes.
Customer Support
Provide technical infrastructure and system integration for unified customer service platforms.
PeopleSoft
Support HR system consolidation and ensure data integrity during migration.
Payroll
Facilitate integration of payroll systems and processes across merged entities.
Accounting Calendar
Implement technical changes required for accounting period alignment.
Email Connectivity
Objective: Establish an automated mechanism for address book replication/exchange. Phase I - one-time exchange of address books. Phase II - daily replication/synchronization of address books for all business units. Completion - Phase I by August 16 and Phase II by EOM October.
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Phase I
One-time exchange of address books. Completion: August 16
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Phase II
Daily replication/synchronization for all business units. Completion: End of October
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Final Implementation
Fully automated address book system. Seamless email connectivity across organization.
Network Connectivity
Objective 1: Facilitate secure file transfer and email exchange by establishing a short-term solution for WAN network connectivity. Completion - EOM August.
Objective 2: Establish a long-term WAN plan promoting application and data sharing between the various locations allowing IT to meet business requirements. Completion - Phase I initial plan by September 15, Phase II - complete plan EOM October.
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Short-Term Solution
Secure file transfer and email exchange. Completion: End of August
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Phase I Planning
Initial WAN connectivity plan. Completion: September 15
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Phase II Planning
Complete WAN implementation plan. Completion: End of October
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Full Implementation
Application and data sharing between locations. Meeting all business requirements.