The Content of a Day 1 Playbook
A listing of who to contact with questions and key phone numbers, organized by functional area.
A concise summary of the newly combined company to ensure consistent messaging.
A detailed hour-by-hour review of activities for Day 1, including locations, owners, and coordinators.
Matrix of meetings and key events for Day 1-5, core messages, and guidelines for external communications.
Customer contact plan with executive points of contact and a prepared list of customer Q&As.
Information on people/policy changes for both acquirer and acquiree employees, plus employee Q&As.
Details on non-people/policy changes for Day 1, such as new standard forms, plus vendor & partner Q&As.
Includes officer briefing/orientation slides and helpful merger tips for leaders.
Ground Rules
Do:
- Make the playbook useful and informative.
- Make it easily accessible by integration teams.
- Target communications to specific audiences.
Don’t:
- Try to make it everything to everyone.
- Try to make it timeless. It should cover no more than Day 1 + the next 4 days.
- Include highly sensitive information in it.
Access & Final Steps
Access
The playbook should be accessible online for convenient access by authorized users. However, be mindful of the risk of it falling into the wrong hands. Ensure the content is not sensitive and does not include RIF-related material.
Final Steps
Conduct thorough playbook reviews with both integration team leaders and members, as well as with non-integration personnel to ensure clarity. The final playbook workplan and timeline should be finalized at least 3 days prior to the close.
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