Post-completion 100-day plan for a distressed acquisition
Every UK distressed acquisition survives or dies in the first 100 days. This is the day-by-day plan — cash, customers, staff, systems, reputation — that turns an administered business into a going concern.
Cash, customers, staff, insurances, bank. Deliver — do not restructure.
Novate contracts, unfreeze suppliers, complete TUPE consultation.
Quiet PR, quick wins, cashflow neutral, decide the 12-month plan.
Day 1 checklist
- All-hands staff briefing (in person where possible).
- Written statement of TUPE continuity to every employee.
- Bank accounts operational, first supplier payment funded.
- Public liability, employer's liability, property, cyber, D&O insurance live.
- Customer email announcement out to top-20 by 12:00, all-customers by 17:00.
- IT/domain/social credentials verified and reset.
- Business rates re-registered with local authority.
- PAYE scheme opened / transferred, VAT number applied for.
- Key-card / physical access reset.
- Novation deed template ready for issue Day 2.
Related
Frequently asked questions
What's on the Day 1 checklist?
All-hands staff briefing, bank accounts opened, insurances live (public liability, employer's liability, property, cyber), customer email announcement, supplier contact plan, IT/domain access verified, business rates re-registered, PAYE scheme opened, VAT registered, key card access reset.
What breaks in the first week?
Bank card readers stop working, courier accounts freeze, SaaS vendors demand payment (Xero, Salesforce, HubSpot), Amazon/eBay accounts freeze pending Change of Ownership, direct debits fail. Have a £50–150k operational buffer available in cash for week 1.
How do I stabilise suppliers?
Week 1 goodwill payments to top-10 suppliers (10–40p in the pound on their unpaid pre-appointment invoice) in exchange for cash-on-delivery reset. Get 3 credit-checked references from your bank ready. Expect 4–8 weeks of pro-forma / advance payment before terms return.
When do I speak to customers?
Day 1. Written notice by email + phone call to top 20 accounts. Message: (a) service continues without interruption, (b) named account manager, (c) migration to new billing entity, (d) novation deed enclosed. Response rate 70–90% within 7 days.
What's the cashflow model?
Pre-completion budget assumed. Post-completion: WEEKLY 13-week rolling cashflow. Weeks 1–4: 40% higher opex than modelled (transitional costs, insurances upfront, deposits). Week 5 onwards: normalise. Target break-even week 12–16 on operating cash.
How do I handle TUPE staff?
Day 1: written statement of continuity of employment. Week 1: 1-on-1s with senior team. Week 2–4: TUPE consultation completion if not done pre-appointment. Month 2: any restructuring on ETO reasons (with change in workforce). Month 3: harmonisation NOT permitted yet.
When do I start marketing?
Day 30. Not before — deliver operationally first. Day 30–60: quiet PR (Retail Gazette, sector trade press) announcing new ownership. Day 60–90: proactive customer wins programme, case studies of retained customers. Day 90+: brand-forward marketing.
What's the biggest 100-day mistake?
Cost-cutting too early. Firing staff, cancelling suppliers, terminating leases in weeks 1–4 destroys operational credibility exactly when customers are watching. Stabilise first, optimise from month 3.
How do I measure success?
By day 100: (1) customer retention >80% by revenue, (2) supplier terms restored on top 20, (3) operating cash-flow positive, (4) 90%+ TUPE staff retained, (5) Trustpilot/Google review sentiment stopped declining, (6) accounts filed on next due date.
What happens at Day 101+?
Move to a 12-month strategic plan. By month 6: harmonisation possible on ETO grounds. Month 6–12: growth capex, capacity expansion. Month 12: reflect and refresh brand narrative — 'one year on' story is powerful reputational content.