Analyse the customer base in case of an acquisition

Whatever the reason for a company takeover, good research into how the company is doing remains of great importance. During the audit, a lot of time and attention is often paid to a thorough financial analysis. All too often, the customer base and its potential are handled too lightly.

"The growth forecast of the company, the value of the customer base and the market potential give a clear picture of the future expectation of the company", says Jeroen Bakker, Account Director of Graydon Nederland.

What is the best way to collect this data?
Take into account the growth expectations for the future.  This can be done initially by asking the entrepreneur what he or she expects, but insights based on data provide a more objective picture. Interesting insights include:
- Are sector data available from the domestic or foreign market?
- Can the future expectations be questioned among the most important customers?

Analyse the value of the customer base
In order to gain a better insight into this, the following questions can be asked:
- What is the profit margin per client?
- What is the credibility of each client?
- What is the growth potential of our customers?
- Are there customers in financial distress based on certain financial databases?
- The same questions can also be asked regarding strategic suppliers

Identify the market potential
In addition to an insight in which market segment the current customer base is positioned, it is also important to know which part of the market is not yet a customer. Which customer groups offer the best opportunities for growth? Without this insight, the growth potential of the company you want to take over remains a blind spot.

The full picture
"Without extensive preliminary research, you're missing important information about the company you want to acquire. Don't just look at the financial figures, the position of the company and who's in charge, but also at things about future opportunities. Only with this information will you get a complete picture to make the takeover a success," concludes Bakker.

Source : briskmagazine.nl