Data is the deal: What banks miss during M&A integration

The hidden complexity of M&A integration

M&A integration is a minefield of technical and operational challenges.

• Multiple CRMs, core banking systems, ERPs, and analytics tools must now function as a single unit.
• Customer records are often duplicated, incomplete, or trapped in legacy databases.
• Day-one readiness is delayed as data cleanup, reconciliation, and system access issues pile up.
  

“Most institutions walk into M&A with outdated data infrastructure and think integration is a plug-and-play exercise. It’s not. Without a modern architecture and clear governance, you’re not merging systems, you’re multiplying risk.” 

- Phillip Paz, VP of Technology, Zennify

Zennify has supported dozens of banks and wealth firms through Salesforce integrations during M&A. The challenges show up early and often. Here’s what we’ve seen:

Data isn’t ready, no matter what the client says

‍Most firms assume their data is clean and integration-ready. It’s not. Records are missing, definitions don’t match, and key fields are outdated. In one engagement, mismatched household data models created weeks of rework and frustration. The lesson is clear. Start early. Clean up, standardize, and enforce governance before migration begins.

No two Salesforce orgs are the same

‍Merging environments surfaces every difference. One org has 14 lead statuses, the other has 6, custom fields conflict, or automations overlap. Our consultants routinely spend weeks reconciling configurations that were never aligned. Without early audits and a shared data model, integration delays and user confusion are guaranteed.

Governance is unclear or missing entirely

‍Merged teams often lack a single source of truth or clear ownership of data and processes. Without a defined structure, teams revert to legacy practices. That leads to duplication, inconsistent permissions, and competing reports. We recommend forming a governance team at the start. Assign data ownership, align KPIs, and establish authority over key decisions.

Advisors are left behind

‍On one project we inherited, a client launched Salesforce without including leadership in the rollout. Adoption lagged, client insights were missed, and teams reverted to spreadsheets. Zennify has seen this across multiple integrations. The system may work technically, but if leadership and advisors aren’t engaged, it fails. Involve them early, simplify their workflows, and ensure they understand the value of the merge.

What smart integration looks like in practice 

At conemis, we’ve seen the difference a smart integration strategy makes over and over again. The most successful post-merger transitions aren’t reactive, they’re proactive. They don’t just aim getting the job done somehow; they focus on how to get there with business value in mind while minimizing disruptions during and after the transition phase. Across dozens of complex enterprise migrations, we’ve found that success comes down to five essential ingredients: 

1. Awareness From Day One  

Integration success doesn’t start with the first data load. It starts with early alignment, before a single record is moved. Too often, M&A integrations are scoped as backend IT projects. But without bringing business leaders, compliance officers, sales ops, and key users to the table early, blind spots are inevitable. Regulatory requirements get overlooked, system dependencies go unidentified, conflicting priorities stall progress, and the door to security risks is opened. 

With early alignment, banks ensure that all relevant parties understand the scope, objectives, and what’s expected of them. This early awareness reduces costly rework, sets realistic timelines, and drives better outcomes across business and technology. 

2. Merging Minds Before Systems  

M&A isn’t just about merging databases. It’s about merging ways of working, from sales processes and access rights to reporting structures. Before systems are connected, successful firms map how business processes and data models will align. Who owns which data? What fields are mandatory in the new system? Which user groups are allowed to access what information? What should be cleaned up in the transition? 

These questions aren’t technical. Decisions must be taken for the sake of the business and for leveraging value. Only then they are translated into technology. Technical experts can inform decisions, but they should never take them.  

Misaligned data structures and unclear access control models can lead to costly compliance violations, data security risks, and poor user experience. That’s why we help institutions define a unified access model and harmonized data structure before migration starts. When systems go live, users know what to expect and customers experience continuity, not chaos. 

3. Automation for Reliable Repeatability  

Even the most well-scoped M&A projects fall apart without execution muscle. That’s where automation makes the difference. At conemis, we automate every single step of the migration flow; assessment, extraction, transformation, loading, reconciliation, and reporting. There are no manual file uploads, no spreadsheet patch jobs, no “just this once” workarounds. 

Why does this matter? Because M&A integrations are rarely linear. Most involve pilots, staggered rollouts, and multiple test cycles. Without automation, teams waste hours redoing work, and go-live weekends become overnight fire drills. With automation, you ensure that every step from data extraction to reporting can be repeated with accuracy. It eliminates human error, accelerates cycles, and dramatically reduces stress during critical cutovers.   

The result: confidence in go-live execution, and well-rested teams who aren’t scrambling at 2 a.m. More importantly, you’re laying the groundwork for scale. A well-automated integration isn’t just faster; it’s safer, more transparent, and easier to govern. 

4. Testing, Testing, and … Testing  

No integration succeeds without rigorous testing. It’s not just about quick improvised glances, it’s about protecting trust with a plan. Testing ensures data quality, process continuity, and access control integrity. That includes dry runs of entire environments, test cases for role-based access testing, and validation of analytics outputs. Skipping deep testing might save time upfront, but it leads to post-launch surprises that can erode user trust and cost millions to fix. Imagine sales reps accessing the wrong customer records, compliance officers losing audit trail visibility or key reports breaking just when executives need them. 

That’s why our automation-first approach includes built-in testing support. We help banks simulate full production rollouts in advance, making it easier to validate outcomes and reduce go-live anxiety. The more complex the consolidation, the more essential this becomes. 

5. Smart M&A Integration Starts with Strategy 

M&A doesn’t fail because of poor intentions; it fails because complexity is underestimated. Therefore, integration is not a technical afterthought; it’s a strategic discipline that determines whether a deal delivers on its promise. 

Success means treating data as a strategic asset, not a backend chore. It means involving stakeholders early, harmonizing business processes before touching systems, automating execution to ensure repeatability, and testing relentlessly to protect trust. 

At conemis, we empower financial institutions to navigate Salesforce and CRM migrations with clarity, speed, and security. Our automation-first platform delivers clean, auditable, and scalable integrations that minimize risk, protect business continuity, and preserve customer experience. Migrations become repeatable and testable with features like temporary system syncs, full dry runs, and detailed reporting that surfaces issues before they impact users. In an industry where trust is everything, smart integration isn’t optional. It’s the deal. 

"A proper M&A deal paints the visionary outline for extraordinary value creation. The realization must take place in the engine room, where data, systems, processes, and people are brought together."

- Daniel Rolli, CEO, conemis

Using M&A as a catalyst to modernize

M&A should be more than a backend consolidation project. It’s the moment to fix what’s broken and set the foundation for future growth. 

Most institutions focus on closing the deal and connecting systems. But if you stop there, you miss the bigger opportunity. Integration should modernize, not just merge. At Zennify, we help banks use M&A as a turning point to rethink architecture, streamline operations, and build for what’s next. Here’s what that looks like in practice:

• Retire legacy systems, not recreate them. M&A is the right time to phase out redundant platforms, eliminate tech debt, and simplify the stack. Don’t carry forward outdated processes. Use this moment to streamline.
• Design scalable data infrastructure. Unifying two organizations should leave you with a stronger foundation, cleaner data models, better governance, and analytics pipelines that support growth.
• Automate what slows you down. Post-merger complexity introduces friction. Automating workflows, data syncs, and reporting ensures agility at scale. It also frees up teams to focus on customers, not cleanup.
• Align your architecture to your strategy. If the goal is to expand into new markets or cross-sell services, your systems need to support those ambitions. Build with the next chapter in mind, not the last one.
• Build once, reuse often. Smart integration lays the groundwork for repeatability. That means standardized data definitions, centralized governance, and a shared approach you can replicate in future deals.

“If you're simply stitching systems together, you're missing the bigger opportunity. Smart M&A integration should future-proof your data foundation.”