Acquired teams often resist integrating commodity functions, claiming their way is unique. Integration leaders must have the courage to call "BS" on this. Functions like payroll are not game-changers and should be standardized for efficiency, saving political capital for truly unique areas.

After acquiring a European company, SPS Commerce found success by sending leaders from all departments (finance, sales, back-office) to visit in person. A single executive "fly-by" is insufficient; integrating the whole business builds trust and operational alignment.

When SPS Commerce acquired a Dutch company, they discovered their lawyers in the Netherlands could not advise on French labor laws for the target's Paris office. This highlights that "Europe is not one country" in M&A; acquirers need a separate bench of local experts for each jurisdiction.

In Europe, the value of startup equity is not widely understood. ElevenLabs' CEO had to convince new hires and even their families that equity was a valuable part of compensation, sometimes having to "almost force" employees to accept it, a stark contrast to the US tech scene.

When expanding into the Netherlands and Sweden, ECI encountered mandatory electronic invoicing formats required for tax compliance. This surprise necessitated purchasing new ERP modules and engaging third-party services, creating unforeseen costs and diverting internal resources.

Benefits programs are often designed for a generic employee persona. However, an individual's needs are dynamic, changing with life events like having children or caring for aging parents. A benefit that's useful one year may be irrelevant the next. The only scalable solution is to provide choice that adapts with the employee.

Unlike previous deals, a German acquisition required a complete, simultaneous language localization across all systems. This "language lift" included everything from the website and lead-gen to contracts, support portals, invoices, and automated billing reminders, all launching on the same day.

In Italy, acquiring a business's assets doesn't grant the buyer the right to terminate existing employees due to redundancy. Labor laws are extremely strict and pro-employee. Buyers must often negotiate with trade unions pre-deal and commit to retention periods, as preserving jobs is a key concern for Italian sellers.

Companies try to fix employee well-being by surveying staff or following trends, but these one-size-fits-all programs fail. They are based on the patronizing idea that the company knows best. This approach alienates the majority who didn't ask for the specific benefit, wasting money and breeding cynicism.