We just signed our LOI and the sixty-day due diligence window has opened, but the buyer's deal team is inundating our department heads with duplicate and unorganized data requests. How do we establish a structured communication protocol during the LOI-to-close phase so our leadership team can focus on their quarterly Rocks?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

The period between signing the LOI and closing the deal is incredibly high stress. If you do not establish boundaries, the buyer's due diligence team will bypass your executive team, bombarding your department heads with disjointed requests. This operational noise will cause your team to drop their quarterly Rocks, hurting your business performance right when you need to maintain momentum.

To manage this process, you must establish a strict communication protocol immediately after signing the LOI. Designate a single point of contact, such as your Integrator or a dedicated transaction manager, as the sole gatekeeper for all buyer requests. All incoming inquiries must go through this gatekeeper, who will filter, organize, and prioritize them.

Implement a weekly transaction review meeting separate from your regular Level 10 Meeting. Use this dedicated space to track due diligence requests, assign responsibilities, and resolve deal-related bottlenecks. This structure shields your broader leadership team from daily distractions, allowing them to focus on keeping the business running smoothly.

By compartmentalizing the deal flow, you ensure your key people stay focused on their core accountabilities. This protects your operating metrics and keeps the business healthy, which is your best leverage to prevent the buyer from re-trading the price before close.