Quick Wins in the First 90 Days Post-Acquisition

Quick wins serve two purposes: they generate measurable business improvement, and they build your credibility as the new CEO. The best quick wins are visible, low-risk, and demonstrate that positive change is coming. This guide identifies the most common quick wins across every functional area of an acquired SME.

The Stanford GSB 2024 Search Fund Studyfound that operators who executed 3-5 identifiable quick wins within the first 90 days generated significantly higher employee confidence scores and stronger first-year EBITDA performance than those who focused solely on long-term strategic initiatives. Harvard Business School's Michael Watkins emphasizes in The First 90 Days that early wins are not optional, they are the foundation of a successful leadership transition.

Why quick wins matter

• Build team confidence: Employees need to see that the new ownership brings improvement, not just disruption
• Demonstrate competence: Your board and investors want to see early wins that validate the acquisition thesis
• Generate cash flow: Some quick wins directly improve profitability, giving you more room for debt service and growth investment
• Build momentum: Success breeds success. Early wins create a culture of improvement

Financial quick wins

Pricing (highest impact)

• Raise prices 3-8%: Most SME owners haven’t raised prices in 2-5 years. A modest increase (below the “switching threshold”) drops directly to EBITDA
• Eliminate discounts: Review all standing discounts. Are they contractual or habitual? Habitual discounts can often be reduced or eliminated
• Tiered pricing: Introduce good/better/best pricing if only one option exists. Customers self-select and average revenue per customer increases
• Impact: A 5% price increase on a $5M revenue business = $250K incremental revenue, ~$200K+ to EBITDA (90%+ drop-through)

For a detailed framework on pricing optimization, including how to communicate price increases to customers and handle objections, see our dedicated guide. The key insight from McKinsey's pricing research is that a 1% price increase yields an average 8-11% improvement in operating profit, making pricing the single highest-use financial quick win available.

Cost reduction

• Insurance audit: Re-bid all insurance policies. Most SMEs haven’t shopped insurance in years. Savings: 10-25%
• Vendor renegotiation: Renegotiate top 5 vendor contracts. New ownership is a natural trigger for pricing discussions
• Eliminate owner perks: The previous owner’s personal expenses (vehicles, travel, club memberships) that ran through the P&L. Remove them on day one
• Telecom and software audit: Cancel unused subscriptions, renegotiate telecom contracts, consolidate duplicate tools

Cash management

• Accelerate collections: If DSO (Days Sales Outstanding) is above 45 days, implement a structured collections process. Move to automated invoicing if not already in place
• Deposit policy: For project-based businesses, require 25-50% deposits upfront
• Credit card payments: Accept credit card payments (even with 2-3% processing fees) to accelerate cash collection

Operational quick wins

• Fix the obvious: Broken equipment, uncomfortable workspace, outdated signage. These small fixes signal investment in the team
• Implement a KPI dashboard: Most SMEs don’t track metrics. A simple weekly dashboard (revenue, backlog, customer count, employee utilization) creates visibility and accountability
• Standardize scheduling: Implement scheduling software for service businesses. Reduces missed appointments and improves route density
• Document key processes: Have your best employees document their top 5 processes. This reduces key-person risk and enables training
• Technology upgrades: Move to cloud-based accounting (if still on desktop QuickBooks), implement a basic CRM, or upgrade the phone system

Sales and marketing quick wins

• Google Business Profile: Claim and optimize the Google listing. Respond to all reviews. This is the #1 local SEO lever for service businesses
• Website refresh: Many SME websites are outdated. A simple redesign with clear calls-to-action can increase lead conversion 20-50%
• Reactivate dormant customers: Identify customers who haven’t purchased in 6-12 months. A phone call or email campaign can recover 10-20% of them
• Implement a referral program: Happy customers refer new ones. A structured referral program (discount or credit for referrals) accelerates word-of-mouth
• Cross-sell existing customers: If you offer multiple services, identify customers only using one. Cross-sell is the lowest-cost revenue growth channel

People quick wins

• Fix compensation inequities: If key employees are underpaid relative to market, correct it immediately. This is the highest-ROI retention spend
• Implement regular 1:1 meetings: Most SME managers have never had regular check-ins with their team. Weekly or bi-weekly 1:1s transform management quality
• Upgrade benefits: Many SMEs have minimal benefits. Adding dental coverage, a simple 401(k) match, or PTO flexibility costs relatively little and dramatically improves retention and morale
• Recognize and promote: Identify your top performers and recognize them publicly. If anyone deserves a promotion or title upgrade, do it early

What NOT to do in the first 90 days

• Don’t rebrand: The business name and brand have equity with customers. Rebranding can wait 12-24 months (if ever)
• Don’t reorganize: Major org restructuring in the first 90 days signals instability. Observe first
• Don’t fire people hastily: Unless someone is toxic or dishonest, give yourself 90 days to evaluate before personnel decisions
• Don’t implement an ERP: Major system changes require stability. Wait 6-12 months
• Don’t ignore the previous owner’s transition: The seller’s knowledge transfer is happening in these 90 days. Prioritize it

The employee retention risk is highest in the first 90 days. Every change you make is amplified through the lens of employee anxiety. When in doubt, err on the side of stability and communication rather than speed of execution.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many quick wins should I target in the first 90 days?

Focus on 3-5 high-impact wins rather than attempting to change everything at once. Choose one from each category, financial (e.g., pricing), operational (e.g., KPI dashboard), sales/marketing (e.g., Google Business Profile), and people (e.g., compensation fix), to demonstrate broad competence without creating change fatigue.

What if raising prices causes customer churn?

In practice, modest price increases of 3-8% on a business that has not raised prices in years produce negligible churn. Most B2B customers expect annual escalations and are below their switching cost threshold. Test on a subset of customers first, measure the response over 30 days, and then roll out broadly. The revenue uplift from retained customers vastly outweighs the rare losses.

Should I communicate all changes at once or roll them out gradually?

Gradual rollout is almost always better. Announcing multiple simultaneous changes overwhelms employees and creates a perception of instability. Introduce one change at a time, communicate the “why” clearly, let it settle for 1-2 weeks, and then introduce the next. This cadence builds momentum while preserving team trust.

Quick wins are part of your broader first 100 days plan. For the complete operational playbook, see revenue growth and digital transformation.