Strategic Technology Integration & Performance Optimization During M&A

When a leading provider of emergency roadside dispatch services, backed by a private equity firm, acquired a technology-focused competitor, the goal was a seamless migration of emergency roadside dispatch operations onto the newly acquired company’s custom-built platform. While the plan appeared straightforward, underlying architectural challenges, system inefficiencies, and security vulnerabilities threatened to derail the initiative. 

Liberty Advisor Group, a business and technology consulting firm, had been engaged from the outset, already serving as an interim CIO. They also were engaged to conduct pre-acquisition due diligence and while identifying potential risks early in the acquisition process. Liberty provided strategic oversight, ensuring that business objectives and technology decisions remained aligned. However, as deeper technical complexities surfaced, it became clear that specialized expertise was required to execute the migration successfully. 

To address these challenges, Liberty brought in SPR, a trusted technology consulting partner, to lead the hands-on execution of a comprehensive technology roadmap. Together, Liberty and SPR formed a seamless collaboration—combining strategic leadership with deep technical expertise—to drive a successful and scalable technology transition. 

A deep dive into legacy and acquired technology ecosystems revealed that what initially seemed like a straightforward migration was, in reality, a high-risk and complex transition: 

• The newly acquired platform was fragmented, suffering from underlying architectural inefficiencies. 
• Performance bottlenecks surfaced under real-world load conditions, revealing hidden database issues, inefficient code structures, and system constraints. 
• The legacy infrastructure was outdated and fragile, creating security vulnerabilities that could jeopardize customer data protection. 

 “At first, the company thought all their performance problems were database-related, but when we dug deeper, we found that was only about a third of the issue,” said Mike Nolan, SPR. “The real challenge was deeper inefficiencies throughout their platform.” 

 With that realization, the roadmap evolved beyond a simple migration. The focus shifted to fixing foundational issues first, ensuring that any integration would be built on a stable, secure, and high-performing platform. 

With the full picture in hand, the combined SPR and Liberty team set out to address the most pressing concerns. One of the biggest roadblocks was the underperforming dispatch platform, which struggled under load and lacked scalability. 

SPR’s architects and engineers worked in tandem with Liberty’s strategy team, ensuring that technical decisions aligned with business priorities and budget constraints. While SPR’s specialists pinpointed database inefficiencies and application-layer slowdowns, Liberty ensured that C-suite executives at the company understood the impact of each decision. 

“We weren’t just executing on fixes—we were helping both the business and IT teams understand why these issues mattered and how to prioritize alongside evolving customer requests,” said Dave Leopold, Liberty Group. “There was a lot to do, but we had to focus on what would make the most impact first.”  

Security was another major concern. The on-premises infrastructure housed outdated systems with multiple vulnerabilities. While transitioning to Azure seemed like a logical move, cost restrictions made an immediate full migration impractical. Instead, SPR and Liberty developed a hybrid cloud strategy, prioritizing security improvements within the existing environment while laying the groundwork for future cloud adoption. 

Through a mix of quick fixes and long-term strategic planning, the team delivered measurable improvements—from optimizing query performance to reinforcing cybersecurity protocols that protected sensitive roadside assistance data. 

Beyond system improvements, the success of the project hinged on getting the right teams in place. The two merging companies had been operating with inconsistent development processes, slowing down execution. Recognizing this gap, SPR’s team didn’t just develop code; they coached, structured, and modernized how work got done. 

Liberty, as the strategic guide, worked with the client’s leadership team to embed agile methodologies into their workflows, ensuring buy-in at the executive level. Meanwhile, SPR’s experts provided Scrum leadership, backlog grooming, and hands-on mentoring for internal development teams. 

“The company wasn’t used to agile development, and we knew that had to change if they wanted to scale effectively,” said Mike Saccotelli, Senior Practice Director, SPR. “We got them set up with proper backlog grooming, sprint planning, and real development structure. By the end of the project, their team was functioning more like a modern engineering organization.” 

This shift wasn’t just about speeding up deliverables, it was about building long-term capability. By the time the project wrapped, the client’s internal teams were better equipped to manage ongoing development with improved efficiency, clearer prioritization, and stronger technical leadership. 

Through close collaboration, Liberty Advisor Group and SPR enabled the client to navigate one of its most complex technology transitions to date. While the company ultimately chose to abandon the newly acquired platform, the work done was far from wasted: 

• 40% of workloads successfully transitioned to a hybrid cloud model, enhancing security and reducing long-term costs. 
• Performance optimizations led to a 25% increase in transaction speeds and 30% fewer system failures. 
• Internal teams adopted agile methodologies, improving their ability to manage development cycles efficiently. 
• Executive buy-in on strategic technical decisions, ensuring better long-term technology planning for future M&A activities. 

 “We tried to be as deferential as possible, to give them a united front,” said Leopold. “Even when challenges arose, the partnership between Liberty and SPR made it easier for them to make informed decisions.”

This case serves as a blueprint for future M&A technology integrations, demonstrating the power of combining strategic business consulting with deep technical expertise. 

• Early due diligence is crucial. Liberty’s pre-acquisition insights allowed for early identification of challenges, preventing costly missteps. 
• A balanced hybrid cloud approach ensures security without overspending. By transitioning workloads strategically, the team minimized risk while enhancing system resilience. 
• Cultural and process shifts are just as critical as technology fixes. Embedding agile development allowed the internal team to sustain improvements beyond the project’s completion. 

 When management consulting and technology consulting work in harmony, the results are measurable, impactful, and transformative.