Due Diligence

Conducting a private enquiry into a potential business partner before agreeing to a contract, agreement or investment with a third party is an important part to ensuring things go smoothly and you know all you can.

 

Due diligence investigations are an essential part of operating in any sector, that involve conducting a private inquiry into a potential business partner before agreeing to a contract or agreement or investment with a third party. This can involve taking an in-depth look into the background or professional history of an organisation or individuals – reviewing previous deals, their reputation, and track record of delivery.

 

If issues are uncovered, this allows you to review them directly with the party in question and take corrective action. Or, if the problems are insurmountable or a resolution judged to be unachievable in your current project time frame, you can choose to avoid following through on negotiations entirely.

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However, conducting full and complete due diligence is a demanding task that can take significant time and resource to accomplish. This can result in the process being ‘fast tracked’, ending up with an incomplete or inaccurate picture of your future with the individual or body in question. Failing to take significant time and care can easily result in a ‘repent at leisure’ situation that leaves you locked into an undesirable professional situation.

 

Additionality, it is worth remembering that due diligence is classed as a legal obligation, meaning that failure to complete it can leave you open to lawsuits or follow up investigations.