Long-standing Seller Relationships

Hi all, posting anonymously as I’m currently in active diligence and would appreciate perspectives from those who have closed or are further along in the acquisition journey. I’m evaluating a business in the travel services space that operates as a two-sided marketplace, connecting property owners who offer short-term vacation inventory with end customers who rent those stays. A key area I’m thinking through is how to navigate long-standing seller relationships during the ownership transition. On the supply side, many property owners have worked directly with the seller for 10–15 years and are accustomed to contacting them on their personal cell whenever they want to offer availability or ask questions. On the demand side, repeat customers who have previously rented also reach out to them directly by phone for inquiries or bookings. These relationships are very sticky and valuable, but today they are largely tied to the individual rather than the business entity. For context, there is no customer or supplier concentration risk, and relationships are diversified despite being long-standing. As part of the transition, I plan to establish a dedicated business phone and standardized communication workflows. The seller has agreed to support the transition through joint customer introduction calls, remain full time for the first three months post-close, and then provide up to nine additional months in a consulting capacity. The transaction also includes a 15% seller note amortized over 10 years, which helps align incentives post-close. For those who have navigated similar situations: - How did you transition long-standing personal relationships to company-owned communication channels? - Did you phase this over time or establish a clear cutover point? - How long did you keep the seller customer-facing? - Anything you wish you had structured differently pre-close? Appreciate any insights or lessons learned.