{"id":2673,"date":"2022-09-27T10:00:00","date_gmt":"2022-09-27T10:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/138.197.200.24\/resources\/blog\/qbr-meeting\/"},"modified":"2026-08-06T10:22:32","modified_gmt":"2026-08-06T10:22:32","slug":"qbr-meeting","status":"publish","type":"blog","link":"https:\/\/www.smartkarrot.com\/resources\/blog\/qbr-meeting\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Do a Successful Quarterly Business Review (QBR) Meeting: 10 Expert Tips"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

Just to recap, a QBR is a quarterly meeting you hold with your clients to review all the progress made in the last quarter and to share a plan. The plan is about how you can help clients derive more value from your product.This sounds straightforward, but it\u2019s easier said than done. When you set out for the actual preparation and execution, there are many nuances you discover like: What metrics to use? Which section to expand? And which ones to keep short? The list of questions is endless.No matter how immersive your presentation is, the end goal of this meeting is to strengthen the relationship with the client. This meeting is the most important occasion to win their confidence and, thereby, ensure their contract renewal.So, let\u2019s get straight to the tips that will help you successfully conduct this meeting.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

1. Invite the right personnel.<\/h3>\n

The QBR meeting should be with the key, customer-focused stakeholders. In a nutshell, it should be someone who can make informed decisions on strategic initiatives in the best interest of the customer and business.The importance of QBR can only be realized by giving an abstract view of the whole quarter\u2019s performance. This meeting doesn\u2019t go into the day-to-day details but gives a holistic picture of the path traversed.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

2. Start with the client\u2019s goals.<\/h3>\n

If you are setting up a QBR meeting and are unaware of your client\u2019s goals, you are unlikely to be successful at driving value. After sharing the Quarterly Business Review meeting agenda, client goals must be the first thing you should talk about. Ideally, these are set during the strategic discussions in the onboarding phase between the client and CSM.If your client does not have a specific, measurable goal, it\u2019s your job to bring it out. If they say they\u2019re happy with the increasing customer engagement, ask them for more details. You should ask specifically about the increase in the number of their daily active users, the increase in product adoption rate, etc.Consider the metrics you must compare between their goals and accomplishments.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

3. Next, consider the KPIs.<\/h3>\n

Once you have recapped the goals in the meeting, your next job is to show your performance toward achieving them. Use the right key performance indicators to offer only the most valuable insights.It\u2019s easy to get lost in vanity metrics especially when dealing with loads of quantitative data, but be patient and avoid showing them all. The impact you can achieve with just two or three KPIs can be far more significant than the cumulative effect of multiple metrics. Keep it clean. Keep it simple. And most importantly, keep it value-focused!<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

4. Show achievements.<\/h3>\n

Besides showing them how they\u2019re reaching their goals through your product, you can also boost their confidence by showing them the achievements they\u2019ve made as well. Explain how they achieved those results through your product, including what worked and what didn\u2019t work.<\/p>\n

5. Inform them of challenges ahead.<\/h3>\n

You must also inform the clients of what challenges you face while helping them achieve their goals. And explain what measures you took to overcome them.Also, demonstrate why you couldn\u2019t overcome certain challenges. What collaboration and support do you need from them? This should be explained clearly so that they get a clear sense of their responsibility in achieving business outcomes.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

6. Share underlying opportunities.<\/h3>\n

The challenges discussed in the previous steps must be succeeded by opportunities ahead. This is the chance for you to cover up the gaps identified. Explain the ways you are going to transform those challenges into opportunities<\/a>. <\/span>Also, go into detail on the added benefits of overcoming the challenges. State all your needs from their end required for future opportunities.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

7. Outline a roadmap for the future.<\/h3>\n

Take cues from achievements, challenges, and opportunities, and create a roadmap for the future. Show your clients what areas you will be working on in the next quarter.This roadmap is a crucial step, especially if you\u2019re in a subscription-based business. A roadmap keeps the customer aligned with your plans and ensures contract renewal. Without it, they may have nothing solid to bank on for further renewals.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

8. Discuss value rather than tickets.<\/h3>\n

A common mistake most professionals make in QBRs is that they discuss some specific ticket or features of their product. And this doesn\u2019t interest your customers.They want to understand the value you are delivering to them. The best example would be to show saved costs through your product, the net increase in their customer acquisition, etc. These are the numbers they care about and they also care about the results and goals obtained in the whole quarter. So, don\u2019t waste their time; keep the meeting focused on the value received.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

9. Identify new opportunities.<\/h3>\n

Pay close attention to anything a customer shares about their experience. It could be challenges, feedback<\/a>, or maybe even a complaint. Avoid becoming defensive and open up a positive space for further understanding. These discussions allow you to upsell or cross-sell them on a different solution or plan you offer that can solve their problem. But keep in mind, it should feel natural, not forced or out-of-touch with your customer\u2019s experience.<\/p>\n

10. Leave some time for questions.<\/h3>\n

If the session is 60 to 90 minutes, then it\u2019s better to leave around 20 to 30 minutes for a short Q&A session. This time will help you gauge the happiness index of your customer.Get a sense of how likely they will renew their subscription for the next quarter. If there is a red alert, it acts as an early warning<\/a> of churn for your company. Based on that, you can take proactive measures to prevent churn.On a positive note, it can also help you know how much they have absorbed from your Quarterly Business Review presentation and how motivated they sound for the future roadmap you have shown them.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

QBR Meeting FAQs<\/h2>\n

Q 1: What makes QBR important?<\/strong><\/p>\n

A 1: Here are some of the reasons that make QBR important for a B2B SaaS organization:<\/p>\n