The Boring QBR: Why Everyone Dreads It and How to Fix It
Jan 7, 2025
Let’s face it—QBRs are boring.
Customers don’t look forward to them. Account teams dread preparing for them. And by the time you finally get to the part that actually matters, everyone is already mentally checked out.
Why Traditional QBRs Don’t Work
❌ Data Without Context – Customers see numbers, but they don’t always know why they matter.
❌ Too Much Looking Back – Reviewing past performance is important, but planning for the future is what actually drives value.
❌ Late Engagement – Instead of starting with what the customer cares about, we make them sit through 30 minutes of fluff first.
❌ One-Way Conversations – The company presents, the customer listens. No real collaboration, no meaningful action items.
How to Fix QBRs: Make Them Strategic
1. Real-Time Data Access
Customers shouldn’t have to wait for a quarterly meeting to see their own performance data.
✅ Live Dashboards – Give customers real-time visibility into key metrics.
✅ Proactive Alerts – Notify them before issues arise, not three months later.
2. Start With What Actually Matters
Instead of burying key discussions under 30 minutes of reports, start the QBR with the most important question:
“What’s most important to you right now?”
Customer Priorities First – What are their biggest challenges and goals?
Value & Impact Review – How has your solution helped them?
Strategic Planning – What’s next? How can we create more value moving forward?
3. Make QBRs Collaborative
Instead of treating QBRs like a report-out session, turn them into a working session where both sides contribute.
✅ Ask Open-Ended Questions – Get the customer to share insights about their business.
✅ Use a Collaborative Framework – Align on what success looks like together.
4. Move from “Quarterly” to “Continuous Value Management”
If the QBR is the only time you talk about value, you’re doing it wrong.
✅ Ongoing Success Tracking – Keep an active dialogue about goals, challenges, and impact.
✅ Automated Insights – Keep customers informed in real-time.
The Future of QBRs: Outcome-Focused
QBRs should be:
🚀 Proactive – Give customers real-time access to data instead of making them wait.
🚀 Strategic – Focus on business priorities, goals, and future impact.
🚀 Collaborative – Engage in a two-way conversation where customers shape their own success plan.
🚀 Ongoing – Reinforce value throughout the quarter, not just in one scheduled meeting.
This is exactly why DIVACS helps teams move beyond outdated QBRs into real-time value management—so you’re always in sync with customer priorities.