Running a successful biz requires giving your attention to many moving parts and juggling a multitude of tasks. This includes everything from managing day-to-day ops to visualizing and brainstorming ideas for the future. Kind of brings to mind the image of spinning plates, eh? Fortunately, there is a better way!
Enter the good old QBR, otherwise known as a Quarterly Biz Review. The QBR is a handy tool designed to help you keep things nice and balanced. Try not to think of it as just another meeting to cram into your schedule. It’s truly a game changer when conducted well.
Using a QBR, you can get a bird’s eye view of how well your biz is performing, check out areas for improvement, and lay out a clear path forward into growth. So, grab a cuppa Joe and let’s dive in.
What’s a QBR Again?
It’s pretty simple. A Quarterly Business Review (QBR) is a comprehensive exam of your business that you conduct every three months. It’s designed to help you understand your operational strengths and weaknesses and give you a roadmap to ensure growth in future quarters.
Performing an investigation of your business operations with a fine-toothed comb can help you figure out what needs improvement quickly and efficiently. Goals can be based on metrics and your overall business vision. Think of it as a cooperative and collaborative process with your team, as you all pose ideas and suggestions to help drive your biz forward.
What Are Some Benefits of QBRs?
There are quite a few benefits, actually. Below are some of the biggest.
You Can Identify Wins and Losses
Conducting QBRs offers you an opportunity to review the successes and failures of the previous quarter. These are insights that will form the cornerstone of your plans for a successful next quarter.
You Can Set Goals
QBRs make an excellent platform for goal setting. You can use the data gleaned from analyzing past performance and current market trends and set realistic and achievable goals for the upcoming quarter.
You Can Improve Sales and Client Retention
Using data from QBRs will allow you to develop a plan for increasing certain metrics––hello, client retention, and increased sales––for upcoming periods.
You Can Adjust Your Biz Strategies
Depending on the findings of your QBR, it might be necessary to adjust certain things, such as inventory needs, or shift your focus on your marketing efforts. Team leads can meet and determine what changes are needed so their projects can thrive.
You Can Engage Stakeholders
QBRs are a golden opportunity to involve key stakeholders in your business’s review process. Team members and high-level decision-makers, such as executives, department heads, or key client representatives, can come together to review, discuss, and strategize. This engagement ensures everyone is on the same page and working towards the same goals.
You Can Provide More Value to Clients
More than just a review of past performance, QBRs are a great way to showcase both the tangible and intangible value of your services to your clients.
You can present hard data to illustrate how you have positively impacted your client’s business and build stronger client relationships through honest and open communication.
Tips for Conducting a Successful QBR
Ensuring your QBR is a success is relatively simple.
- Make sure key stakeholders are invited to the party, including folks who make high-level decisions in their departments.
- Review your client’s goals and compare them to what you’ve accomplished, utilizing relevant metrics to illustrate.
- Examine and assess your KPIs, and emphasize the ones you know will be most valuable for that particular meeting.
- Put on a spotlight on particular achievements and explain the processes used to reach them. Engage your client in brainstorming ways to achieve future goals using those successful tactics.
- Invite your clients to step in and investigate challenges as problem-solvers and share their unique perspectives on the situation.
- Allow plenty of time for others to provide feedback and ask questions.
- Chat about growth opportunities and address any unmet goals as you outline plans for the future.
- Communication is a two-way street, so encourage your clients to actively participate in the discussion.
- Make sure there’s a consensus reached and everyone leaves the meeting with a clear understanding of what steps will be taken next.
Getting Ready for Your Next QBR
As with most things in life, preparation is key. Before the big meeting, gather all necessary data and metrics, map out a clear agenda, and put together a compelling presentation. This preparation will help you stay focused during the meeting and ensure all important topics are covered.
Mistakes to Avoid During QBRs
Three common pitfalls during QBRs are:
- A lack of preparation. Prepping is vital.
- Not creating clear meeting objectives.
- Not getting the right folks involved.
Remember, your goal with a QBR is to review the performance of the past quarter and map out a clear path forward for future quarters. Avoid getting sidetracked by minor issues that don’t contribute to those objectives.
Helpful QBR Tools and Software
To conduct an effective and efficient QBR, sometimes software and tools can be helpful. Project management software can be great for keeping goals front and center. You can use data analysis software to glean performance insights, and presentation tools are perfect for when you’re ready to share your findings. The tools you choose to use can be quite individualized, depending on the size and needs of your business.
How to Follow Up After a QBR
Following up is a crucial step in conducting a QBR. It’s the time when you will review the outcomes of the meeting, set action items, and schedule your next meeting.
This step is important because it ensures that what was learned in the QBR is translated into action and that the whole team is clear on the future trajectory of your biz.
When done well, a QBR can be a powerful tool to drive the growth and success of your business, especially if you’re a smaller operation.
It offers a platform that allows you to review past performances, set future goals, and keep key stakeholders in the loop. Do it regularly, and you’ll soon build a system that reliably and effectively assists in achieving your business objectives.
