Assessment Results:
Compare current performance with the previous quarter to show the improvements you are making.
Phase 4
Show your impact.
Use business reviews and outcome-based reporting to prove the value clients are getting.
Clients are on board with the plan. Now the job is to deliver the work, show results, and make sure the value is visible in language they care about.
Run recurring business reviews with depth matched to each segment.
Bring goals, roadmaps, budgets, quotes, and supporting reports into one conversation.
Tie project completion and service metrics back to client outcomes.
8
Host a Strategic Business Review
Business Reviews with clients are key to Customer Success. These recurring meetings help you stay up to date on changes to your client's business and let you show them the progress you have made on projects or goals.
Not every client needs the same type of review. You should meet with all clients at regular intervals, but the depth of detail and focus should change based on client segment.
Segment
Meeting Focus + Depth
Transform
Segment A - High Maturity, High Appetite
Focus on strategic planning aligned to business goals, with roadmaps and OKRs that drive innovation.
Modernize
Segment B - Low Maturity, High Appetite
Solidify their foundations with guided planning and structural improvements. Use quick wins to keep them engaged.
Educate
Segment C - High Maturity, Low Appetite
No-pressure education on risks and latest trends. Keep things running and suggest light improvements.
Sustain
Segment D - Low Maturity, Low Appetite
Focus less on strategy, more on basic service health, backups, renewals, support issues, and key updates.
Review Your Customer's Account
Before your meeting, get up to speed on the state of the customer's account, including goals, recent interactions, project status, and open tasks. Business Reviews focus on strategy, but recent wins or issues show your client you are on top of things.
Prepare Your Documents
Roadmap:
Review plans for the year ahead to stay aligned on mid- and long-term goals.
Budget Forecast:
Remind clients where the budget is going now and what spend is coming up soon.
Quotes:
Bring accurate quotes, not estimates, for faster approvals on new spending.
Hardware, Software, or User Reports:
Only bring these if they support an upcoming or new recommendation.
Backup Info:
Have notes, tickets, and incident reports on hand. If the client asks about past issues, you will want to speak to them confidently.
Set the Agenda
Preparing a clear agenda keeps things on track during your meeting. It should help you revisit goals, review progress, flag risks, and agree on next steps.
Sample Business Review Agenda
1. Pulse check on the business (5 min.)
Ask if there is anything new with their business, such as team changes, new locations, or shifting priorities.
- What's top of mind for you in the business lately?
- What has changed in the last few months?
- What are your top business goals for the next quarter? Next year?
- What's your biggest roadblock to success?
2. Accomplishments and project status updates (5 - 10 min.)
Communicate wins and progress on projects. Focus on the impact, not just the task.
DO NOT say "We replaced 8 old workstations."
DO say "We saved 112 hours of employee time this year by speeding up load times, supporting your goal of boosting team efficiency."
3. Goals and recommendations (20 min.)
Review Assessments, progress, remediation recommendations, Roadmap priorities, and budgets for the next quarter so clients are not surprised.
4. Client questions and feedback (5-10 min.)
Save time for the client to share thoughts about their service experience, concerns, or questions.
5. Wrap-up (5 min.)
Confirm action items and next steps. Then schedule the next business review so it is on the calendar.
9
Show Your Progress
Clients will not notice the impact you are having unless you point it out to them. Tracking your progress and sharing regular updates helps them see the value you are delivering.
Here are some milestones and data points to consider sharing with clients:
Project Completions and Goal Progress›
Whenever you finish a project, let the client know and tie it back to one of their business goals. Include complementary metrics, like the number of users who dodged phishing attempts or assets protected under warranty, to show your impact. When you share an update, remind the client what's next on the Roadmap or suggest the next step they should take.
IT Environment Improvement Metrics›
Sharing key data regularly helps clients more clearly see the value you are providing. Tailor reporting to their goals and avoid overwhelming them with metrics they do not care about.
Client Feedback›
Customer feedback tells a story too. Use CSAT scores and feedback to show the impact of your work, or to acknowledge where you are taking action.
Data Security-Focused Project Completion Example
Let's say a client recently started collecting personal information from their customers. Rather than just saying your work is complete, you could show your value by saying:
- ✓We updated all your software to the latest version, which has stronger security features.
- ✓We installed a new firewall to better protect your network from outside threats.
- ✓We helped train 15 employees on how to avoid phishing scams and stay compliant with privacy laws.
IT Environment Improvement Metrics
Sharing key data regularly helps clients more clearly see the value you are providing. Tailor reporting to their goals and avoid overwhelming them with metrics they do not care about.
- User onboarding time
- Cost savings
- Tool adoption rates
- Number of assets under warranty
- Security improvements like phishing emails blocked or MFA rollouts
Client Feedback
Customer feedback tells a story too. Use CSAT scores and feedback to show the impact of your work, or to acknowledge where you are taking action.
- Positive feedback: Your team gave us a 9.4 CSAT score last month. We are glad the onboarding improvements helped.
- Negative feedback: You mentioned that ticket resolution felt slow. We have added automated device setup through Autopilot, which is already cutting setup time by 40%.
How This Applies to Your Segments
High
Maturity
Low
Educate
Segment C - High Maturity, Low Appetite
Set bi-annual reviews focused on maintenance, automation, and low-risk upgrades. Reports should capture ROI, cross-functional metrics, and project status. Present them in a meeting or share asynchronously with a summary.
Transform
Segment A - High Maturity, High Appetite
Set monthly reviews focused on Roadmaps, OKRs, innovation, and business alignment with executive sponsors. Reports should be comprehensive and reflect long-term OKRs, innovation themes, and AI readiness.
Sustain
Segment D - Low Maturity, Low Appetite
Meet as needed to review basic service health, renewals, and support issues. Reports should focus on infrastructure visibility and tactical operations, including ticket volumes, asset health, and backups.
Modernize
Segment B - Low Maturity, High Appetite
Set quarterly reviews focused on foundation-building tasks and quick wins. Reporting should showcase stack trends, risks, tool adoption, and alignment gaps. Updates can be sent by email or through a client portal.
Maturity: high to low. Appetite: low to high.
Lifecycle Manager
Power Customer Success Planning at Scale with Lifecycle Manager
Now that you know how to grow client accounts more strategically, it is time to explore the all-in-one platform built to scale your Customer Success practice.
Lifecycle Manager brings client insights, IT assets, initiatives, reporting, and collaboration into one place so MSPs can standardize QBRs, track outcomes, and uncover new opportunities.
Lifecycle Manager
Power Customer Success planning at scale.
Lifecycle Manager brings client insights, IT assets, initiatives, reporting, and collaboration into one place so MSPs can standardize QBRs and uncover new opportunities.