Business review framework

Business Review Framework

A structured 20-30 minute business review for accounts that need value conversations but do not warrant a full QBR. Most mid-market and SMB accounts never get a business review because the QBR format is too heavy. They deserve a value conversation -- just a shorter, more focused one.

How to Use

Provide:

• Account name, ARR, segment, tenure, renewal date
• Usage highlights (top 2-3 metrics worth sharing)
• Value evidence (anything quantifiable or customer-confirmed)
• One discussion topic (the single most important thing to align on)
• Any open items or upcoming events

The 20-Minute Business Review

Block	Duration	Content	Purpose
Value snapshot	5 min	2-3 data points showing what the product has delivered	Justify the investment in 60 seconds. If you cannot, investigate before the review
Usage highlights	5 min	What the team is using well, what they could use more of	Show you are paying attention. Surface adoption opportunities without making it a pitch
Discussion	8 min	One topic: their priorities, a challenge, an opportunity, or a question	This is the value of the conversation. Let them talk more than you
Next steps	2 min	What each side will do before the next touchpoint	Accountability. Every business review ends with a commitment from both sides

The rule: If a business review runs over 30 minutes, it has become a QBR. Either plan a full QBR next time or tighten the format.

When to Use This vs. a Full QBR

Account Characteristic	Full QBR	Business Review
Enterprise, >EUR 50k ARR	✓
Mid-Market, EUR 10-50k ARR		✓ (unless complex or at risk, then full QBR)
SMB, <EUR 10k ARR		✓ (or email format)
Multiple stakeholders expected	✓
Single primary contact		✓
Expansion or commercial discussion planned	✓
Routine value check-in		✓

Delivery Options

Format	When	Structure
Live call	Default. 20-30 minutes with screen share	Full 4-block structure
Video message	When scheduling is difficult or the customer prefers async	Record a 5-minute video walking through value snapshot and usage highlights. Include one question for them to respond to
Email review	For the smallest or most autonomous accounts	Structured email with data, one observation, one question. Under 200 words

Email Format

For accounts where a call is not warranted:

Subject: [Account Name] -- Business Review: [Quarter]

Hi [name],

Quick review of how your team has been using [product] this quarter:

**Usage highlights:**
- [Metric 1 with trend]
- [Metric 2 with trend]

**Value delivered:**
- [Headline outcome or estimate]

**One thing I noticed:**
[One specific observation -- a feature they are not using, a trend worth discussing, or a recommendation]

**Question for you:**
[One question that invites a response -- not "how is everything going?" but "are you planning to expand the analytics team's usage of custom reports?"]

Let me know if you would like to discuss any of this. Otherwise, I will check in again next quarter.

Best,
[name]

Output

For each business review, the skill produces:

• The content for the chosen format (call agenda, video script, or email)
• The value snapshot with specific data points
• The discussion topic with suggested framing
• A suggested follow-up based on what was discussed or sent

Quality Gates

• Does the value snapshot contain at least one specific number? "Things are going well" is not a business review. "Your team completed 847 workflows this quarter, up 15% from last quarter" is
• Is the discussion topic a genuine question, not a product pitch? "Have you considered upgrading to the enterprise tier?" is a sales conversation, not a business review discussion. "What are your team's priorities for next quarter, and how can we support them?" is a partnership question
• Is it the right format for this account? A EUR 8k SMB account does not need a 30-minute call. An email review respects their time and yours
• Is it under 30 minutes (call) or under 200 words (email)? Discipline on length signals respect for the customer's time

Principles

• Every customer deserves a value conversation, regardless of ARR. The format should scale to the account size, but the principle -- "here is what you are getting from the investment" -- applies universally
• The business review is not a mini-QBR. It is a different format with a different purpose. A QBR covers everything. A business review covers the one or two things that matter most right now
• Frequency over depth for smaller accounts. A quarterly 20-minute review is more valuable than an annual 60-minute QBR. Consistent touchpoints build trust; infrequent deep-dives feel transactional
• The question at the end is the most important part. If the customer responds, you have a conversation. If they do not, you have delivered a value summary. Either outcome is useful