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

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

Delivery Options

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