A QBR (Quarterly Business Review) is a structured meeting between the MSP and a client, held every 90 days, to review service performance, discuss upcoming initiatives, and reinforce the value of the
A QBR (Quarterly Business Review) is a structured meeting between the MSP and a client, held every 90 days, to review service performance, discuss upcoming initiatives, and reinforce the value of the relationship. It is the single most important client retention activity an MSP can run consistently. MSPs who skip QBRs consistently report higher churn than those who run them on schedule.
The QBR serves two functions. The backward-looking function is accountability: showing the client what happened in the quarter (tickets resolved, patches deployed, security incidents caught, SLA compliance) in terms they understand and care about. The forward-looking function is value creation: discussing upcoming technology changes, planned projects, and strategic recommendations. A well-run QBR typically lasts 45-60 minutes and covers: service metrics summary, security posture update, project status, upcoming initiatives or risks, and a specific investment recommendation. The investment recommendation is the most important and most commonly skipped part — every QBR should end with a clear 'we recommend X because Y' that the client can act on. QBRs are also your best opportunity to catch dissatisfied clients before they start shopping competitors.
A QBR is not a ticket review. Do not walk through open tickets with the client — that is a service desk call, not a business review. QBRs should feel like a conversation between business partners, not a status report from a vendor. If you're doing most of the talking, you're doing it wrong.