RANT: Are Strategic Business Reviews New?

Key takeaways

Strategic business reviews should focus on client outcomes and long-term goals rather than solely attempting to drive immediate sales.
The roles of account managers, customer success reps, and particularly VCIOs are crucial in conducting effective strategic business reviews.
A successful QBR involves understanding the client's business challenges, goals, and aligning proposed solutions with these strategic objectives.
Consistently delivering fresh insights and updating meeting cadences can revitalize client engagement and involvement in their business reviews.
Demonstrating risk, ROI, and the tangible benefits of proposed projects can significantly reduce sales friction and enhance client decision-making processes.

Summary

Understanding the Trend of Strategic Business Reviews

Brian Doyle kicks off the episode with a passionate discussion on the recent trend among MSPs regarding strategic business reviews. He emphasizes that these meetings have always been strategic in nature and questions why there is a newfound emphasis on making them more strategic. He reflects on the shift that has occurred in business reviews, which once focused on providing value to clients but are now sometimes diluted into sales pitches.

Roles in Client Management: Account Managers, CSRs, VCIOs

Doyle delves into the different roles involved in client management: Account Managers, Customer Success Reps (CSRs), and Virtual Chief Information Officers (VCIOs). He highlights the historical context of these roles, noting that while account managers were originally focused on renewals and transactions, CSRs aim to ensure customer satisfaction. The VCIO role, however, is evolving to become a bridge between technical knowledge and business strategy, requiring a deeper engagement with the client's business goals.

The Essence of a Strategic Business Review

Offering solutions that reflect the client's business initiatives is vital. Brian shares the notion that a Business Review should demonstrate how MSPs can improve client outcomes, rather than focusing solely on sales or internal metrics.

Revitalizing Client Engagement

Finally, Brian suggests ways to keep business reviews fresh and engaging. He outlines a cadence for meetings that includes diving into security risks, project refresh cycles, and an annual recap of progress. By regularly updating the meeting focus and bringing new insights to the table, MSPs can foster greater involvement from clients and avoid meeting fatigue.

Show notes

In this episode of MSP Business School, Brian Doyle dishes out a raw and insightful exploration of business reviews within the MSP industry. Addressing a trending topic on LinkedIn, Brian questions why strategic business reviews are suddenly being regarded as novel. By revisiting the foundational purpose of Business Reviews, he seeks to realign them with their intended strategic nature. Through this episode, Brian emphasizes how MSPs can harness effective roles such as VCIOs, account managers, and customer success reps to better execute these reviews.

Brian discusses the importance of establishing strategic business reviews that prioritize client outcomes over mere sales efforts. He highlights how a truly strategic QBR can transform client relationships, enhance retention, and open avenues for new revenue opportunities. Throughout the episode, Brian reiterates the critical role of VCIOs in marrying technical insights with business strategies to deliver meaningful value to customers. By focusing on understanding a client's goals, challenges, and overall business objectives, MSPs can create and present tailored roadmaps that align with strategic initiatives.

Key Takeaways:

Strategic business reviews should focus on client outcomes and long-term goals rather than solely attempting to drive immediate sales.
The roles of account managers, customer success reps, and particularly VCIOs are crucial in conducting effective strategic business reviews.
A successful QBR involves understanding the client's business challenges, goals, and aligning proposed solutions with these strategic objectives.
Consistently delivering fresh insights and updating meeting cadences can revitalize client engagement and involvement in their business reviews.
Demonstrating risk, ROI, and the tangible benefits of proposed projects can significantly reduce sales friction and enhance client decision-making processes.

Show Website: https://mspbusinessschool.com/

Host Brian Doyle: https://www.linkedin.com/in/briandoylevciotoolbox/

Sponsor vCIOToolbox: https://vciotoolbox.com