---
name: qbr-prep
description: Prepare a Quarterly Business Review for a retainer client — turning last quarter's ticket data, metrics, and delivery into a 20-minute narrative that renews trust, surfaces issues, and sets next-quarter priorities.
version: 1.0.0
author: VantagePoint Networks
author_url: https://www.vpnetworks.co.uk
audience: MSP Account Managers, Consultants on retainer, Customer Success Managers, Delivery Leads
output_format: Formatted Markdown QBR pack with client context, quarter-in-review, metrics with trend lines, risks + wins, next-quarter plan, and a 20-minute speaking script.
license: MIT
last-reviewed: 2026-04
---

# QBR Prep

A Claude Code skill for the account lead who has a Quarterly Business Review on Thursday and needs a pack that refreshes the client relationship, not a 40-slide deck nobody reads.

## How to use this skill

1. Download this `SKILL.md` file.
2. Place it in `~/.claude/commands/` (macOS/Linux) or `%USERPROFILE%\.claude\commands\` (Windows).
3. In Claude Code, run `/qbr-prep`. Describe the retainer + what happened this quarter. Answer the clarifying questions. Receive the pack.

## When to use this

- A QBR is booked and you want more than the usual "here's your tickets last quarter" slide.
- The client's sponsor just changed and you need to (re)establish value clearly.
- You're planning a contract renewal conversation and want the QBR to lay the groundwork.
- The retainer is underperforming and you need an honest QBR that surfaces issues without losing the client.

## What you'll get

A single Markdown document containing:

- **Executive summary** (3 sentences the sponsor can repeat internally)
- **Quarter in review** (what changed, what delivered, what didn't)
- **Metrics pack** (tickets, response/resolution times, availability, project milestones, user sentiment)
- **Risks & wins** (candid, not a victory parade)
- **Next-quarter priorities** (3-5, agreed in the meeting)
- **Roadmap** (6-12 months, mapped to retainer evolution)
- **Speaking script** (exact 20-minute delivery plan)
- **Pre-read** (what to send 48 hours ahead)
- **Follow-up pack** (within 24 hours after)

## Clarifying questions I will ask you

1. **Client name and retainer value?**
2. **Sponsor(s) on client side and their priority right now?**
3. **Meeting format and attendees?** (in-person, remote, 30/60/90 min)
4. **Last QBR date and outcomes?**
5. **Top 3 wins this quarter?**
6. **Top 3 things that didn't go as hoped?**
7. **Any incidents / escalations this quarter?**
8. **Current contract term and renewal date?**
9. **Changes on client side?** (new leadership, new strategy, budget pressure)
10. **Ticket / metric data available?** (yes — tool X / partial / no — rebuild from memory)
11. **Client's mood heading in?** (happy, neutral, sceptical, unhappy)
12. **Anything you're hoping NOT to discuss?** (surface it — clients feel avoidance)

## Output template

```markdown
# Quarterly Business Review — <client> — Q<N> <YYYY>

**Sponsor:** <name/role> · **Delivered:** <date> · **Attendees:** <list>
**Retainer:** £<N>/month · **Term:** <dates> · **Renewal:** <date>

## 1. Executive Summary (3 sentences)
Last quarter: <key outcome>. The biggest operational signal is <metric>. For next quarter, we propose focusing on <priority>.

## 2. Client Context (what's changed on their side)
- <strategic change — e.g. "new head of operations started mid-quarter, focus shifting to cost rationalisation">
- <operational change — e.g. "London office expansion in Q3">
- <tech / regulatory change — e.g. "cyber-insurance renewal in October">

## 3. Quarter in Review

### Delivered
- <major deliverable 1 — what, when, outcome>
- <major deliverable 2>
- <major deliverable 3>
- <ongoing service — "normal" retainer work summary>

### Did not deliver (as planned)
- <item — what slipped, why, current status>
- <item>

### Changes in scope
- <any approved change requests or emerging work>

## 4. Metrics Pack

### Service health
| Metric | Q<N-1> | Q<N> | Trend | Target | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tickets received | | | | | |
| Tickets resolved | | | | | |
| Mean time to respond | | | | | |
| Mean time to resolve | | | | | |
| SLA attainment | | | | | |
| P1 incidents | | | | | |
| Backlog size | | | | | |

### User experience
| Metric | Q<N-1> | Q<N> | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|
| CSAT (where measured) | | | |
| Repeat contacts (signal of unresolved issues) | | | |
| Survey respondents | | | |

### Project milestones
| Milestone | Target | Actual | Variance |
|---|---|---|---|
| | | | |

### Availability
| Service | Agreed availability | Measured | Deviation |
|---|---|---|---|
| | | | |

## 5. Wins — Honest
- <win 1 — specific, measurable>
- <win 2 — especially "things that didn't happen because we were ready" (prevention wins)>
- <win 3>

## 6. Risks & Issues — Candid
- <risk 1 — what it is, what we're doing, what we need from client>
- <risk 2>
- <risk 3>

If nothing honest appears here, the client stops trusting the whole pack.

## 7. Next-Quarter Priorities (propose 3-5, agree in meeting)
1. **<priority 1>** — why now; success criteria; effort estimate
2. **<priority 2>** — why; criteria; effort
3. **<priority 3>** — why; criteria; effort
4. Continue business-as-usual retainer service within current scope

## 8. Rolling 6-12 Month Roadmap
| Quarter | Focus | Depends on |
|---|---|---|
| Q<N+1> | <theme> | <dependency> |
| Q<N+2> | <theme> | — |
| Q<N+3> | <theme> | <retainer renewal expected> |

## 9. Speaking Script (20 minutes)
**00:00-02:00 — Opening + framing**
> "Thanks for the time. I've got 20 minutes planned. I want to cover what we delivered last quarter, the numbers, the things I'm watching, and what we'd propose for next quarter. Interrupt any time."

**02:00-05:00 — What we delivered**
> "Three things I want to call out: <win 1>, <win 2>, <win 3>. Not everything went to plan: <honest miss 1>. Here's what we did about it and where it sits today."

**05:00-10:00 — The numbers**
> Walk through the service health table. Don't read every cell — pick 2-3 trends to comment on. "Response time is up slightly because <reason>; resolution time improved because <reason>; SLA attainment at <N>%, above target."

**10:00-13:00 — Risks I'm watching**
> "Three risks on my radar: <risk 1>, <risk 2>, <risk 3>. For <risk 1>, what I need from you is <specific>. Others are our side to manage; I'll keep you updated monthly."

**13:00-17:00 — Next quarter**
> "Based on this and your broader context, we're proposing three priorities: <>, <>, <>. This is a draft — what's missing, what's not a priority anymore?"

**17:00-20:00 — Close + actions**
> "Three actions agreed: <>, <>, <>. Next QBR is <date>. Anything you want from me in the next 48 hours?"

## 10. Pre-Read (send 48 hours before)
> Subject: Pre-read for QBR — <date>
>
> Hi <sponsor>,
>
> Attached: a 4-page pre-read for Thursday's QBR. Skim the Executive Summary + metrics table — 10 minutes. We'll go through the detail together.
>
> Three questions I'd love a quick view on before we meet (doesn't need to be a formal answer):
> 1. What's changed on your side since the last QBR that should change my priorities?
> 2. Anything I've been slow on that you want to address directly?
> 3. What's the one outcome that, if we deliver it next quarter, would make the retainer obviously worth it?
>
> See you <date>.

## 11. Follow-Up Pack (within 24 hours)
> Subject: QBR follow-up — <client> — <date>
>
> Hi <sponsor>,
>
> Thanks for Thursday. Recap:
>
> - **Agreed next-quarter priorities:** <>, <>, <>
> - **Actions on my side:** <>, <>
> - **Actions on your side:** <>
> - **Retainer changes agreed:** <none / adjusted to £N/month with scope change>
>
> The full pack including meeting notes is attached. Next QBR <date>; I'll send the first monthly status in <week>.
>
> <signature>

## 12. Contract-Renewal Signal (internal note — not for the pack)
Based on the client's tone and engagement:
- **Renewal likelihood:** High / Medium / Low
- **Potential upsell:** <what + approx value>
- **Retention risk:** <what to watch>
- **Action before renewal:** <what to front-load>
```

## Example invocation

**User:** "40-person London accountancy firm, on £4k/month retainer for 14 months. Q was quiet — one P1 (2-hour outage), good SLA numbers, finished the Cyber Essentials renewal on time. Sponsor is Managing Partner, happy. Contract renews in 4 months."

**What the skill will do:**
1. Ask 12 questions, pressing on: what the Managing Partner is planning strategically (acquisition? new office? partners retiring?), whether the CE renewal was smoother than last year (differentiator), any competitor MSP conversations the sponsor might have had.
2. Produce the QBR pack with:
   - A "prevention wins" section (CE renewal delivered without drama — this matters more than it looks)
   - An honest risk: "concentration" — the firm depends on you for Cyber Essentials, Copilot, IT support, and AI advisory; this is worth a conversation before renewal
   - Next-quarter priorities proposal: (1) document the MSP exit plan (shows confidence), (2) kick off private-AI readiness assessment (differentiating work), (3) automate monthly reporting (operational polish)
   - Renewal groundwork: "if we continue, propose extending term to 24 months at same rate with scope expansion to include AI readiness — or keep annual if preferred"
3. Flag internally that renewal is high-likelihood but the concentration risk should be raised proactively — showing thoughtfulness, not defensiveness.

## Notes for the requester

- **Wins only is boring and dishonest.** Every QBR has at least one thing that didn't go perfectly. Naming it builds trust.
- **Prevention wins matter more than reactive wins.** A quarter with no incidents isn't the same as a quarter where you stopped three potential incidents. Claim the prevention.
- **Ask what's changed on their side BEFORE presenting your numbers.** Your priorities may need adjusting before the slides come out.
- **Propose next-quarter priorities; don't ask the client to generate them.** They hired you for judgement. Show it.
- **Track renewal signals quarter-over-quarter.** A sponsor whose engagement drops between QBRs is the first signal of churn risk.
- **Don't turn the QBR into a sales meeting.** Retention is about delivery. Upsell happens when the client asks what's next.
- **Good looks like:** the sponsor forwards the follow-up email to their partners / board without editing; the next QBR is booked before this one ends; contract renewal is a conversation, not a negotiation.

---
*VantagePoint Networks · <https://www.vpnetworks.co.uk> · Authored by Hak · Free under the MIT licence*