Whitepaper: The QBR Frustration

Written by Alice Baker | Feb 4, 2025 8:45:03 AM

“QBRs are failing to achieve their most essential purpose as a platform for engaging business conversations: exploring how suppliers can help buyers to meet their critical business objectives.”

- James Ward, CEO of Clientshare in The QBR Frustration

Quarterly Business Reviews (QBRs) should be a supplier's greatest opportunity to prove their worth, strengthen customer relationships and drive growth. But our latest research reveals a concerning reality: many QBRs are failing, leaving buyers frustrated and disengaged.

Key issues include a lack of focus on value and innovation, with senior leaders being forced to negotiate on price instead of value and missed opportunities for up- and cross-selling. As a result, 54% of B2B suppliers have experienced unexpected contract loss in the past two years, and 80% worry about margin erosion if they can’t demonstrate consistent value.

The solution? Suppliers in enterprise businesses must prioritise strategic conversations that showcase innovation and address customer challenges. With the right tools and processes, QBRs can shift from being a point of frustration to the platform for growth they should be.

Download the full whitepaper to explore how suppliers can transform their QBRs and gain a meaningful competitive advantage:

Download 'The QBR Frustration'

Clientshare commissioned comprehensive independent research among senior stakeholders within U.K. and U.S. headquartered businesses.

This research entailed:

100 interviews (50 in the U.K., 50 in the U.S.) with senior stakeholders responsible for, or involved in, delivering quarterly business reviews for customers.
Respondents worked for organisations across a range of industries, including facilities management and catering (37%), logistics (32%) and outsourcing - business process outsourcing, IT outsourcing and recruitment process outsourcing – (31%)
Respondents worked for organisations with annual revenue of more than $250m, with 60% working for companies with revenue of more than $500m. 10% of respondents worked for companies with revenue of more than $2bn.
Respondents worked across a range of job functions, including customer retention, customer growth and customer success (50%), account management (32%) and sales (18%).
For the purposes of the research, QBRs were defined as ‘any recurring monthly, quarterly or annual review meeting with suppliers / service providers to review performance and / or strategic direction’.
All research was conducted independently by Insight Avenue in October and November 2024.

Want to know more? Download our buyer-led research today

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