So, you have all the relevant stakeholders in place, and you have their attention. Now you're looking to convince them that you are more than just a run-of-the-mill service provider.

Centring a QBR meeting around innovation is a good way to win the confidence and approval of your stakeholders. Here are some ways you can take your Business Reviews to the next level by focusing on innovation:

Preparation is key

98% of buyers feel suppliers could be doing more to prioritise and prepare for their review meetings. Not doing so can result in suppliers missing opportunities to grow or build on the relationship you have with that customer – a risk that’s confirmed by 74% of buyers in the Logistics, FM, BPO, ITO and Contract Catering industries. 

By taking the time to properly prepare for a review, you and your team have the opportunity to predict questions and themes that may arise, allowing you to prepare informative responses. This is especially useful when focusing on innovation as you should have a selection of examples to present to clients during the review.

Here are a few steps you should take before the review date:

1. Set the agenda: Clearly outline that the focus of this QBR will be innovation and communicate this to all relevant stakeholders in advance.
2. Gather insights: Ask your teams to come prepared with examples of recent innovative projects, ideas for future innovations, and of any challenges they face when working with innovative ideas. 
3. Invite guest speakers: Invite external experts or thought leaders on innovation to give a brief talk or a workshop. These don’t necessarily have to be from your team, or even your field of business; the main goal here is to exemplify how people have overcome obstacles by employing out-of-the-box thinking.

What should you focus on in your QBR?

There are a many things that you should always include in your Quarterly Business Reviews, but here are a few extras that support a conversation centred around innovation:

1. Innovation showcase
   • Your team should share their thoughts on innovation and present their ongoing innovative projects or ideas.
   • Make good use of visual aids, prototypes, or demonstrations to make presentations more engaging.
2. Brainstorming session
   • Break into smaller groups to brainstorm new ideas.
   • Use techniques like mind mapping, SWOT analysis, or design thinking exercises to stimulate creativity.
   • Delve into the opportunities for innovation that haven’t been explored, build on existing ideas, and think about the challenges you might face.
3. Customer insights
   • Share customer feedback and market trends that highlight opportunities for innovation.
   • Identify areas where your market has gone stagnant and fallen behind the current trends or technologies in society at large.
   • Discuss the needs and problems that customers have, and how they could be addressed through innovative solutions.

What are the next steps?

1. Idea prioritisation
   • Use a voting system or prioritisation matrix to identify the most promising ideas from the brainstorming sessions.
2. Action items
   • Assign ownership and deadlines for further development of the prioritised ideas.
   • Establish clear next steps and follow-up actions that need to be taken to achieve success.
3. Resource allocation
   • Discuss and allocate the necessary resources (including time, budget, personnel etc.) to support the development and implementation of your ideas.
4. Innovation metrics
   • Define key performance indicators (KPIs) to measure the success of innovation efforts.
   • Set up a system to track progress and review these metrics in your Business Reviews to maintain transparency.
5. Continuous improvement
   • Provide regular updates for your clients where you review the progress of innovation initiatives.
   • Foster a culture of continuous improvement among the key stakeholders by encouraging ongoing feedback.
   • Encourage cross-functional collaboration to bring diverse perspectives to the innovation process.

Final thoughts

These are some ways you can introduce innovation to your QBR meetings, and your corporate culture in general. This will not only promote creative thinking and problem-solving but will also help you build a culture that values and nurtures innovation as a key driver of business growth. Regular reviewing and refining of your innovation processes will ensure that your company remains agile, competitive, and ready to seize new opportunities in the marketplace.

Read more:

So, you have all the relevant stakeholders in place, and you have their attention. Now you're looking to convince them that you are more than just a run-of-the-mill service provider.

Centring a QBR meeting around innovation is a good way to win the confidence and approval of your stakeholders. Here are some ways you can take your Business Reviews to the next level by focusing on innovation:

Preparation is key

98% of buyers feel suppliers could be doing more to prioritise and prepare for their review meetings. Not doing so can result in suppliers missing opportunities to grow or build on the relationship you have with that customer – a risk that’s confirmed by 74% of buyers in the Logistics, FM, BPO, ITO and Contract Catering industries. 

By taking the time to properly prepare for a review, you and your team have the opportunity to predict questions and themes that may arise, allowing you to prepare informative responses. This is especially useful when focusing on innovation as you should have a selection of examples to present to clients during the review.

Here are a few steps you should take before the review date:

1. Set the agenda: Clearly outline that the focus of this QBR will be innovation and communicate this to all relevant stakeholders in advance.
2. Gather insights: Ask your teams to come prepared with examples of recent innovative projects, ideas for future innovations, and of any challenges they face when working with innovative ideas. 
3. Invite guest speakers: Invite external experts or thought leaders on innovation to give a brief talk or a workshop. These don’t necessarily have to be from your team, or even your field of business; the main goal here is to exemplify how people have overcome obstacles by employing out-of-the-box thinking.

What should you focus on in your QBR?

There are a many things that you should always include in your Quarterly Business Reviews, but here are a few extras that support a conversation centred around innovation:

1. Innovation showcase
   • Your team should share their thoughts on innovation and present their ongoing innovative projects or ideas.
   • Make good use of visual aids, prototypes, or demonstrations to make presentations more engaging.
2. Brainstorming session
   • Break into smaller groups to brainstorm new ideas.
   • Use techniques like mind mapping, SWOT analysis, or design thinking exercises to stimulate creativity.
   • Delve into the opportunities for innovation that haven’t been explored, build on existing ideas, and think about the challenges you might face.
3. Customer insights
   • Share customer feedback and market trends that highlight opportunities for innovation.
   • Identify areas where your market has gone stagnant and fallen behind the current trends or technologies in society at large.
   • Discuss the needs and problems that customers have, and how they could be addressed through innovative solutions.