Show Your Impact
Your clients are on board with the plan; now it’s time to deliver the work, show results, and prove to your customers that their investments are paying off. Most MSPs get bogged down sharing technical updates, which don’t tell clients the value you’re providing. Instead, lean into goal-based reporting and strategic reviews to show that you’re a true business partner.
In this section, we’ll cover:
- How to run a successful Business Review meeting
- Ways to report your progress to clients
Host a Strategic Business Review
Business Reviews with clients are key to Customer Success. These recurring meetings help you stay up to date on any changes to your client’s business and let you show them the progress you’ve made on projects or goals.
Not every client needs the same type of reviews. While you should meet with all clients at regular intervals (visibility is vital!), the depth of detail and focus of the meeting should change based on client segment.
| Segment | Meeting Focus + Depth |
|---|---|
| Transform (Segment A - High Maturity, High Appetite) | Focus on strategic planning that’s aligned to business goals with roadmaps and OKRs that will drive innovation. |
| Modernize (Segment B - Low Maturity, High Appetite) | Solidify their foundations with guided planning and structural improvements. Use quick wins to keep them engaged. |
| Educate (Segment C - High Maturity, Low Appetite) | No-pressure education on risks and latest trends. Keep things running and suggest light improvements. |
| Sustain (Segment D - Low Maturity, Low Appetite) | Focus less on strategy, more on basic service health (backups, renewals, support issues, and key updates). |
Review Your Customer’s Account
Before your meeting, get up to speed on the state of the customer’s account — their goals, recent interactions, project status, and any open tasks. Even though Business Reviews focus on strategy, being aware of recent wins or issues shows your client you’re on top of things.
Prepare Your Documents
Assessment Results:
Compare current performance with the previous quarter to show the improvements you’re making.
Roadmap:
Review plans for the year ahead to stay aligned on mid- and long-term goals.
Budget Forecast:
Remind clients where the budget is going now and what spend is coming up soon.
Quotes:
Bring accurate quotes (not estimates) for faster approvals on new spending.
Hardware, Software, or User Reports:
Only bring these if they support an upcoming or new recommendation.
Back-Up Info:
Have notes, tickets, and incident reports on hand. If the client asks about past issues, you’ll want to speak to them confidently.
Set the Agenda
Lastly, preparing a clear agenda will keep things on track during your meeting. Your agenda should help you revisit goals, review progress, flag risks, and agree on next steps.
Sample Business Review Agenda
1. Pulse check on the business (5 min.)
Ask if there’s anything new with their business — things like team changes, new locations, or shifting priorities. Try questions like:
- What’s top of mind for you in the business lately?
- What has changed in the last few months?
- What are your top business goals for the next quarter? Next year?
- What’s your biggest roadblock to success?
2. Accomplishments and project status updates (5 - 10 min.)
Communicate wins and progress on projects, show your customer where they are today, and what’s been done since the last meeting. Here’s an example of how to highlight the value of a workstation refresh.
Share what’s been completed and what progress has been made since the last meeting. Focus on the impact, not just the task. Here’s an example of how to talk about a workstation refresh:
3. Goals and recommendations (20 min.)
Review Assessments, progress, and remediation recommendations — including improvements since the last review. Then, review your Roadmap and budgets for the next quarter or so to avoid surprises. Aim to get verbal approval on the top priorities in the meeting.
4. Client questions and feedback (5-10 min.)
Save time for the client to share any thoughts about their service experience, concerns, or questions.
5. Wrap-up (5 min.)
Confirm action items and next steps. Then, schedule the next business review so it’s in the calendar.
After the meeting, write down what was discussed. Update the client’s information if anything changed, like their goals, tech maturity, or interest in new services. Note any issues or blockers that need follow-up or escalation.
Smart Tip → Don’t Get Derailed by Support Requests
Show Your Progress
Clients won’t notice the impact you’re having unless you point it out to them. Tracking your progress and sharing regular updates will help them see the value you’re delivering.
Here are some milestones and data points to consider sharing with clients:
Project Completions and Goal Progress
Whenever you finish a project, let the client know and tie it back to one of their business goals. Include complementary metrics, like the number of users who dodged phishing attempts or assets protected under warranty, to show your impact. Ideally, you’ll also show how completed tasks or projects support a larger goal.
When you share an update, also remind the client what’s next on your Roadmap — or suggest the next step they should take.
Data Security-Focused
Project Completion Example
Let’s say a client recently started collecting personal information from their customers. Rather than just saying your work is complete, you could show your value by saying:
- “We updated all your software to the latest version, which has stronger security features.”
- “We installed a new firewall to better protect your network from outside threats.”
- “We helped train 15 employees on how to avoid phishing scams and stay compliant with privacy laws.”
IT Environment Improvement Metrics
- User onboarding time
- Cost savings
- Tool adoption rates
- Number of assets under warranty
- Security improvements (like phishing emails blocked or MFA rollouts)
Client Feedback
- Reporting on Positive Feedback: “Your team gave us a 9.4 CSAT score last month—thanks again! We’re glad the onboarding improvements helped.”
- Responding to Negative Feedback: “You mentioned that ticket resolution felt slow. We’ve added automated device setup through Autopilot, which is already cutting setup time by 40%.”
How This Applies to Your Segments
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