Play: QBR prep
The partner QBR play
What should a partner QBR cover?
The short answer
A partner QBR covers five things: results against the plan, current pipeline and its gaps, what was won and lost and why, program or product changes that affect the partner, and the commitments both sides make for next quarter. Everything else is a slide nobody reads.
The steps
How to run it
Results against plan
Show revenue, deal count and any tier requirements against what you both agreed.
Done when The partner sees exactly where they stand without asking.
Pipeline and the gap
Show what is in play, what is missing to hit next quarter, and where it should come from.
Done when The gap is a number, and both sides agree on it.
Wins and losses
Walk through two or three named deals each way, with the reason. This is where the partner learns the most.
Done when Each loss has a reason and a lesson attached.
Program and product changes
Cover anything that changes how the partner sells, registers deals or earns margin.
Done when No change next quarter will surprise the partner.
Commitments for next quarter
Agree specific actions, owners and dates on both sides before anyone leaves.
Done when You send the written commitments within a day.
Watch for
Where this play goes wrong
- Presenting your numbers at the partner instead of reviewing shared performance.
- Arriving without the commitments you want them to make.
- Letting results reporting crowd out the conversation about next quarter.
Where PartnerBOT.ai helps
- Generate a QBR outline for a specific partner tier, then add your numbers.
- Ask how to handle a partner who is behind plan without turning the QBR into a lecture.
- Keep the results section consistent quarter to quarter with the scorecard.
Questions
What channel managers ask about this play
How long should a partner QBR be?
Sixty to ninety minutes. If it runs longer, results reporting is crowding out the planning conversation.
Who should attend?
The partner leader who controls investment, their sales lead, your channel manager, and whoever owns the technical relationship.
What if the partner is far behind plan?
Say so plainly in the first ten minutes, then spend the rest of the meeting on what changes. A QBR that avoids the miss wastes everyone's quarter.
Cross references
Use with this play
Templates
Glossary terms
Next play: MDF planning
Try it on your next partner call
Ask the question you would normally chase down. Pull the template. Build the QBR outline.
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