Preparing evidence for value delivered

“We delivered value” needs a customer-relevant measure and a trustworthy comparison. Prepare the evidence before the meeting; then show what it can and cannot support.

Start with the agreed outcome

Identify the customer's original objective, baseline, period and data source. If the goal was faster case resolution, show the same case types before and after, including volume and exceptions. If it was adoption, distinguish account activation from repeated use. Gainsight describes effective QBRs as personalised, data-driven and focused on customer objectives and shared goals.

Check definitions with the customer. A measure may have changed because a team reclassified cases or excluded difficult ones.

Keep the wording of each slide close to what was agreed at the start. Terms such as saving, improvement or adoption mean different things to different readers, so use the customer's definitions and avoid introducing new labels at the review.

Use one chart or table per decision and label sample size, dates and missing data. Do not report a projected saving as a realised saving. If you estimate staff time, state the method and assumptions.

Agree who will present each number. A figure the customer's own analyst can confirm is less likely to be disputed in the meeting. Where the data comes from your systems, say so plainly and offer to share the underlying records afterwards.

Leave a copy of the evidence behind, with the sources and assumptions written next to each figure. A customer who can reread the material later can repeat the same comparison at the next review.

Explain contribution carefully

List other changes that occurred: new staff, policy, seasonality or a different customer mix. A before-and-after trend can be consistent with your service helping without proving it caused the entire change. Where a controlled comparison is available, describe its design and limitations; otherwise use measured operational evidence and careful language.

Bring unresolved issues alongside successes. A review is more useful when both parties can see where value is at risk. Finish with a small set of proposed actions that would improve the next measurement, not a claim that every positive movement belongs to the vendor.

Factors Influencing Outcome Attribution