| name | meeting-customer |
| description | Plan and run a customer meeting — discovery call, demo, business review, or renewal conversation. Use when preparing for any external meeting with a customer, prospect, or client. |
Customer Meeting Planning
Types of Customer Meetings
Each type has a different primary goal and structure:
| Type | Primary Goal | Who Leads |
|---|
| Discovery Call | Understand the customer's problem and context | AE / CSM |
| Demo / Presentation | Show how your solution solves their problem | AE / SE |
| Business Review (QBR/EBR) | Prove value delivered; renew/expand | CSM / Account Lead |
| Onboarding Kickoff | Set up for success; define expectations | CSM / Solutions |
| Renewal / Expansion | Confirm continued value; close next deal | CSM / AE |
| Escalation / Recovery | Rebuild trust after a problem | CSM + Leadership |
Discovery Call
Goal
Understand the customer's situation well enough to know: (1) do we have a fit? (2) what does a solution look like for them?
Structure (45-60 min)
- Rapport (3 min) — personal opener; acknowledge any context you know
- Agenda setting (2 min) — "Here's what I hope we'll cover; does that work for you?"
- Situation (10 min) — Current state; what they're doing today; team/process context
- Problem (10 min) — What's not working; what's the pain; how long has this been a problem
- Impact (5 min) — What does this problem cost them (time, money, risk, opportunity)
- Need / Vision (5 min) — What does "solved" look like? What would they do if it were fixed?
- Exploration (10 min) — Share 2-3 relevant insights or questions; do NOT pitch yet
- Next steps (5 min) — Clear, specific, mutually agreed next action
SPIN Questions (Use Liberally)
- Situation: "Walk me through how your team currently handles X?"
- Problem: "What are the biggest frustrations with that process?"
- Implication: "When that breaks down, what happens downstream?"
- Need-Payoff: "If you could fix that, what would it enable for the business?"
The #1 Rule
Listen 70%, talk 30%. Your job in discovery is to understand, not to pitch.
Demo / Solution Presentation
Goal
Show how your solution solves THEIR specific problems (not a generic feature tour).
Structure (45-60 min)
- Re-confirm their pain (5 min) — "Based on our last conversation, the key challenges were X and Y — is that still right?"
- Framing (3 min) — "I'm going to focus today on how we solve exactly those two things"
- Demo (25-30 min) — Problem → solution flow; use their language; show the outcome, not features
- Proof (5 min) — Reference customer, case study, or metric that mirrors their situation
- Q&A (10 min)
- Next steps (5 min)
Demo Best Practices
- Use a sandbox environment with their company name / realistic data
- Show the outcome first ("Here's what this looks like when it works"), then how to get there
- Don't demonstrate features nobody asked about — it adds noise
- Pause frequently: "Does this map to what you're dealing with?"
- Avoid speaking to the slides; speak to the customer
Quarterly / Executive Business Review (QBR / EBR)
Goal
Demonstrate the value you've delivered; align on future roadmap; secure renewal or expansion.
Structure (60-90 min)
- Executive opening (5 min) — Restate business goals they told you 90 days ago
- Value delivered (20 min) — Usage, outcomes, ROI — in their language (not your metrics)
- Challenges / What didn't work (5 min) — Be honest; shows maturity and trust
- Customer health (5 min) — NPS / satisfaction / adoption trends
- Roadmap preview (10 min) — What's coming that's relevant to them
- Goals for next quarter (10 min) — Mutually define success for the next 90 days
- Commercial discussion (10 min) — Renewal / expansion if applicable
- Open Q&A (15 min)
EBR Prep (1 week before)
- Pull actual usage and outcome data — tie to their stated goals
- Prep the 3 hardest questions they might ask and your answers
- Confirm the right attendees (executive sponsor must be there)
- Send pre-read 48 hours in advance
Meeting Preparation Checklist (All Types)
Research (Before Every Meeting)
Agenda
Technology
During the Meeting
Opening
- Thank them for their time — genuinely
- State the goal: "By the end of today I want us to have X"
- Confirm: "Does the agenda still work, or is there something urgent to add?"
Active Listening Cues
- Take visible notes — it signals respect and you'll remember more
- Repeat back what you heard: "So what I'm understanding is..."
- Don't interrupt — let them finish even if you know where they're going
Handling Objections
- Acknowledge first: "That's a fair concern"
- Clarify before responding: "Can you tell me more about what's driving that?"
- Respond to the root concern, not the surface objection
Reading the Room
- Quiet executive = either bored or thinking — ask: "What's your reaction so far?"
- Side conversations = they're interested but need to discuss — pause and invite them in
- Clock-watching = time is being wasted — accelerate to the point
Closing the Meeting
Always end with explicit next steps:
- What will YOU do, by when?
- What will THEY do, by when?
- When is the next touchpoint?
Weak close: "Great meeting! I'll follow up."
Strong close: "So agreed: I'll send you the proposal by Thursday. You'll share it with your CFO by Friday. We'll connect on Monday at 2pm to discuss. Does that work?"
Post-Meeting Follow-Up
Send within 2 hours:
- Summary of what was discussed (3-5 bullets)
- Action items with owners and dates
- Any materials promised
- Confirm the next meeting
Template:
Hi [Name],
Thanks for the time today. Here's a quick recap:
Key takeaways:
•
Action items:
• [You] — [action] by [date]
• [Them] — [action] by [date]
Next step: [meeting / call / decision] on [date/time]
Let me know if I missed anything.
[Signature]
Hebrew / Israeli Customer Context
- Israeli decision-making can be fast and informal — "החלטנו" in a hallway conversation is real
- Hierarchy matters less in Israeli companies; ICs may have strong influence on decisions
- Directness is normal — "זה לא עובד לנו" is feedback, not rejection
- Relationships are key — small talk and personal connection are not wasted time
- WhatsApp is often the primary business communication channel for Israeli customers
