Our Perspective
What this means for leaders navigating growth, change or transformation in their organisation.
Value Has Shifted
Price changes don’t just trigger arithmetic; they test beliefs about fairness. When the pricing model evolves—subscriptions, usage, seats, outcomes—the real risk is that customers can’t see what they’re paying for, so trust does the heavy lifting. Gartner finds that 80% of people deem brands with steady pricing more trustworthy, while 68% say dynamic pricing leaves them feeling taken advantage of. That’s the tension: if your brand story explains outcomes and fairness, pricing becomes a translation of value rather than a shock to the system.
Make Value Legible
The central task is to define a value unit customers instantly recognise, then tie it to outcomes that matter. Value design is a product decision disguised as pricing; your brand makes it legible.
- Name the unit in customer language, not internal jargon.
- Link the unit to concrete outcomes and evidence customers already use.
- Set clear “fairness rules” (what’s included, what changes, what won’t).
Sequence The Conversation
Trust lands first, price second. Start by restating the outcome you exist to deliver, then show how the new unit makes that outcome more predictable, scalable, or accountable. Share the intent early and in principle—why it’s changing now—then follow with examples customers can recognise in their own context.
In our experience with pricing transitions, the organisations that move fastest are those that rehearse the narrative internally before the memo goes external. That means aligning leadership on the value unit, rehearsing objections, and giving sales and service teams vivid examples and service commitments so every conversation pulls in the same direction.
Proof Over Price
Proof converts uncertainty into confidence. Use metrics, case specifics, and service commitments to minimise perceived risk before you mention numbers. The Forter Report via PR Newswire notes that trusted retailers see customers spend roughly 51% more on average; while retail-focused, the signal is clear—trust expands willingness to pay across categories.
- Offer scenario examples that show how typical usage maps to outcomes and invoice lines.
- Publish service standards and escalation paths that make fairness operational, not rhetorical.
The organisations that treat pricing as an expression of value—rather than a revenue lever—tend to emerge with greater relevance, faster adoption, and a story strong enough to carry the next change.
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