Tailoring Pricing Models to Capture New Clients in a Competitive Market

A global management consulting firm with a presence in over 50 countries sought to refine its pricing strategy across two key European markets—UK and Germany. Known for its expertise in M&A, transformation, operations, digital strategy, and corporate finance, the firm wanted to gain insights into its competitor’s pricing models for new client acquisition.

Objective

The firm’s primary objective was to understand how competitors priced their services, particularly for new clients and white space opportunities. They aimed to uncover which strategies—like discounts, payment flexibility, and alternative pricing models—could be leveraged to win clients in underserved areas and adjust pricing for existing clients.

Solution

Phronesis employed in-depth qualitative interviews with senior executives, including Partners and Managing Directors, across both UK and Germany. The study included hypothetical scenarios to standardize pricing data, covering different deal sizes and consulting services. We gathered insights on tactics such as milestone-based pricing, deferred payments, and volume discounts, offering a detailed view of the competitor’s approaches in various regions.

Impact

The research led to actionable insights that the client used to adjust their pricing strategy. Notably, they implemented milestone-based pricing and explored new models like performance-based pricing. Additionally, our findings enabled the client to tailor their pricing by region, offering discounts strategically and using volume discounts and deferred payments to appeal to new clients. These adjustments are expected to improve their competitiveness in European and North American markets and open doors to previously untapped opportunities in Asia.