AI as a Multiplier for Pricing with Emanuel Martonca

AI as a Multiplier for Pricing with Emanuel Martonca

Emanuel Martonca, founder of Soft Fight, reveals how agentic AI is solving one of the biggest challenges in IT services: coordinating pricing decisions across hundreds of people in decentralized organizations.

After his career journey from product management to sales management to discovering pricing at a Simon Kucher workshop, Emanuel shares how his bootstrapped company evolved from traditional consulting to building AI-powered pricing agents that act as an ever-present pricing manager- coaching teams, improving proposals, and recommending pricing models without sending a single byte of data outside the client's infrastructure.

In this episode, learn why AI should augment rather than replace pricing teams, why deterministic calculations still matter, and how to quantify value in IT services without universal quality standards.

Why You Have to Check Out Today's Podcast:

  • Discover how AI solves coordination problems in large IT services companies where hundreds of people make pricing decisions without pricing expertise.
  • Learn why AI should augment pricing teams, not replace them, and why deterministic calculations still matter more than probabilistic AI outputs.
  • Understand how to quantify value in IT services using measurable quality attributes instead of universally accepted standards.

"Pricing is leverage. It allows you to have an impact with very few actions, with little effort."

– Emanuel Martonca

Topics Covered:

01:32 -Emanuel's transformational discovery of pricing at a Belgian retail bank workshop that revealed a world he didn't know existed—launching 18 years of pricing-focused work.

02:37 - Why pricing is the ultimate leverage tool, especially in B2B tech where "it's just communication"—what you write in Excel, on websites, and in proposals.

03:28 - How the pandemic transformed Emanuel from a globe-trotting sales manager into a pricing consultant, then bootstrapped Soft Fight to solve the value extraction gap in tech companies.

04:41 - How large IT companies lose money when hundreds of non-experts across five functions (finance, marketing, sales, delivery, executives) make pricing decisions on every custom project.

06:59 - The evolution from deterministic SaaS pricing rules to AI-augmented agents installed in client infrastructure—solving pricing problems in hours instead of years without sending data externally.

08:00 - Why new deals lack technical depth and renewals lack value articulation—and how AI coordinates knowledge without restructuring organizations.

11:00 - Eight AI agents (four for understanding, four for justifying) with access to all systems but zero external communication—no security or privacy risks.

13:00 - All pricing calculations remain deterministic because AI makes too many mistakes—it's used only for reading RFPs, emails, and meeting notes to improve value communication.

14:17 - How AI acts as a coach recommending pricing models with ready-made arguments, eliminating months of change management—with email as the main interface.

16:17 - Why determining "how long will this take?" is unpredictable and varies by person and timing—and how AI solves the costliest unknown in custom projects.

18:00 - Mark's perspective on why costs matter less than value, and why companies avoid alternative pricing models despite knowing hourly billing hurts both sides.

21:00 - When AI tools cut development time, hourly pricing becomes self-defeating: "You're cutting your own revenue"—forcing the industry to finally sell value, not time.

21:56 - Starting with measurable quality attributes on invented scales that competitors can't compare—getting 80% of the way just by having the quantification discussion.

23:00 - Mark's framework for B2B value and why results translate to economic impact through customer KPIs like reduced complaints, not abstract "quality" metrics.

25:00 - Unlike automotive suppliers with nanometer specs, IT services vendors can define their own quality metrics—putting them two steps ahead of alternatives.

26:00 - The necessity of industry knowledge for value conversations (increase revenue, reduce costs, mitigate risk) and how AI enables understanding of new sectors that would've taken years.

27:30 - Final Advice: AI as Your Pricing Force Multiplier Using AI for research, analysis, and domain understanding when teams are too small or mandates unclear—plus how to connect with Emanuel on LinkedIn.

Key Takeaways:

"AI is a huge multiplier for pricing experts—not for calculating prices, I agree with you on that, it's not there yet. But for everything else around pricing, whether we want to call it product management, analysis, or research, it can help us overcome typical challenges." - Emanuel Martonca

"Pricing is a change management problem. It can be done, it'll take months, sometimes years, and they have to experiment and they have to make mistakes." - Emanuel Martonca

Resources Mentioned:

Connect with Emanuel Martonca:

Connect with Mark Stiving:

Jaksot(500)

Blogcast: Using Value to Break Down Silos

Blogcast: Using Value to Break Down Silos

This is an Impact Pricing Blog published on March 14, 2024, turned into an audio podcast so you can listen on the go. Read Full Article Here: https://impactpricing.com/blog/using-value-to-break-down-silos/ If you have any feedback, definitely send it. You can reach us at mark@impactpricing.com. Now, go make an impact. Connect with Mark Stiving: Email: mark@impactpricing.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stiving/

3 Touko 20243min

Navigating Retail Pricing: Walmart's Pricing Strategy Explored with Rishi Bhatia

Navigating Retail Pricing: Walmart's Pricing Strategy Explored with Rishi Bhatia

Rishi Bhatia is an experienced analytics consultant, data expert and market research professional with domain expertise in retail, technology, telecom, apparel, manufacturing, and insurance domain. In this episode, Rishi shares about Walmart's lower pricing strategy. He emphasizes the importance of prioritizing the customer when determining pricing strategies. He also highlights the significance of leveraging data and analytics to inform pricing decisions. And also the importance of adopting AI-driven models to streamline operations and remain competitive in the market. Why you have to check out today's podcast: Learn how Walmart maximizes profitability while maintaining its everyday low prices Discover how AI revolutionizes the retail industry by enabling retailers to make informed pricing decisions, rather than just providing pricing insights Explore the impact of retail pricing on customer loyalty and retention "Put your customer first. Rather than going for the traditional route, learn from the data as much as you can. And then, improve your models constantly based on how can you get the prices right." - Rishi Bhatia Topics Covered: 01:01 - How he found himself in pricing 02:46 - Why everyday low price policy for Walmart and how do they maximize revenue with this strategy 03:46 - Pricing and how it affects loyalty and retention 05:18 - What makes Walmart's margins high other than lower prices 06:48 - How AI in pricing optimization has evolved from basic insights generation to sophisticated model-driven recommendations 08:41 - Is AI a blackbox and how the process works in achieving pricing decision 11:31 - Walmart's primary focus regarding pricing decisions and how AI ensures timely transitions between product cycles and maintaining profitability 13:47 - How algorithms and recommendations ensures consistency and optimization across the retail chain 14:44 - Discussion around Wendy's dynamic pricing 19:49 - Rishi's response to Mark's advice for retailers and also talking about Walmart Plus 21:15 - Rishi's best pricing advice 23:12 - How do you measure value in retail products Key Takeaways: "Value pricing, what does your customer want, at what price your customer will be more loyal to you and what will they... because pricing is one component that everyone wants low price." - Rishi Bhatia "When you're putting the product, rather than going for the traditional route, learn from the data as much as you can and improve your models constantly based on that, how can you get the prices right." - Rishi Bhatia "If you're able to improve on that and the customer, your overall complaints are also going down. And that is one value you can measure from that perspective as well. It's not always in the monetary term, it's always on the customer satisfaction side as well." - Rishi Bhatia People/ Resources Mentioned: Walmart: https://www.walmart.com Uber: https://www.uber.com Connect with Rishi Bhatia: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rishi-bhatia-5480577/ Connect with Mark Stiving: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stiving/ Email: mark@impactpricing.com

29 Huhti 202424min

Blogcast: To Fee or Not To Fee? That is the Question

Blogcast: To Fee or Not To Fee? That is the Question

This is an Impact Pricing Blog published on March 7, 2024, turned into an audio podcast so you can listen on the go. Read Full Article Here: https://impactpricing.com/blog/to-fee-or-not-to-fee-that-is-the-question/ If you have any feedback, definitely send it. You can reach us at mark@impactpricing.com. Now, go make an impact. Connect with Mark Stiving: Email: mark@impactpricing.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stiving/

26 Huhti 20243min

Segmentation Strategies Uncovered: Driving Revenue through Focus and Value with Stephan Liozu

Segmentation Strategies Uncovered: Driving Revenue through Focus and Value with Stephan Liozu

Stephan Liozu has studied, researched, and practiced value-based pricing for over 15 years now. That includes training, speaking, consulting, managing pilot projects, and coaching large scale pricing transformations. In this episode, Stephan highlighted the utmost importance of understanding the value delivered to customers before setting prices, emphasizing a value-first approach to pricing strategies. Why you have to check out today's podcast: Learn the significance of focusing on a specific market segment to avoid distractions, streamline operations and increase chances of success Find out why you don't need to excessively customize your products Discover why prioritizing value over price can develop to more effective pricing strategies and maximize profitability "Do the value work first and then worry about pricing. So, value-based pricing is 90% value, 10% price. So, if you want to do that very well, value first, then price." - Stephan Liozu Topics Covered: 02:25 - How Stephan started in pricing 04:13 - Customer segmentation as it relates to value pricing 05:25 - Effective ways of maximizing segmentation 07:17 - Defining customer segmentation and how the SaaS scenario Mark described relate to that 10:16 - Integrating value pricing into customer segmentation 13:03 - What value means to the price buyer 14:11 - How is market segmentation different from customer segmentation? 16:52 - Discussing about product segmentation and taking software for an example 21:28 - The challenge of operationalizing customer segmentation 24:57 - Why focus on one market segment 26:41 - The need to not excessively customize your product 27:42 - Stephan's best pricing advice Key Takeaways: "Pick one market, focus on it, find your ICP, and then get a few logos; see what happens." - Stephan Liozu "Do the value work first and then worry about pricing." - Stephan Liozu "If you want to do that [value-based pricing] very well, value first, then price." - Stephan Liozu People/Resources Mentioned: Owens Corning: https://investor.owenscorning.com/ Thales: https://www.thalesgroup.com/en Connect with Stephan Liozu: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephanliozu/ Connect with Mark Stiving: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stiving/ Email: mark@impactpricing.com

22 Huhti 202428min

Blogcast: Your Inward Focus Causes Horrible Decisions

Blogcast: Your Inward Focus Causes Horrible Decisions

This is an Impact Pricing Blog published on February 29, 2024, turned into an audio podcast so you can listen on the go. Read Full Article Here: https://impactpricing.com/blog/your-inward-focus-causes-horrible-decisions/ If you have any feedback, definitely send it. You can reach us at mark@impactpricing.com. Now, go make an impact. Connect with Mark Stiving: Email: mark@impactpricing.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stiving/

19 Huhti 20243min

Price Justification Techniques: Building Confidence in Sales with Mike Bosworth

Price Justification Techniques: Building Confidence in Sales with Mike Bosworth

Mike Bosworth is a Co-Founder of WeConcile considered as the world's first Relationship Rescue and Restoration application. In this episode, Mike shares effective pricing strategies and sales techniques to hold prices. Why you have to check out today's podcast: Learn about the concept of "buying vision" and help your customers recognize the value of your product or service Learn how to stand firm against pricing pressure and maintain your desired price Discover how to effectively use "polite No's" to firmly establish pricing boundaries "Understand the value, i.e. how your buyer would use a particular piece of your product to solve their problem. And if you have that knowledge, it's really easy to defend the value of your price." - Mike Bosworth Topics Covered: 02:13 - Mike's pricing approach 03:16 - Understanding why salespeople are losing the conversation when it comes to price 06:40 - What is a 'buying vision' and how helpful it is for buyers 07:26 - The need for salespeople to know well their customer's business 10:20 - How 'premature elaboration' gets you at a disadvantage 13:58 - Explaining 'cost justify' and 'price justify' from the buyers point of view 20:49 - The importance of patience in negotiation and use of "polite No's" to stand your ground on pricing 24:36 - Book resource of major negotiation stories you can check out 25:42 - Mike's pricing advice Key Takeaways: "The only salespeople who can go out and negotiate their own prices are those ahead of quota." - Mike Bosworth "I say to the managers, if your salesperson is under quotas, you have to go out there and provide the backbone and coach the call ahead of time." - Mike Bosworth "We want to teach them how to survive that call, but on their own, they're not going to have the ability to do it." - Mike Bosworth People/Resources Mentioned: Xerox: https://www.xerox.com/en-us Sales Force: https://www.salesforce.com David Crabtree: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/hold-out-david-n-crabtree/1119321227 Connect with Mike Bosworth: Linkedin:https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikebosworth/ Connect with Mark Stiving: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stiving/ Email: mark@impactpricing.com

15 Huhti 202426min

Blogcast: Fear Stymies Your Growth

Blogcast: Fear Stymies Your Growth

This is an Impact Pricing Blog published on February 22, 2024, turned into an audio podcast so you can listen on the go. Read Full Article Here: https://impactpricing.com/blog/fear-stymies-your-growth/ If you have any feedback, definitely send it. You can reach us at mark@impactpricing.com. Now, go make an impact. Connect with Mark Stiving: Email: mark@impactpricing.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stiving/

12 Huhti 20243min

Decoding the Emotion and Solution-Driven Sales Approach with Joe Woodard

Decoding the Emotion and Solution-Driven Sales Approach with Joe Woodard

Joe Woodard's vision is to "transform small businesses through small business advisors." And in the service of that vision he and his team educate, coach, provide resources and build communities for small business advisors, with the overarching goal of empowering them to play a powerful, high-impact advisory role with their clients. In this episode Joe shares strategies for Infusing feelings and solutions into your pricing models that drive people's buying decisions. Why you have to check out today's podcast: Find out effective strategies for your sales approach Discover effective hiring strategies to find the perfect team and talent that align with your needs Understand two foundational pillars of value to be effective in selling your product or service "Infuse everything we've talked about [sales approach] with feelings and solutions into something the client can consume, easily understand, comprehend, and buy easily." - Joe Woodard Topics Covered: 02:51 - From a Quickbooks advisor to hiring and teaching coaches how to coach businesses 05:40 - How this great quote from John Maxwell became a huge inspiration for his upcoming conference 07:28 - Understanding the two foundational pillars of value 09:31 - Methodologies used to maximize product's value proposition 12:06 - Gaining a competitive by catering to both emotional and solution-oriented needs 13:48 - Incorporating emotional intelligence into your sales approach 18:44 - How mimicking good behaviors is effective in selling 19:33 - Understanding the DISC method for hiring people 24:26 - Delegating outcomes, holding individuals accountable using methodologies like OKRs (Objectives and Key Results) 25:58 - Infusing pricing strategies with a combination of emotional resonance 28:47 - Interplay between emotions and problem-solving in both B2B and B2C contexts 30:06 - Joe's best pricing advice 31:51 - What this conference, 'Boldly Go!' is about Key Takeaways: "If you're waiting for all risk to go away, you're waiting for all fear to go away, you'll never act. And if you're waiting for perfection, you'll never act. So don't wait on those things. Enter the danger, proceed afraid, fail forward, and then read a lot. That's how I did it." - Joe Woodard "People will only exchange their hard earned dollars for one of two things, how you make me feel, or how you solve my problem." - Joe Woodard "It's not about price, it's about nature." - Joe Woodard People/Resources Mentioned: John Maxwell: https://www.maxwellleadership.com Michio Kaku: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michio_Kaku Neil deGrasse Tyson: https://neildegrassetyson.com Malcolm Gladwell: https://www.gladwellbooks.com/ Outliers: https://www.amazon.com/Outliers-Story-Success-Malcolm-Gladwell/dp/0316017930 Positive Intelligence: https://www.amazon.com/s?k=positive+intelligence&language Measure What Matters: How Google, Bono, and the Gates Foundation Rock the World with OKRs by John Doerr :https://www.amazon.com/Measure-What-Matters-Google-Foundation/dp/0525536221 Axe: https://www.axe.com/us/en/home.html Red Bull: https://www.redbull.com/ph-en/ Connect with Joe Woodard: Website: https://www.woodard.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/quickbooksadvisor/ Connect with Mark Stiving: Email: mark@impactpricing.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stiving/

8 Huhti 202433min

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