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)

Optimize Your Pricing Strategies with Cutting-Edge Cloud Technology with Finn Hansen

Optimize Your Pricing Strategies with Cutting-Edge Cloud Technology with Finn Hansen

Finn Helmo Hansen is the CEO and Co-founder of Price Beam and Stratinis, helping businesses use pricing and revenue growth to win. In this episode, Finn discusses the two companies he founded - Stratinis and Price Beam - and their significant contributions to the field of market research in pricing. He also sheds light on effective pricing optimization strategies. Why you have to check out today's podcast: Find out how Price Beam does market research for optimizing pricing using a cloud-based technology Discover what advantages and capabilities conjoint analysis have over other market research techniques Learn insights into the pricing optimization frontiers that are on the rise "It's not about communicating once you've launched the price increase or even the day before, it's a continuous communication. And if you as a pricing team think that you're communicating enough, then double it." - Finn Hansen Topics Covered: 01:13 - What paved his route to pricing 02:29 - Is there truth to wine quality equals higher price? 03:24 - What prevent wineries from raising wine price 05:02 - How do these companies he created, Price Beam and Stratinis differ from each other and why he created these two 07:17 - What specifically does each of these companies do? 09:25 - More in-depth discussion of the business structure of each company 11:09 - How does Price Beam and Stratinis relates to or differs from Conjointly [the process of gathering data up to analysis] 13:59 - The way AI [called Tool Plus] works in the whole process of data research and analysis 15:30 - What more can conjoint research method unpack that historical can't? 21:43 - Distilling the concept of shrinkflation 24:56 - Finn's comments on companies increasing prices by way of package machinations 27:37 - The next frontier in price optimization 29:41 - Testing different promotional alternatives 30:47 - Finn's best pricing advice Key Takeaways: "The next frontier in price optimization is going to be around promotion optimization, especially in CPG, because there's a lot of money there." - Finn Hansen "You need to communicate as much as possible, talk about the value." - Finn Hansen "Communicate about prices all over the year and sell internally." - Finn Hansen "Pricing communication is key." - Finn Hansen People/Resources Mentioned: Survey Monkey: https://www.surveymonkey.com Momentum Now: https://www.themomentum.com/momentum-now Conjointly: https://conjointly.com Carrefour: https://www.carrefour.com/en/group/stores Connect with Finn Hansen: Email: finn@pricebeam.com / finn.hansen@pricebeam.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/finnhelmohansen Connect with Mark Stiving: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stiving/ Email: mark@impactpricing.com

11 Joulu 202332min

Blogcast: The 5 How's

Blogcast: The 5 How's

This is an Impact Pricing Blog published on October 26, 2023, turned into an audio podcast so you can listen on the go. Read Full Article Here: https://impactpricing.com/blog/the-5-hows/ 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/

8 Joulu 20233min

Pricing Table Topics: Jack of Spades – Value Is Not Based On Costs

Pricing Table Topics: Jack of Spades – Value Is Not Based On Costs

This one is the Jack of Spades from the Impact Pricing card deck. Many companies use cost-plus pricing and that's understandable because it's easy. It guarantees they're going to make a profit for every sale they make. I get it. When we shift to value-based pricing, we start thinking about what's a buyer willing to pay us. And now, think about what a buyer is willing to pay and that value that they place on our product actually has nothing to do with the cost of us manufacturing it. In fact, if you're used to buying something, whatever it happens to be. Let's say you're buying your favorite shirt and you buy five of these shirts every single year, and you just love it. And one year the cost of materials goes up. And the manufacturer says, okay, we're going to double our price because our costs went up. You don't really care that the costs went up. What you care about is, do I still want to pay that much? Or do I want to pay twice as much to get the shirt that I really like or not? So you're not thinking, what's the cost? Now, oftentimes companies use costs to justify price increases. And we do that because our customers often think price is related to costs and it makes them feel a little bit better. It makes it feel like we're not just trying to raise prices and gouge them. But in truth, the value they get, the decision they're making, am I going to buy this product or not, has nothing to do with your costs. And everything to do with how they perceive the value of your product. We hope you enjoyed this example of Pricing Table Topics. What you just heard was done without a script. If you want to get better at speaking about pricing and value, grab a deck of our playing cards, pick a card, read the saying, then talk for one to two minutes about what that card says. You'll become a better speaker and expert. If you have any questions or feedback, please email me, mark@impactpricing.com. Now, go make an impact. Connect with Mark Stiving: Email: mark@impactpricing.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stiving/

6 Joulu 20232min

Bridging the Gender Pay Gap for Women with Julie Scanlon

Bridging the Gender Pay Gap for Women with Julie Scanlon

Julie Scanlon is a D&I Leader 2023 (D&I Leaders: dileaders.com). She enables organizations to enhance diversity and inclusion by providing consultancy, bespoke training solutions and interventions. Supporting individuals and organizations with executive coaching, professional development and career change coaching. In this episode, Julie highlights the challenges women face when it comes to negotiating higher pay, placing them at a disadvantage compared to men. UK studies reveal the significant disparity in earnings between genders. Julie's primary focus is on addressing cultural and structural inequalities, and she offers insights on empowering women to strive for equal treatment. Why you have to check out today's podcast: Understanding the gender pay gap that exists between men and women and the necessary approach to bring about change Learn techniques to effectively mentor women entrepreneurs and businesses led by women, while avoiding gender bias Find ways to promote the recognition of women's worth and empower them to confidently price their value "Take the risk and ask for it." - Julie Scanlon Topics Covered: 01:44 - What makes her drawn to the topic about women and men entrepreneurs and their attitudes towards pricing 02:50 - Julie's thoughts on Mark's statement that women are less confident than men about their pricing and business 05:48 - What could be the reason for gender pay gap in women if it is not about one's confidence in question here 09:40 - Her thoughts on Mark's comment that the problem is with women not asking for pay in reference to a situation raised by Julie 11:14 - A case of 'who knows and who asks' 12:50 - Understanding why there's a bit of a problem for women getting a no for an answer 14:39 - The best approach to coaching women entrepreneurs and those women running companies 17:07 - Julie's suggested strategies for coaching women and the necessary shift in approach 20:39 - Julie's reply to Mark's question if there is the same study made in the US about the gender pay difference 21:58 - Her reaction to Mark's desire to help women get that 43% raise in pay 23:02 - Julie's best pricing advice Key Takeaways: "It is not that we're not asking in the same way that men are, but it might also be that there's different kinds of biases that are going on in the world that mean sometimes we don't get what we ask for." - Julie Scanlon "It is actually being aware, raising awareness of the potential gender differentials. You are saying here as a kind of person sitting in front of me that you like to treat people equitably. The thing is, the world doesn't do that. So recognizing the world doesn't do that and thinking, okay, what can I do to mitigate against some of that unequal treatment by the world? So that might then help you adapt the way that you coach the individual that's in front of you." - Julie Scanlon "The 'being coachable' question is absolutely vital regardless of gender. Absolutely, you need to be ready for it and you need to be open to it and not defensive." - Julie Scanlon People/Resources Mentioned: Sky News: https://news.sky.com IPSE: https://www.ipse.co.uk Connect with Julie Scanlon: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-julie-scanlon/ Connect with Mark Stiving: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stiving/ Email: mark@impactpricing.com

4 Joulu 202324min

Blogcast: We Have Room for Negotiation

Blogcast: We Have Room for Negotiation

This is an Impact Pricing Blog published on October 19, 2023, turned into an audio podcast so you can listen on the go. Read Full Article Here: https://impactpricing.com/blog/we-have-room-for-negotiation/ 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/

1 Joulu 20232min

Pricing Table Topics: Queen of Clubs – Value-based Pricing Is Never Perfect

Pricing Table Topics: Queen of Clubs – Value-based Pricing Is Never Perfect

This one is the Queen of Clubs from the Impact Pricing card deck. Value-based pricing is truly a goal or an attitude, but it's never finished because we can't be perfect. We can't read a customer's mind. I define value-based pricing as charge what a customer is willing to pay, but if you can't read a customer's mind, you don't know what that customer is willing to pay. And in fact, all customers are different. And so, we constantly tweak and test new techniques. We add new price segmentations. We think about different market segments. We test our pricing and price increases with certain customers. So, we're never done with our value-based pricing. We always want to be thinking about how is it that our customers are getting value from our products? How might they be using it differently? What was the value of the feature capability we just added to them? Value-based pricing is an ongoing process so I truly think of it as an attitude or a goal. We hope you enjoyed this example of Pricing Table Topics. What you just heard was done without a script. If you want to get better at speaking about pricing and value, grab a deck of our playing cards, pick a card, read the saying, then talk for one to two minutes about what that card says. You'll become a better speaker and expert. Oh, and you can play card games. If you have any questions or feedback, please email me, mark@impactpricing.com. Now, go make an impact. Connect with Mark Stiving: Email: mark@impactpricing.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stiving/

29 Marras 20232min

Pricing Strategies for Your Travel Business with Neil Fitzgerald

Pricing Strategies for Your Travel Business with Neil Fitzgerald

Neil Fitzgerald is an experienced, driven, and accomplished pricing and revenue professional, with a wealth of experience while working for leading, high-profile companies. Proven in exceeding all bottom-line expectations. Experienced in cruise, hotel and vacation rental industries. In this episode, Neil shares the crucial role of pricing in the travel industry and its impact on the bottom line success. He emphasizes that achieving pricing goals is not solely reliant on AI, highlighting the importance of collaboration and building relationships with other stakeholders in the company. Why you have to check out today's podcast: Explore effective pricing strategies for one-time opportunities in the travel industry to optimize revenue Learn to strike a balance between short-term gains and long-term profitability, ensuring your pricing decisions don't compromise future success Discover the importance of guiding customers on a journey, expediting their consideration of revenue and pricing management "Don't assume that everyone else in your business understands what you're doing. So, take the time to listen to other people, and take the time to communicate and collaborate with the other people in your teams and the other stakeholders in your business, and take them on the journey." - Neil Fitzgerald Topics Covered: 01:20 - How Neil get into pricing 03:02 - How does pricing for travel differ from any other pricing? 04:51 - The challenge that comes with pricing the travel industry 07:37 - Pricing strategies in other industries that can work best in the travel industry 09:53 - Neil's thoughts on Mark's suggested limited time pricing offer for a cruise ship basing it from Chipotle's food pricing 11:59 - Discussion about one pricing strategy that Disney implemented and had to be discontinued 13:42 - Pricing insights from crowded airport lounges nowadays gleaned from Mark's experience 16:11 - How does he get people sold to the idea of revenue management 18:35 - Talking about AI and pricing algorithms 20:50 - Neil's best pricing advice Key Takeaways: "It is interesting in travel, when you do try and do those one-off opportunities to get a higher price point, you've got to be careful that it really, really is exclusive and it isn't so broad because then you can create too much demand." - Neil Fitzgerald "It's an interesting business case for pricing managers about how Disney built out this fantastic product for the Star Wars hotel, charged thousands of dollars a night, and then has had to close it in a very short time period because they couldn't get the revenues that they were expecting." - Neil Fitzgerald "I always think when it comes to pricing, even when you're more on the revenue management side and you are looking at your supply and demand patterns, you do have to have an awareness of the overall cost basis as well, because it can be quite easy if you're not careful to overprice." - Neil Fitzgerald "It's going to be an interesting case about how airlines effectively raise, find ways of charging guests more so that they're reducing the demand without upsetting the most low guests." - Neil Fitzgerald "We can't produce demand out of thin air and we can't produce higher margins out of thin air. We have to take people on the journey." - Neil Fitzgerald People/Resources Mentioned: Chipotle: https://www.chipotle.com/home Virgin Voyages: https://www.virginvoyages.com Green Bay Packers: https://www.packers.com Connect with Neil Fitzgerald: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/neil-fitzgerald-55122591/ Email: neilf@expeditions.com Connect with Mark Stiving: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stiving/ Email: mark@impactpricing.com

27 Marras 202322min

Blogcast: Lessons from Amazon's Nessie

Blogcast: Lessons from Amazon's Nessie

This is an Impact Pricing Blog published on October 12, 2023, turned into an audio podcast so you can listen on the go. Read Full Article Here: https://impactpricing.com/blog/lessons-from-amazons-nessie/ 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/

24 Marras 20233min

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