Season 2, Episode 7: The Shift from Time-Based Billing to Value-Driven Services
The Consultant's Way Podcast
The Consultant's Way Podcast
Season 2, Episode 7: The Shift from Time-Based Billing to Value-Driven Services
Feb 17, 2025 Season 2 Episode 7
The Consultant's Way

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About The Consultant's Way Podcast
The Consultant's Way podcast is your go-to resource for navigating the complexities of the consulting and professional services world. We bring you insightful conversations with industry thought leaders and executives from top Professional Services organizations, sharing their expertise on how to:
• Build high-performing consulting and professional services teams
• Differentiate your offerings and increase organizational growth
• Deliver exceptional client value and drive impactful outcomes

Brought to you by:
McMann & Ransford: A strategy consulting firm with over 30 years of experience helping leading B2B organizations escape commoditization and achieve sustainable growth. Learn more: https://mcmannransford.com/
The Consultant's Way: Your one-stop shop for training and enabling consultants and professional services teams to deliver exceptional client value. Learn more: https://www.consultantsway.com/

Connect with us:
• LinkedIn:
 ○ Dean McMann - https://www.linkedin.com/in/deanmcmann/
 ○ Anthony Paluska - https://www.linkedin.com/in/anthony-paluska-5081804b
• Email: podcast@consultantsway.com

Interested in being a guest?
We're always looking for insightful guests to share their expertise. Reach out to us via email or LinkedIn if you'd like to be considered for a future episode.
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In this episode of The Consultant’s Way Podcast, hosts Dean McMann and Anthony Paluska sit down with Alex Connell, VP of Professional Services at Unifyr, to explore a new approach to pricing and delivery in professional services.

Alex shares insights on the Service Points Model, shifting from traditional time-based billing to a value-driven, consumption-based system that enhances customer engagement and efficiency.

He outlines the challenges of traditional SaaS service models, where ongoing client changes get bogged down in lengthy approval processes. Unifyr’s points-based system allows customers to pre-purchase service points, streamlining transactions and shifting the focus from hours worked to value delivered. This approach reduces admin overhead, improves forecasting, and enhances staffing visibility.

The discussion explores the benefits of bundling service points into tiered support packages, integrating technical account management, training, and ongoing customer enablement. By embedding service support into contracts, Unifyr has boosted client retention and reduced churn. Alex compares this model to a subscription service, where customers who actively use their points see greater success and deeper engagement.

Dean and Anthony dig into how this shift makes professional services more strategic, driving customer adoption, success, and revenue growth. Alex explains how PS teams work with customer success managers to proactively reduce low adoption risks, ensuring clients maximize value.

The episode wraps with Alex’s advice for firms hesitant to move away from traditional billing. He emphasizes constant innovation, breaking free from outdated pricing models, and overcoming fear of change. With an engaging and insightful discussion, this episode offers a fresh perspective on making professional services more scalable, predictable, and customer-aligned.