> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://irisdocs.prescientlabs.ai/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Pricing Consulting Work

> Choose a pricing model that protects scope, reflects risk and connects the fee to the value and complexity of the engagement.

Pricing should reflect more than hours. Consider the client decision being enabled, complexity, risk, stakeholder load, urgency and expected commercial value.

## Common models

### Day rate

Useful when scope is uncertain or the client is explicitly buying specialist capacity. Easy to understand but can punish efficiency.

### Fixed fee

Best when scope, outputs and boundaries can be defined. Gives the client cost certainty and rewards a repeatable method.

### Value-informed fixed fee

Set a fixed fee with explicit consideration of the commercial value at stake. This avoids pretending you can precisely charge a percentage of hypothetical value while still preventing purely time-based pricing.

### Retainer

Useful for ongoing advisory, optimisation, governance or managed services. Define what access, outputs and service levels are included.

## Price a diagnostic using five factors

1. **Scope:** number of processes, teams and locations.
2. **Stakeholders:** interviews, workshops and decision-makers involved.
3. **Evidence complexity:** interviews only versus structured operational data and additional analysis.
4. **Commercial importance:** how consequential the decision is.
5. **Delivery risk:** uncertainty, technical dependencies and turnaround expectations.

## Protect yourself from underpricing

Do not hide these inside a fixed fee without limits:

* unlimited interviews;
* unlimited revisions;
* undefined data cleaning;
* multiple business units;
* implementation design beyond the agreed diagnostic;
* open-ended executive workshops.

## Presenting price

Explain the scope first, then the fee. Make exclusions and client responsibilities visible. If you discount, trade for something meaningful: reduced scope, faster payment, longer commitment or a reference/case-study right where appropriate.

<Note>
  Illustrative market prices should be treated as context, not a substitute for your own economics, geography, experience and scope.
</Note>

## Minimum commercial check

Before sending a number, know your delivery effort, direct cost, margin floor, expected client value and the alternative use of your time.