If you’re planning to adopt AI pricing, here’s a guide we urge you to follow. We’d like to remind you that it’s no longer a “nice-to-have” tool but rather a strategic necessity in today’s competitive market. To optimise AI's true potential in pricing, businesses need a thoughtful approach that aligns the technology with their strategic goals.
A research article by S&P states,
“The firms that adopted AI pricing are also those firms that experienced faster cumulative growth in sales, employment, total assets, and markups from 2010 to 2023. Those correlations are stronger for larger firms.”
But what kind of companies are using AI pricing? Is there any specific industry or firm size? The research article states that they found,
“At a firm level, larger and more productive firms are more likely to adopt AI pricing.”
Now that larger firms are turning to AI pricing, assessing a few things before adopting algorithmic pricing is important. This blog will serve as a quick guide to help you prepare or understand whether you need pricing software or not. We cover 4 steps that need attention and judgment before proceeding.
Also Read: 5 Clear Signs that you Need to Upgrade your Pricing Process.
4 Steps to Take Before Adopting AI Pricing
These 4 steps are from a broader point of view and will serve as a strategic approach to adopting algorithmic pricing. The way AI in pricing works is not only rules-based but also data-driven. As It uses algorithms and customer intelligence to provide faster, more contextual, and even personalised pricing.
1. Identify Where the Value Lies
The first step in adopting AI for pricing is clearly defining the business outcomes you aim to achieve. While it’s tempting to focus on isolated pricing optimizations—like automating discounts or adjusting product prices—true value lies in aligning AI with broader objectives, such as:
- Increasing win rates: Optimizing pricing strategies to secure more deals.
- Improving renewal rates: Setting prices that enhance customer retention.
- Shortening response times: Enabling faster decision-making in dynamic markets.
By taking a holistic view of pricing, businesses can ensure that AI is a driver for overall business improvement rather than a standalone tool.
2. Assess Readiness
AI is only as good as the foundation it’s built on. Before diving in, businesses must evaluate their current infrastructure, talent, and processes. Key areas to assess include:
- Data quality: Is your pricing and customer data clean, accessible, and up to date? AI thrives on reliable data; without it, predictions and optimizations will be inaccurate.
- Technical infrastructure: Do you have the right systems to support AI tools? Modern systems, such as cloud-based platforms, are often essential.
- Talent readiness: Does your team have the skills to interpret AI insights and integrate them into pricing decisions?
If any of these areas fall short, it’s wise to address them first to ensure effective and sustainable AI adoption.
3. Prioritise High-Value Use Cases
AI’s capabilities are vast, but not all applications will yield equal returns. To maximise the impact of AI pricing, focus on use cases that offer the highest value and align with your strategic goals. Examples of high-value use cases include:
- Dynamic pricing: Adjusting prices in real-time based on demand, competition, and customer behaviour.
- Promotional optimization: Identifying the best discounts or deals to maximise sales without eroding margins.
- Customer segmentation: Tailoring pricing strategies to different customer segments for better conversion rates.
By starting with a targeted approach, businesses can generate quick wins, build confidence in AI, and lay the groundwork for broader adoption.
4. Prepare for Organizational Change
Introducing AI into pricing isn’t just a technical shift; it’s a cultural one. Success depends on the organisation’s ability to adapt to new ways of working and decision-making. Key steps to manage this transition include:
- Leadership support: Ensure that executives champion the adoption of AI and communicate its importance to the organization.
- Clear roles and responsibilities: Define who will manage, interpret, and act on AI insights to avoid confusion and inefficiencies.
- Employee engagement: Address concerns about job displacement by emphasizing AI as a tool to enhance, not replace, human expertise. Offer training to help employees work effectively alongside AI.
- Foster an AI-friendly culture: Encourage data-driven decision-making and experimentation, while being transparent about the benefits and limitations of AI.
Change management is often the most overlooked aspect of AI adoption, yet it plays a critical role in ensuring long-term success.
Will AI Pricing Replace Humans?
One of the misconceptions about AI in general is that it will replace humans. We’ll briefly explain why it’s not the case. AI Pricing tools need human strategic guidance and expert judgment to function with accuracy. It can set prices with automation but it needs to be trained by the human mind. So now, with algorithmic pricing, the focus of your pricing team will shift towards managing the tool and strategising and brainstorming pricing affairs instead.
Algorithmic pricing software lifts the pressure of managing old-school pricing like spreadsheets filled with human errors in a whiff. It enables teams to grow and manage pricing from a strategic point.
Choose a Pricing Software that focuses on Explainable AI: No Black Box
Choosing an explainable AI pricing tool keeps you notified and is transparent in all its recommendation functions. We encourage you to leverage ethical pricing and discount strategies for long-term growth. Our vision in SYMSON is to make Hyperlearningᵀᴹ organisations. It’s to help you achieve optimal pricing results and help the company continuously learn and improve. SYMSON’s AI Pricing Software focuses on explainable AI that allows you to learn the logic behind each price recommendation.
Read More: How Much Does AI Pricing Cost?
Adopting AI in pricing is a journey, not a quick fix. By focusing on value-driven goals, ensuring readiness, prioritizing impactful use cases, and preparing for cultural change, businesses can successfully integrate AI into their pricing strategies.
AI has the potential to transform pricing from a reactive function into a proactive driver of business success. With the right approach, companies can unlock new opportunities, optimize profitability, and stay ahead in an increasingly competitive landscape. Are you ready to leap?
Do you want a free demo to try how SYMSON can help your business with margin improvement or pricing management? Do you want to learn more? Schedule a call with a consultant and book a 20 minute brainstorm session!