Why price changes fail

Without strong execution from client facing teams, even the best price model will underperform. In this episode of If Prices Could Talk, Tracy Dent sits down with Jeet Mukherjee (Chief Strategy Officer) and Travis Umpleby (Negotiation Master Facilitator) to unpack why price increases derail once they hit the field. This episode breaks down why price increases collapse in the real world: misaligned leadership, weak discount governance, poor preparation for pushback, and sales teams left with no tools beyond discounting. Join us for practical stories and tactics in using service levels to create choice, tightening escalation paths, and rolling out changes to decrease risk and ensure smooth execution. Key topics: The 3 most common reasons price changes fail (and how to prevent them) How discount approval behavior quietly trains buyers to escalate Why quotes are fuel for sales confidence How to use service levels and packaging to give buyers choices and decrease pushback Ways to drive executive alignment and ensure teams have the right tools to go get the new pricing Chapters 00:00 Introductions 01:01 The human and emotional aspects of a price change 04:53 Building belief in your value so sellers can negotiate with backbone 10:11 The top 3 issues in price changes: executive alignment, preparation, and tool kits for sellers 19:47 How to reduce negotiation pressure through choices and tiered offerings 25:41 How to think about timelines for executing a price change 32:25 Learnings from early price changes and key takeaways from trial and error Connect with Jeet: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeet-mukherjee-58462a1/ Connect with Travis: https://www.linkedin.com/in/travis-umpleby/ Connect with Tracy: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tracyleighdent/ ABOUT HOLDEN ADVISORS Holden Advisors is a boutique consulting firm specializing in B2B pricing and sales performance. We help companies understand their value through the eyes of their customers and use these insights to develop, price, and sell solutions that meet evolving market demands. Our tailored strategies are designed to improve differential value and go-to-market execution. With decades of expertise in value-based pricing, sales implementation, and negotiation, we partner with companies to build and protect their pricing power. Learn more at www.holdenadvisors.com