Why we publish our pricing publicly
Most consultancies and agencies don’t publish their day rates. We do, on our Schedule of Charges page, and we’ve had a few people ask why. This is the answer.
The standard argument against
The usual case for not publishing rates is that pricing should be “based on value”, which is consultancy code for “what we think the client can afford to pay”. The argument is that if you publish a day rate, you anchor every conversation to that number, even when the engagement’s value to the client is orders of magnitude higher. You’re leaving money on the table.
There’s something to this. We’ve experienced it. When you charge £2,000 a day, a client looking at a £40,000 quote sees twenty days of work; when you don’t publish a rate, the same client sees a solution to a £400,000 problem.
Why we still publish
The argument against publishing assumes a particular kind of client relationship: short, transactional, and where the consultancy controls information. We aren’t trying to build that kind of practice.
The clients we want to work with — and who want to work with us — value transparency. They want to know what they’re paying for. They want to be able to compare us with alternatives on something other than vibes. They want to be able to budget without having to chase a proposal for two weeks. Publishing our pricing makes all of that easier.
There’s a second reason. Published pricing keeps us honest. If our day rate is on the website, we can’t quietly drift our prices upwards over time without explaining why. We can’t charge one client more than another for the same work because they had a bigger logo. And we can’t bill against an inflated estimate and call it value-based pricing.
The objection from suppliers
Some peers in the industry think publishing rates undercuts the market. The argument is that if everyone publishes their rates, there’s a race to the bottom — clients shop around, prices get squeezed, the work gets commoditised.
We don’t think this is borne out in practice. The firms that compete primarily on price tend to attract clients who buy on price. The firms that compete on capability and outcomes attract clients who value those things. Publishing pricing doesn’t change the segmentation. It just makes it more visible.
What this means in practice
Three things follow from publishing our rates. First, when you ask us about an engagement, our first answer is usually scope, not price — because the rate is already on the website. Second, our proposals are typically very specific about what’s included and excluded. Third, we don’t negotiate day rates downwards. We’ll happily adjust scope to fit a budget, but the rate stays as published.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you offer fixed-price engagements?
Yes, for most engagements. Day rates are the underlying basis; fixed prices are built from estimated days. See our Schedule of Charges for the model.
Do you offer discounts for larger engagements?
Not on day rate, but larger engagements often allow for more efficient delivery, which reduces the total cost.
Is your pricing the same in Australia?
No — Australian engagements are priced separately in Australian dollars. Our Australian Schedule of Charges will be published when the Australian office launches.
Does pricing differ between divisions?
The day rate is the same across CMB Insight, CMB Amplify, and CMB Core. What differs is the typical engagement shape and length.
