Читать книгу Value-Based Fees - Alan Weiss - Страница 13

The concept of value is not, therefore, vested in your physical presence, physical work, or even being in view. Value is a function of the worth I place on a product, service, or relationship. Value may be, like beauty, in the eye of the beholder—a season ticket to a 49ers game might thrill one person but cause someone else to say, “Is that on Xbox?” or “What's a 49er?”³

Value can be tangible:

 Increased income

 Larger market share

 More referrals

 Lower cost of new client acquisition

Value can be intangible:

 Improved aesthetics

 A feeling of security

 Greater safety

 More freedom

Some value is society- or community-related, creating normative pressures to appreciate it:

 Better roads

 Faster internet

 More access to quality health care

 Better schools

Some is intensely personal:

 More intimacy with my partner

 Better cooking skills

 Ability to speak a second language fluently

 More respect from colleagues

Value pertains to the importance of something, and is measured in worth, often expressed in equitable compensation. Given the diverse factors noted above, some people see value as a bargain (“I purchased this fine wine for 25 percent below retail prices”) and some as justification for major investment (“The painting is worth $5 million on the market at the moment”). What is the worth of a great vacation or entertainment experience. Those with a scarcity mentality might buy cut-rate tickets to the theater and tolerate obstructed views, while those with an abundance mentality might pay 200 percent of face value to secure house seats.

But note that these are all experiences of one kind or another. A personal guide in Pompeii has to be with you if you're on a walking tour, and is much more valuable than an audio guide as you wander around. (You can't ask questions of an audio guide.) However, the person selling you the house seats needn't accompany you to the theater or even talk to you; it can all be done on the computer.

Alanism: Charging by the hour or any other time unit for professional services isn’t merely amateurish, it’s unethical.

Whether we are present (e.g., interviewing people and holding focus groups at a client's site) or not (e.g., advising by e-mail, phone, or Zoom), our value is in the results of our project and advice, not in terms of whether we are present or not, in reality or virtually. This book is of value to you, but I'm not reading it to you and you're not paying by the page.

Our clients are best served by quick, accurate resolutions to their issues. But if we charge by the day, for example, we make the most money by staying as long as we can. That is an ethical conflict. Moreover, the client shouldn't have to make an investment decision each time the client feels we may be needed. And our presence is often disruptive, distracting, and costs still more because of travel and lodging needs.

Many professional services began charging by the hour (lawyers still tend to bill in six-minute increments) and have never changed: accounts, designers, attorneys, architects, consultants, coaches, and so forth. However, the smarter ones evolved to understand the concept of their value, not merely their time. What is the value of legal services for a successful acquisition, or an amicable divorce? How valuable are accounting services that proactively can reduce your taxes or arrange for interest-free loans under certain circumstances?