Strategic Pricing in a Changing Bookkeeping Landscape

Pricing continues to be one of the most complex challenges for bookkeeping firms. Many practices still rely on hourly billing even as client expectations, workloads, and technology continue to shift.

In our latest webinar, Strategic Pricing in a Changing Bookkeeping Landscape, XBert’s Cassandra Scott and Alex Allen shared practical ways to use data and automation to reprice clients, align fees to actual delivery, and communicate value more effectively.

In this blog, we cover:

• How to identify when your current pricing model is holding your firm back
• Building a value framework that aligns with your service promise
• Packaging and communicating services for clarity and confidence
• Managing client conversations and objections around pricing
• Leveraging automation and visibility to justify premium pricing
• How XBert supports sustainable, scalable pricing through data and workflow insights

You can now watch this webinar On Demand HERE, or read on for the key things you need to know.

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Recognising When Your Pricing Model No Longer Fits

Bookkeepers are working harder and faster than ever, but many are not seeing the return that reflects their effort. Cassandra opened the session by highlighting the reality of a changing profession.

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“We all know that the bookkeeping landscape is changing, that is our reality.” - Cassandra Scott

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Recognising when your pricing model no longer suits your firm is the first step to improving margins and sustainability.

Example: A practice that had been charging hourly rates found that despite taking on new clients, its monthly profit plateaued. Reviewing scope and delivery data showed that fixed-fee packages linked to outcomes would better reflect their current operations and team capacity.

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"XBert changed the way my practice worked, and I still use it every single day.” - Beth

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This attendee reflection shows how rethinking pricing can transform workflow and long-term business structure.

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Building Pricing Discussions Around Data and Outcomes

Modern pricing must move away from time and towards measurable results.

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“What we want to start to do is actually move our focus away from the time it takes us to do the work to the value and the outcomes that the work that we deliver brings to our clients.” - Cassandra Scott

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Data-driven pricing allows firms to articulate their value through efficiency, insights, and accuracy.

Example: A firm analysed XBert’s task data to understand how automation reduced review hours. They used this evidence to justify shifting from hourly billing to monthly retainers tied to outcomes like “real-time visibility” and “error-free reporting.”

This shift encouraged clients to see value through improvement and results, not time spent.

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Using Reporting to Present Value Confidently

Clients respond to visual proof. Structured reports help guide pricing conversations and show where efficiencies benefit both sides.

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“I want to be able to present this back to my client in a way that is going to drive value for myself and be able to get the price that you deserve off the bat.” - Alex Allen

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When firms use clear reporting to support proposals, clients can see why a particular service costs what it does.

Example: A bookkeeper exported an XBert health check report for a client and walked through how automated alerts had reduced manual fixes by 60 percent. This data justified a revised service offering and improved the client’s trust in the pricing conversation.

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“Not to give a quote, but to charge in 10-hour blocks upfront.” - Nat

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This attendee comment reflects a similar shift toward structure and clarity in pricing communication.

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Spotting Opportunities Through Transaction Trends and Insights

Automation and analytics make it possible to identify changes in client activity before they impact profit. Transactional data can guide ongoing pricing reviews.

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“I love this one, part of both the pre-engagement but also the repricing conversation as well, because it compares clients per transactional volume.” - Cassandra Scott

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Regularly tracking transaction trends reveals when a client’s workload increases and whether fees still match delivery.

Example: A firm used XBert to monitor monthly transaction volumes. When one client’s volume jumped by 35 percent, the system flagged the trend early, prompting an out-of-cycle pricing review instead of waiting until renewal.

By linking data directly to scope, practices can maintain fair, transparent pricing and reduce surprise rework.

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Making Pricing Strategic and Sustainable

Pricing should not be an annual afterthought but an active part of firm management.

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“Step into a pricing review conversation earlier than annually.”  

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"By using XBert to assist with pricing conversations based on actual data, not gut or wild guesses, it actually just gives you leverage.” - Cassandra Scott

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Data-driven reviews ensure pricing keeps pace with the evolving scope of work and supports both profitability and consistency.

Example: One practice set up a quarterly review process using XBert’s workload analytics. This revealed which clients were most profitable and which were draining resources, allowing the firm to adjust packages with confidence rather than guesswork.

Proactive reviews help teams stay in control of capacity and margins all year.

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Choosing Clients and Pricing Models That Match Your Goals

Choosing clients that value your work ensures long-term sustainability and better team morale.

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“If you've got clients like that, are they the clients that your team wants to keep, and are they clients that you want to keep?

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“There is far more work out there than people to do it, so we've got the ability to be smarter about the clients that we engage with and more strategic about the pricing.” - Cassandra Scott

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Example: A firm analysed which clients consistently resisted fee adjustments and consumed the most support hours. By choosing to release two unprofitable accounts, they freed capacity for clients aligned with their advisory focus and increased overall revenue within two months.

Pricing strategically means protecting both profit and team well-being.

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Why You Should Adopt This Approach

Pricing is not just a financial decision; it is a strategy that defines your firm’s future. Shifting to data-driven, outcome-based pricing gives you control, clarity, and confidence. 

It creates fairness and transparency while allowing you to grow sustainably with clients who understand and value your work.

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