How do we avoid situations where our chosen pricing metric makes some customers feel they’re overpaying relative to the value they get? (For example, if light users pay the same as heavy users under a flat fee, or vice versa.)

Based on Price to Scale, the key to avoiding customer pushback when a pricing metric might feel mismatched is to carefully align your metric with the value that different types of users receive. Here are some actionable steps drawn from our pricing strategy book:

• Identify and test value metrics: Before locking in on a specific pricing model, measure how customers use your product. In our book, we emphasize the importance of picking metrics that are both predictable and trackable. Assessing usage patterns across your customer base helps reveal if a flat-rate model will unfairly burden one group (e.g., light users) compared to another (e.g., heavy users).

• Ensure customer acceptability: A central question we address is whether the chosen metric feels logical to potential buyers. For instance, if a flat fee makes light users feel they’re overpaying, you might consider a hybrid model—a base fee combined with a usage-based element—so that pricing better reflects the value each customer receives.

• Segment and tier your offerings: Rather than using a one-size-fits-all approach, consider segmenting your pricing. Different tiers or plans can be designed to match varying customer needs, ensuring that cost correlates more closely with usage, which reduces the perception of overpayment among lighter users.

• Iterate based on feedback: Our book suggests collecting unprompted feedback, conducting surveys, or using pilot programs to validate whether customers understand and accept the pricing metric. This practical testing helps refine the metric before wider implementation.

In summary, to avoid the situation where some customers feel they’re overpaying, ensure that your pricing metric is directly tied to the value delivered. By carefully choosing metrics that are predictable, acceptable, and trackable—and by considering tiered or hybrid pricing models—you can better align cost with customer usage and value. For more details, you might want to refer to the sections in our Price to Scale that focus on “Identifying the Right Value Metric” and “Is it Acceptable to customers.”