The price is right...
Or is it?

This fast-paced, competitive and highly engaging virtual game enables participants to discover the importance of differentiation, the risks of dealing in discounts, how to understand market demand and, ultimately, how to price for profit!

How does it work

Participants work and compete in teams, assuming the role of a commercial team in a manufacturing business. In each game cycle they are presented with a series of live customer orders they can make bids on. Initially, they can only compete against others on price but as the game progresses teams can invest in differentiators which may enable them to be more targeted in customer bids – and to make more profit as a result. By completing P&L statements and reflections after each round, participants quickly connect their decisions to results, and gain insights to help them back at work.

Key outcomes

• Effective pricing and differentiation strategies
• Understanding the risks of dealing in discounts and a "race to the bottom"
• Understanding cost base, market features, customer requirements and competitor strategies
• Understanding Income /Profit and Loss statements
• Recalling the connection (and differences) between sales and profit

Business Benefit

• Increased profitability through better decision-making and increased commercial acumen
• Greater alignment and empathy between marketing, sales and finance.

Companies who are playing this game

• Cotecna
• LeSaffre
• Trust Payments
• Cargill

Who is it for

Sales and commercial teams; pricing professionals; cross-functional teams; new starters and high potentials

Guide price

£65

per participant
per hour

Game Modules

The experience has 2 core learning modules experienced across 4 game rounds with increasing complexity. In Round 1, teams can only compete on price. By Round 4, teams have been able to invest in differentiators to enable them to win profitable business - if they target the right customers!

Module 1

Dealing in
discount

Topics & Tasks
1) Introducing the "race to the bottom"
2) Introducing the Income/P&L statement
3) The connection between sales and profit

Key Learning
Articulate why competing on price alone is self-defeating

Module 2

Value-based
Pricing

Topics & Tasks
1) Setting a pricing strategy
2) Investing in differentiators
3) Understanding customers and competitors

Key Learning
Understand why differentiation is critical to sustained competitive advantages - and profit!

Feedback

This is what participants have to say about this game

Ahmed Moustafa Taha

LeSaffre

"I now have a new understanding of pricing and how to sell based on value!"

Jorge Ternerio

Cargill

“What a great experience. I can’t wait to put everything into practice!”

Stuart Baker

SIG

"My training team have witnessed some significant ‘light bulb’ moments that are now having a positive effect on our business."

Who it involves

Normally between 12 to 24 participants in each session (but this is flexible), competing in smaller teams against each other.

They are led at all times by a facilitator either from PBS or the client.

How long it lasts

Most games are 2-8 hours. Some classroom courses last up to 4 days. We tend to avoid playing online for more than half a day in one go.

There is normally some brief pre-work for participants to complete and we suggest a short follow-up workshop to embed the learning.

Where it happens

Almost all of our games can be played face-to-face, virtually or a combination of both.

Increasingly, we are seeing demand for digital games to be played face-to-face in the classroom.

The price is right...Or is it?