Pricing transformation doesn’t stop at implementation. It stops when results can’t be measured. Yet only 9% of companies clearly track ROI from pricing initiatives. Let’s break down why ROI remains elusive and how leading organizations are building measurement into pricing from day one.
Pricing transformation doesn’t end at go-live. Systems can be implemented, workflows redesigned, and automation rolled out. Yet, one critical question often lingers unanswered: Is it actually working?
According to the 2025 Pricing, Selling, and Profit Optimization Report, most organizations are still struggling to answer that question with confidence. While adoption of pricing-related technologies is rising, only 9% of surveyed companies report clear, measurable ROI from their pricing initiatives. Another 52% say they’re seeing partial results, and the rest are still trying to connect effort to impact.
That gap between activity and insight is where many pricing transformations lose momentum.
Adoption Is Rising, but ROI Remains Elusive
There’s no shortage of investment in pricing and commercial technology. The report shows:
- 56% of companies have implemented ERP or CRM systems
- 40% have automated parts of their workflows
- 20% are already using predictive analytics in pricing
On the surface, this looks like progress. And it is. But technology adoption alone doesn’t guarantee results. Too often, systems operate in silos, and performance gains aren’t tied back to strategic goals.
Margin improvements go uncaptured. Faster quotes don’t translate into clearer forecasts. Rebate spend grows, but ROI remains unproven. Without the right measurement framework, pricing success becomes anecdotal rather than actionable.
As Dan Cakora, Business Consultant at Vendavo, explains:
Proving ROI on pricing initiatives is tricky. Success comes from across the business, including sales, pricing, operations, and marketing. What’s missing is tactical measurement. What was the value of using pricing guidance compared to sitting on the couch with slow, manual processes?”
That’s the challenge most organizations face: knowing value exists, but lacking the tools and KPIs to prove it.
Why Predictive Analytics Changes the Equation
One of the clearest signals in the data comes from predictive analytics. Companies using predictive tools in pricing are twice as likely to report ROI compared to those that don’t.
Why? Because predictive analytics connects pricing decisions to outcomes. Instead of looking backward at what happened, teams can anticipate what will happen and act accordingly.
Organizations using predictive analytics report stronger results across:
- Revenue per customer
- Margin growth
- Churn reduction
But adoption is still limited. Predictive analytics remains underused, not because the value is unclear, but because many teams struggle to operationalize insights within real workflows. Dashboards exist, but decisions don’t change.
The differentiator isn’t access to analytics. It’s the ability to turn insights into action.
Metrics Are Improving, but Still Fragmented
There are encouraging signs. The report shows that pricing teams are beginning to track more meaningful KPIs:
- 32% track operational efficiency
- 28% monitor margin lift
- 23% track revenue per customer
- 22% measure churn
These metrics represent a shift toward data-driven decision-making. But the picture remains incomplete. Many organizations track metrics in isolation, without connecting them to pricing systems or workflows.
As a result, improvements in quoting accuracy or forecast reliability often aren’t attributed back to pricing initiatives, making it difficult to justify further investment or scale successful programs.
The opportunity now is to build end-to-end measurement models that span the full pricing lifecycle from setup and execution to settlement and performance review.
Turning Data into Strategy
High-performing organizations treat measurement as a discipline, not a report. They select KPIs based on strategic relevance, assign ownership, and review results cross-functionally.
Dashboards become accountability tools, not static scorecards. Data informs decisions about pricing strategy, sales execution, and investment priorities. And pricing teams evolve from tactical support functions into strategic partners to the business.
The report highlights this shift clearly: mature organizations measure better. They focus on what drives impact, not just what’s easiest to track.
This is what separates activity from outcome.
Real-World Proof: Dell and TruckPro
The report brings measurement to life through two compelling examples.
Dell, a global technology leader, uses automation to generate 90% of quotes within four hours, with 75% requiring no pricing approval at all. That level of speed and consistency doesn’t happen without clear KPIs, strong governance, and pricing tools embedded directly into workflows.
Similarly, TruckPro, a leading distributor of aftermarket heavy-duty truck parts, captured $3.7 million in cross-sell revenue just four months after go-live. Perhaps more telling: 85% user adoption.
That adoption rate is a signal of alignment. Tools that fit the process get used. And when they’re used consistently, performance becomes measurable and repeatable.
As Dan Cakora notes:
AI and predictive analytics only add value when they’re built into real workflows. Start with a clear use case, solve a real commercial problem, and build from there.”
Building ROI into Pricing from Day One
The biggest lesson from the 2025 Pricing, Selling, and Profit Optimization Report is that ROI shouldn’t be an afterthought. Measuring success after implementation is too late. The most effective pricing organizations build ROI into the process from the start.
The report outlines four essential actions:
1. Measure what matters, and start early
Define success before implementation. Anchor initiatives to KPIs like margin lift, quote conversion, cycle-time reduction, or rebate ROI.
2. Make analytics actionable, not ornamental
Predictive insights should guide real decisions not just populate dashboards. Tie analytics to workflows that sales and pricing teams actually use.
3. Link ownership to outcomes
KPIs need clear accountability. Pricing should own performance measurement, with finance and sales involved in regular reviews.
4. Build tools around KPIs
Dashboards should enable action. When tools are designed around what matters most, insights turn into impact.
These steps improve reporting and change behavior.
Why Measurement Is the Final Maturity Test
Pricing maturity isn’t defined by the number of tools deployed. It’s defined by clarity on performance, ownership, and outcomes.
Organizations that measure what matters gain the ability to course-correct quickly, invest with confidence, and continuously improve pricing strategy. Those that don’t risk stalling out, unsure whether their transformation delivered real value.
The data is clear: When pricing metrics are tied to strategy, pricing becomes a competitive advantage rather than an operational necessity.
From Uncertainty to Confidence
The future of pricing belongs to organizations that treat measurement as a core capability. They don’t wait for ROI to appear. They design for it.
By embedding KPIs into workflows, operationalizing predictive analytics, and aligning teams around shared outcomes, pricing leaders can move beyond guesswork and into sustained, profitable growth.
Measuring what matters isn’t the final step in pricing transformation. It’s the foundation that makes everything else work.
Read the full 2025 Pricing, Selling, and Profit Optimization Report to see how leading manufacturers and distributors are building measurable, scalable pricing strategies that deliver real ROI.