Ron Baker really hates the billable hour. I mean really, really, really hates it. And you can throw in timesheets, too, while you're at it. It all started after he left his job at Peat, Marwick, Mitchell & Co. to start his own firm and realized how annoying it was for his clients to be billed this way. He immediately started value pricing and hasn't looked back since, having written several books and coached many other firm owners to do the same. And, oh yeah, he's a pretty decent golfer who loves to travel.
In this episode, we talk about how professionals aren't paid for tasks but rather are paid for outcomes. Unfortunately, many professional services firms have a vision that's too narrow and utilitarian, which creates an anti-innovation culture that is slow moving and measuring the wrong metrics. As Ron said, "We don't build relationships by being efficient!"