Standardise the core
Start with one service that has a recurring problem, outcome and delivery pattern. Mark what is always included, optional, custom and excluded.
- Select one service
- Record the common problem
- Define the standard core
- Price options and boundaries
- Test the next proposal
Find the repeatable part of the service
Compare several completed jobs of the same kind. Identify the buyer's starting situation, the promised output and the steps that genuinely repeat. Look at actual delivery work, not just the proposal wording. If every job needs a different diagnosis, a defined discovery service may be a better first product than a fixed delivery package.
Separate the standard core from optional work, bespoke work and exclusions. Standardisation should make the promise easier to understand; it should not conceal complexity that the delivery team will still have to absorb.
Illustrative example: package the review, not an unlimited outcome
A consultancy could define a process review around a named workflow, specified source material and a documented recommendation. That is clearer than promising to 'fix operations' for a single fee. Implementation, additional teams and ongoing support can be separate decisions if they are not part of the core.
Explain the input the customer must provide and the point at which the work is complete. A fixed package without an acceptance point can still become unlimited work. Have another person read the offer and describe what they think they would receive; disagreements reveal weak boundaries.
Pilot the offer before standardising every service
Use the next suitable proposal to test the defined scope. Record objections, requested exceptions and actual delivery effort. If an exception recurs, decide whether it belongs in the core, needs a priced option or means the offer targets the wrong starting situation.
Do not assume a simpler offer must be cheaper. Check the cost and capacity implications separately. Keep room for expertise where judgement is necessary, and state when the standard package is unsuitable. A clear refusal can protect both the customer and the delivery team.