The retainer was scoped at eight hours. It’s running at fourteen.

Scope drift is the only form of price erosion that never shows up in the price, which is exactly why it survives so long.

By Steve 5 min read
Abstract bridge artwork for The retainer was scoped at eight hours. It’s running at fourteen.

A discount is loud. Someone has to ask for it, someone has to approve it, and it lands in the invoice where finance can see it. Scope drift is silent. The invoice stays at £1,600 a month. The work quietly becomes fourteen hours instead of eight. Nobody decided anything, nobody signed anything, and the realised price has fallen by more than 40% without a single conversation about price. This is the most under-diagnosed margin problem in recurring service businesses, and it survives because every system in the business is looking…

Keep reading for free

Create an account to read the rest.

The whole library is free. No card, no subscription, no trial that quietly ends. An account simply lets us know who we are writing for, and opens every article from here on.

  • Every article, in full, at no cost
  • New articles published every weekday
  • Takes about twenty seconds
Create a free account I already have one

Free means free. We will not charge you for the library, and you can read as much of it as you like.

Important: General information only. Rialto Bridge articles describe patterns and considerations that may apply to a business; they are not financial, legal, tax or accounting advice, and they take no account of your particular circumstances. Consider your own situation and seek advice from a qualified professional before acting.

More on Pricing

Scroll to Top