Zilliant Survey: Executives Are Adjusting Prices More Than Ever but Losing Control of the Outcomes

Why It Matters

The disconnect between aggressive price changes and customer loss threatens revenue stability, prompting CEOs and CFOs to prioritize pricing governance over speed.

Key Takeaways

• 99% of firms changed prices; 43% raised them 11‑20%
• 62% lost 6‑10% of customers directly from pricing changes
• Only 50% confident in margin impact visibility
• AI pricing tools used by just 23% of respondents

Pulse Analysis

The Zilliant survey arrives at a moment when macro‑economic volatility forces manufacturers and distributors to abandon traditional annual price reviews in favor of near‑real‑time adjustments. While 99% of respondents say they have altered pricing, the rapid cadence—often within a 1‑3‑month window—has introduced a new source of churn. Customers, accustomed to stable contracts, react negatively when price signals shift frequently, leading 62% of firms to lose between six and ten percent of their client base. This erosion of loyalty can outweigh any incremental margin gains from short‑term price hikes.

Underlying the churn is a governance deficit. Executives report only 50% confidence in their ability to see how pricing moves affect margins, a symptom of fragmented systems and siloed decision‑making. Even as 23% of firms experiment with AI‑enabled pricing platforms, most still rely on spreadsheets or legacy tools, which accelerate decisions without delivering the analytical rigor needed for control. The result is a paradox: faster pricing actions, but weaker oversight, fueling price wars, inconsistent discounting, and unauthorized overrides that collectively bleed profitability.

For leaders in manufacturing and distribution, the path forward lies in treating pricing as a unified, governed system rather than an ad‑hoc lever. Consolidating data into a single source of truth, aligning cross‑functional strategies, and embedding robust governance can transform pricing from a reactive cost center into a strategic profit engine. Companies that invest in integrated pricing solutions and disciplined processes are likely to recoup lost customers, stabilize margins, and position themselves for sustainable growth in an increasingly volatile market.