The cost and payback of AI automation: how to do the maths before you start

The first question is almost always the same: what does it cost. The honest answer is that it depends on the process — but the structure is always the same, and you can work it out before signing anything.

What the price is made of

The cost has three distinct parts, worth assessing separately.

• ✦Implementation — process analysis, connecting the systems, testing. One-off work that depends on the number of integrations.
• ✦Maintenance — monitoring, fixes and changes when the process changes. This monthly part usually decides whether the solution is still alive six months later.
• ✦Model and tool usage — the fee for processed text plus subscriptions. It depends on volume and is usually the smallest part.

• Our plans and pricing →

Hidden costs worth knowing about up front

Projects get expensive because of the mess around the technology, not the technology itself. The usual causes: untidy data, an undocumented process, employees involved too late and requirements that keep changing mid-build.

That is why the first stage is always describing the process. It looks like paperwork, but it decides whether the automation works.

A simple payback calculation

Use four numbers: how many times the process runs per month, how many minutes it takes, what an hour of work costs and what share of it the system takes over.

Example: 200 customer enquiries a month × 12 minutes = 40 hours. At €15 an hour, the process costs €600 a month. Automating 60% of the work saves about €360 a month. Against a €250/month solution, the net result is roughly €110 a month plus a faster reply to the customer.

This example is illustrative — real numbers depend on your process. Collecting them is exactly what the consultation is for.

What else to count besides saved hours

Time is the easiest thing to measure, but often not the biggest effect.

• ✦Faster replies — more enquiries won, especially when the customer writes to several suppliers at once.
• ✦Fewer mistakes — fewer refunds, less rework and fewer awkward conversations.
• ✦Capacity to grow without hiring — the same team serves more customers.
• ✦Clean data — decisions made from reports rather than gut feeling.

When to postpone

If the process runs less than a few times a week, differs every time or is still being designed, postpone automation. A stable process first, automation second.

• Which processes to automate first →
• Common questions about price and timelines →
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