Before investing in any automation project, you should be able to calculate the expected ROI with reasonable confidence. Here’s the framework we use with every client:
Step 1: Identify the Time Cost
For each workflow you’re considering automating:
- How many minutes does this task take per occurrence?
- How many times does it happen per month?
- What’s the hourly cost of the person doing it?
Example: Lead follow-up = 8 min per lead × 200 leads/month × $25/hour employee = $666/month in labor
Step 2: Calculate Revenue Impact
For revenue-critical workflows:
- How many leads currently go uncontacted or contacted too slowly?
- What’s your average deal value?
- What % improvement in speed-to-contact would you expect from automation?
Example: 20 leads/month lost due to slow follow-up × $1,500 average deal × 40% recovery rate = $12,000/month in recovered revenue
Step 3: Total ROI
Add labor savings + revenue recovery. Subtract automation setup and management cost. Divide by setup cost for ROI %.
Most of our clients see 400-800% first-year ROI on automation investment.
Let us do this calculation for your specific workflows — free.