The Real Cost of Manual Work
Before calculating ROI, you need to understand what manual work actually costs. It's not just salary — it's errors, delays, missed opportunities, and employee burnout.
A Simple ROI Framework
Here's how we help clients calculate automation ROI:
- Time saved: Hours per week × hourly cost × 52 weeks
- Errors eliminated: Cost of corrections, refunds, or lost customers
- Speed improvement: Revenue gained from faster responses/processing
- Scalability: Growth capacity without adding headcount
Real Numbers
A typical automation project that saves 10 hours per week at $25/hour equals $13,000/year in direct labor savings alone. Factor in error reduction and speed improvements, and the ROI often exceeds 300% in the first year.
Where to Start
Look for tasks that are: done frequently, follow consistent rules, involve moving data between systems, and are prone to human error. These are your highest-ROI automation candidates.