Calculating ROI
Executives want numbers. This lesson gives you a framework to calculate and present the ROI of AI support.
The ROI Formula
ROI = (Value Generated - Total Cost) / Total Cost x 100
Calculating Total Cost
Direct Costs:
- Corebee subscription: Your monthly plan cost
- Implementation time: Hours spent on setup x hourly rate
- Knowledge base creation: Hours spent creating content x hourly rate
- Ongoing maintenance: Monthly hours x hourly rate
Example:
| Cost Item | Monthly |
|---|---|
| Corebee Pro subscription | $99 |
| Maintenance (4 hrs x $40/hr) | $160 |
| Total monthly cost | $259 |
Calculating Value Generated
Cost Savings (the easy win):
Monthly tickets before AI: 2,000
Resolution rate with AI: 65%
Tickets deflected: 1,300
Cost per human ticket: $10 (see [support cost calculator](/tools/support-cost-calculator))
Monthly savings: $13,000
Agent Productivity Gains: With AI copilot, agents handle tickets 35% faster.
Agent hours saved per month: 85 hours
Agent hourly cost: $25
Monthly value: $2,125
Retention Impact: If AI support reduces churn by 2% (Source: Forrester):
Customers: 500
Monthly revenue per customer: $50
Churn reduction: 2% (10 customers retained)
Monthly retention value: $500
Complete ROI Calculation
Monthly value: $13,000 + $2,125 + $500 = $15,625
Monthly cost: $259
Monthly ROI: ($15,625 - $259) / $259 x 100 = 5,932%
Annual net value: $184,392
Building Your ROI Model
Create a spreadsheet with these tabs:
- Costs — All direct and indirect costs
- Savings — Ticket deflection and cost reduction
- Productivity — Agent time savings
- Revenue — Retention, upsell, and conversion impact
- Summary — Net value and ROI percentage
Presenting to Stakeholders
Frame the conversation around:
- Before vs. After — Clear comparison of pre-AI and post-AI metrics
- Payback period — How quickly the investment pays for itself (usually under 30 days)
- Scaling projection — As ticket volume grows, AI savings grow proportionally while costs stay flat
Updating Your Model
Revisit monthly with actual data. Replace estimates with real numbers as they become available. This builds credibility.
Next up: Scaling your AI support operations as your business grows.