Most automation projects fail before a line of code is written - they fail at scoping, because nobody put a number on the problem. Here is the arithmetic we run with clients at Baydot before building anything.
The three numbers that matter
- Hours saved: (minutes per task × tasks per month × loaded hourly cost). A 10-minute task done 300 times a month at $40/hr is $2,000/month. That is the ceiling of what the automation is worth.
- Error cost: what does one mistake cost when a human does this tired on a Friday? Missed leads, wrong invoices, compliance slips. Automations do not get tired.
- Response-time value: for anything customer-facing, speed converts. A lead answered in 5 minutes closes at a multiple of one answered next morning.
Then subtract the honest costs
- Build cost (one-time) and a realistic maintenance line - every automation needs one.
- API and tooling fees per month.
- The exception path: the 5–10% of cases that still need a human, forever.
The decision rule
If monthly value minus monthly cost pays back the build in under 6 months, build it. Between 6 and 12 months, build the smallest version first. Beyond 12 months - do not build it yet; fix the process manually until the volume justifies it. We tell clients this to their face, and it is why they come back: 71% of our contracts are repeat business.
Want the arithmetic done for your workflow? Our ROI calculator runs this exact model in two minutes.
Want this math done for your workflow?
Baydot scopes automations ROI-first. We will tell you honestly if the numbers say don't build - and ship fast when they say build.
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