Measuring Support Automation ROI

Implementing support automation is an investment. Here’s how to prove its value to stakeholders.

Key Metrics to Track

1. Ticket Deflection Rate

Formula: (Automated resolutions / Total tickets) × 100

A good deflection rate is 60-80% for routine queries.

2. Average Handle Time (AHT)

Track how long it takes to resolve tickets before and after automation.

Target: 30-50% reduction in AHT

3. Cost Per Ticket

Formula: Total support costs / Number of tickets

Include:

• Agent salaries
• Software costs
• Training expenses

4. Customer Satisfaction (CSAT)

Survey customers after interactions. Automation should maintain or improve CSAT.

Target: CSAT ≥ 85%

Calculating ROI

Step 1: Calculate Costs

• Guiaria subscription: $X/month
• Implementation time: Y hours × hourly rate
• Training: Z hours × hourly rate

Total Cost = $X + (Y × rate) + (Z × rate)

Step 2: Calculate Savings

• Tickets deflected: 1,000/month
• Cost per ticket (manual): $5
• Monthly savings: 1,000 × $5 = $5,000

Step 3: Calculate ROI

ROI = (Monthly Savings - Monthly Cost) / Monthly Cost × 100

Example:

• Monthly savings: $5,000
• Monthly cost: $500
• ROI: ($5,000 - $500) / $500 × 100 = 900%

Beyond the Numbers

Don’t forget qualitative benefits:

• Agent satisfaction: Less burnout from repetitive tasks
• Scalability: Handle growth without proportional hiring
• 24/7 availability: Support customers in any timezone

Reporting to Stakeholders

Create a monthly dashboard showing:

1. Tickets automated vs. manual
2. Cost savings
3. CSAT trends
4. Agent productivity gains

Make the business case clear and data-driven.