Why Calculate ROI Before Investing
Too many AI projects start with enthusiasm and end as dead-end POCs. The question is not 'is AI interesting?' but 'how much does it bring me, at what cost?' Without this quantified answer, there is no rational decision—there is only a gamble.
The 4 Gain Categories to Quantify
- Time saved: hours freed × loaded hourly cost (data entry, follow-ups, reporting, time tracking).
- Cash flow released: days of DSO saved × daily revenue.
- Errors avoided: current error rate × volume × unit cost of an error (VAT, duplicate, delay).
- Identified margin: up-sell/cross-sell opportunities and waste reduction detected by AI.
The 3 Cost Categories to Account For
- License and subscription (monthly or annual).
- Integration and deployment (one-shot, amortized over 3 years).
- Training and change management (one-shot).
The ROI Formula
ROI = (Annual gains − Annual costs) / Annual costs × 100. A profitable AI project generally achieves an ROI > 100% in less than 12 months. Our clients observe an average ROI of 200 to 400% over 12 months, with a break-even point in 3 to 6 months.
Quantified Example: An Accounting Firm of 8 Employees
- Time gain: 10h/week × 80 CHF × 46 weeks = 36,800 CHF/year.
- Error gain: 20 errors/year avoided × 200 CHF = 4,000 CHF/year.
- Margin gain: 2 additional mandates absorbed = 20,000 CHF/year in additional revenue.
- Cost: 18,000 CHF/year (license + amortized integration).
- Year 1 ROI: (60,800 − 18,000) / 18,000 × 100 = 238%.
Our Recommendation
Before any investment, demand a quantified ROI calculation personalized to your company. A serious provider will offer this for free. At Mediasoft, it is systematic: no recommendation without figures, no project without a predictable ROI.
