How to Calculate the ROI of Using AI Voice Assistants vs. Human Call Center Agents

In today’s fast-evolving business landscape, organizations are rethinking how they manage customer support operations. AI Voice Assistants have emerged as a revolutionary alternative to traditional human call center agents, offering round-the-clock availability, unmatched scalability, and significant cost savings. But how can you accurately measure their Return on Investment (ROI) while accounting for both direct and hidden costs? Let’s break it down step by step.

Step 1: Key Limitations of Human Call Center Agents

While human agents bring empathy and a personal touch to customer interactions, they also come with operational constraints and higher costs:

1. Working Hours: Human agents typically work 6 effective hours per day due to mandatory breaks and fatigue, while AI Voice Assistants can operate 8 uninterrupted hours a day or even 24/7 without downtime.

   
   

2. Number of Working Days: Human agents work around 22 days a month (264 days annually), whereas AI can handle calls 365 days a year, significantly increasing availability and capacity.

   
   

3. Operational Costs:

   
   

   • Salaries and Benefits: Fixed monthly salaries, bonuses, and healthcare costs.

     
     

   • Training Costs: Expenses for onboarding, ongoing skill upgrades, and product knowledge sessions.

     
     

   • Office Space and Infrastructure: Costs for office rent, furniture, utilities, telephony systems, and software licenses.

     
     

   • Supervisory Costs: Additional expenses for supervisors and managers to oversee agent performance.

     
     

   • Idle Time and Attrition: Unproductive hours during low call volumes and costs associated with employee turnover.

     
     

Step 2: The Cost Structure of AI Voice Assistants

AI Voice Assistants bring a simplified and scalable cost structure:

1. Setup Costs: One-time costs to configure the system and integrate with existing platforms.

   
   

2. Usage-Based Pricing: Charges calculated per minute of call handling (e.g., $0.03–$0.05 per minute).

   
   

3. No Additional Overheads:

   
   

   • No office space, infrastructure, or supervisory staff required.

     
     

   • No training costs, as AI continually learns from its data.

     
     

4. Scalability: AI can handle spikes in call volume without requiring additional resources.

   
   

Step 3: A Realistic Call Handling Comparison

Let’s compare the operational capabilities of human agents and AI Voice Assistants:

Key Insight: An AI agent can handle 30–40% more calls annually than a human agent, making it a highly efficient solution for businesses with high call volumes.

Video: Nova Voice Assistant by OptivaAI

Step 4: Qualitative Benefits of AI Voice Assistants

Beyond efficiency and scalability, AI Voice Assistants deliver value in areas that are difficult to quantify:

1. 24/7 Availability: Serve customers anytime, anywhere without interruptions or delays.

   
   

2. Faster Resolution: AI reduces average handling time, minimizing customer frustration.

   
   

3. Consistent Quality: AI delivers error-free responses and never has a “bad day.”

   
   

4. Multilingual Support: Engage customers in their preferred language, expanding your global reach.

   
   

5. Cost Savings Beyond Salaries:

   
   

   • Eliminate training, infrastructure, and supervisory costs.

     
     

   • Reduce customer churn with faster, high-quality service.

     
     

Step 5: ROI of Using AI Voice Assistants – A Practical Example

For calculating ROI of Using AI Voice Assistants, for a business handling 100,000 calls/month, let’s compare the costs of human agents and AI Voice Assistants:

Human Agent Costs:

• Number of Agents Required: 42 agents (based on 6 effective working hours/day, 264 days/year).

  
  

• Monthly Salaries: $3,000/agent x 42 = $126,000.

  
  

• Supervisory Staff Costs: 5 supervisors at $5,000 each = $25,000.

  
  

• Office Space and Other Overheads: $50,000.

  
  

• Total Monthly Cost: $201,000.

  
  

AI Voice Assistant Costs:

• Setup Cost: $5,000 (one-time, amortized over 12 months = $417/month).

  
  

• Usage Cost: $0.05/minute x 500,000 minutes (5 min/call) = $25,000.

  
  

• Total Monthly Cost: $25,417.

  
  

Cost Savings:

• Monthly Savings: $201,000 - $25,417 = $175,583.

  
  

• Annual Savings: $175,583 x 12 = $2.11 million.

  
  

Efficiency Gains:

• Human Agents: 42 agents are required to handle 100,000 calls/month.

  
  

• AI Voice Assistants: Only 35 AI agents are needed due to faster resolution times and the ability to work 8 hours/day.

  
  

Key Takeaways:

1. Cost Savings per 100,000 Calls:

   
   

   • Human Agents: $201,000.

     
     

   • AI Voice Assistants: $25,417.

     
     

   • Savings: $175,583 (87% reduction in costs).

     
     

2. Annual Cost Savings:

   
   

   • $2.11 million for 1.2 million calls annually.

     
     

3. Agents Required:

   
   

   • Human: 42 agents.

     
     

   • AI: 35 AI agents.

     
     

Step 6: Use Cases Across Industries

AI Voice Assistants cater to various industries with specific use cases:

1. E-commerce: Manage order queries, returns, and delivery status updates.

   
   

2. Telecom: Address billing issues, plan upgrades, and troubleshooting.

   
   

3. Healthcare: Schedule appointments, follow-ups, and provide health information.

   
   

4. BFSI: Process loan applications, resolve payment issues, and detect fraud.

   
   

5. Hospitality: Handle reservations, cancellations, and concierge services.

   
   

Step 7: Overcoming Challenges

While AI Voice Assistants offer incredible benefits, businesses should also be mindful of challenges:

1. Initial Setup Costs: While lower than human costs in the long run, upfront investments can be a hurdle.

   
   

2. Integration: Ensuring smooth compatibility with existing systems.

   
   

3. Customer Adaptation: Some customers may prefer human interactions for complex queries.

   
   

OptivaAI offers off-the-shelf solutions that are easy to integrate with just a small code snippet, minimizing setup challenges. For unique needs, we also provide custom-built solutions tailored to your business requirements.

Step 8: Coming Soon – ROI Calculator

Excited to see how much you can save? OptivaAI’s ROI Calculator will soon be live on our website, allowing you to input your specific data and get a detailed, personalized cost-benefit analysis. Stay tuned!

Conclusion

AI Voice Assistants are not just a cost-saving tool—they’re a strategic investment in enhancing customer experience, streamlining operations, and scaling your business. By understanding their ROI in both quantitative and qualitative terms, businesses can make informed decisions to stay ahead in today’s competitive landscape.

💡 Ready to explore the benefits of AI for your business? Visit OptivaAI.com today or schedule a demo!