Pilot vs. Full Deployment: Why You Should Start Small

The Implementation Approach Question 

Should you implement AI agents across all exceptions immediately or start with limited pilot? Understanding pilot benefits and when each approach makes sense prevents both excessive caution and reckless deployment. 

Pilot Approach 

Scope: Single exception process, 90 days, 30-50 exceptions monthly minimum  

Investment: $16,000-$27,000  

Risk: Limited to pilot investment  

Timeline: 3 months to decision point 

Benefits: 

• Proves concept with limited risk 

• Builds staff confidence 

• Tests vendor performance 

• Validates ROI assumptions 

• Exit option if doesn't work 

Full Deployment Approach 

Scope: All exception types, full customer base  

Investment: $35,000-$50,000  

Risk: Full investment before proof  

Timeline: 8-12 weeks to production 

Benefits: 

• Faster to full value 

• Lower per-exception cost 

• No phased complexity 

• Immediate scale 

Pilot Success Rate 

60-70% expand successfully 20-30% refine and continue 5-10% exit and return to manual 

When to Pilot 

First automation initiative - No prior experience  

Budget limited - Prefer staged investment  

Staff skeptical - Need proof before buy-in  

Process complexity uncertain - Validate AI capability  

Vendor unproven - Test performance before commitment 

When to Deploy Fully 

Proven use case - Similar implementations successful  

Urgency high - Need results quickly  

Budget sufficient - Can absorb full investment  

Confident in approach - Low uncertainty 

Pilot to Full Path 

Month 3: Pilot decision point based on results  

Month 4-5: Expand to full deployment  

Incremental cost: $5,000-$15,000  

Total timeline: 5-6 months to full operation 

versus 

Full deployment: 3-4 months to full operation 

Trade-off: 2 months longer but 40-50% lower risk 

The Reality 

Pilot approach limits risk to $16K-$27K while proving value. 60-70% of pilots expand successfully. 

Start small when: First automation, limited budget, staff skeptical, uncertainty high. 

Deploy fully when: Proven approach, budget sufficient, urgency high, confidence strong. 

Most mid-market companies benefit from pilot approach for first AI implementation. 

About the Author: This content is published by ERP AI Agent. 

Published: January 2025 | Reading Time: 3 minutes