The Complete Cost Picture   Understanding platform costs, usage fees, oversight time, and potential hidden expenses prevents budget surprises and enables accurate TCO calculation.      Platform Subscription Costs   AI Platform: $50-$150 monthly   Voice Platform: $100-$200 monthly  Workflow Platform: $150-$200 monthly  Total Platform Base: $300-$550 monthly = $3,600-$6,600 annually      Usage-Based Fees   Voice calling: $0.05-$0.15 per minute   Typical usage: 100-200 cal

The Payback Question   CFOs want to know: How long until investment pays for itself? Understanding payback calculation and realistic timelines enables informed budgeting.      Payback Formula   Implementation cost ÷ Monthly savings = Months to payback       By Exception Volume (Time Savings Only)   40 exceptions monthly:   Monthly savings: $500  Payback: $35,000 ÷ $500 = 70 months  Assessment: Not justified on time alone     60 exceptions monthly:   Monthly savings: $790  Pay

The Validation Need   Implementing AI agents without proof creates risk. A structured 90-day pilot validates capability, builds confidence, and provides data for informed expansion decisions.    Understanding the complete pilot framework - setup, testing, production, evaluation - enables successful validation.    The 90-Day Framework   Weeks 1-2: Setup and Configuration   Activities:   Discovery workshops with staff (8-10 hours)  Document current exception handling process  D

The Hidden Cost Reality   Direct staff time is easily calculated. Hidden costs - coordination overhead, working capital carrying costs, pattern blindness, opportunity cost - often exceed visible costs 2-3x.      Direct Staff Time: The Visible Cost   Calculation: Hours spent × Loaded hourly rate  Example (70 exceptions monthly):   35 hours monthly × $48/hour = $1,680 monthly  Annual: $20,160  This is only 30-40% of total cost       Coordination Overhead   What's included: In

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

The "Just Hire" Response   When exception volume exceeds capacity, default response is hiring. Understanding true hiring trajectory versus AI alternative over 5 years reveals full cost picture.      The Hiring Trajectory   Year 1: Hire 1 FTE = $109,000   Year 2: Same FTE = $109,000  Year 3: Volume up 45%, hire 0.5 FTE = $164,000   Year 4: Continue = $164,000   Year 5: Volume up 100% total, hire 2nd FTE = $218,000    5-year total: $764,000   Plus: Recruiting costs, onboa