Every AI sales conversation ultimately comes down to one question: does the return justify the cost? For UK small businesses, the answer is almost always yes - and the margin of yes is often extraordinary. This article builds the commercial case with real numbers that AI territory partners can use in client conversations.
The Missed Call Calculation
The most straightforward ROI calculation in AI territory work starts with missed calls. Take the number of calls a business misses per month, multiply by the average job or sale value, and you have the monthly missed revenue. Divide the AI subscription cost by this figure and you have the ROI.
For a plumber missing 25 calls per month at an average job value of £380: monthly missed revenue is £9,500. AI subscription cost: £150 per month. Monthly ROI: 63 to 1. Annual missed revenue captured by AI (assuming 50% conversion of previously missed calls): £57,000. Annual AI cost: £1,800. Net annual benefit: £55,200.
63:1
Typical ROI for a trades business on AI voice answering
£55,200
Net annual benefit for a plumber capturing 50% of missed calls
2-3 weeks
Typical payback period - the AI pays for itself in weeks, not months
Every sector
Similar ROI calculations apply across all SME sectors
The Follow-Up Calculation
Lead follow-up ROI is harder to calculate precisely but consistently significant. Research shows that contacted leads who are followed up within five minutes convert at 21 times the rate of those followed up after 30 minutes. For a business receiving 40 web or phone enquiries per month and currently following up manually, AI follow-up typically increases conversion rate by 15 to 25 percentage points - translating directly into additional completed jobs and revenue.
These numbers are what AI Agency Boxed partners put in front of business owners every day. They are not projections or optimistic scenarios - they are the straightforward commercial arithmetic of a business that currently loses revenue to missed calls and slow follow-up.
Put These Numbers in Front of Businesses in Your Area
The ROI case writes itself. AI Agency Boxed gives you the tools to present it.
Apply to AI Agency Boxed Today