Human agent cost per resolution
Loaded agent cost (wage + benefits + overhead) divided by resolutions per hour. Typical ranges: $4-7 per resolution in chat, $8-15 in voice, $5-10 in email. Country defaults are pre-loaded in the calculator (BLS, ONS, ABS, Eurostat).
Chatbot cost per resolution
Token spend per ticket runs $0.10-$0.50 for tier-1 questions, $0.50-$2.00 for multi-turn flows. Add the amortised SaaS or custom build cost and you typically see $0.50-$3.00 per resolution at scale.
Where AI wins
High-volume tier-1: FAQ, account lookups, status updates. Cost differential is 5-15× in favour of AI when deflection holds.
Where humans still win
Complex tickets, judgement calls, regulated workflows, and any conversation where customer trust is fragile. Cost is higher but loss of CSAT or compliance risk dominates the math.
Callout
How the calculator models this
Per-channel deflection × per-channel modifier × residual haircut produces an annual savings range. Hidden costs (token, integration, training, QA) are subtracted before the net number.
Try it on your numbers
Plug in your real volumes and see the projection.
The calculator runs the same methodology described above — channel modifiers, hidden costs, and the build-vs-buy verdict. Free preview without an email.
Run the calculatorFrequently asked
Why does the calculator use loaded agent cost?
Wage alone underestimates the savings. Loaded cost (wage + benefits + overhead) is the real number a CFO would replace.
Are token costs constant?
No - frontier-model pricing has dropped 70%+ over the last 18 months. We refresh the token cost percentage quarterly.
Is the calculator vendor-specific?
No. The methodology is vendor-neutral and the cost ranges aggregate public benchmarks across major SaaS chatbot vendors and custom-build patterns.