The ROI of Support Automation: Real Numbers from 100+ SMBs
We analyzed 100+ small and medium businesses to calculate the real return on investment from support automation.
We analyzed 100+ small and medium businesses to calculate the real return on investment from support automation. See the actual numbers.
We analyzed data from 127 small and medium businesses that implemented support automation in the past 2 years. The results? An average ROI of 341% in the first year—and even the lowest performers saw positive returns.
Our Methodology
We surveyed and analyzed data from 127 SMBs across multiple industries:
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Company sizes | 5-200 employees |
| Industries | E-commerce (34%), SaaS (28%), Services (23%), Other (15%) |
| Monthly support volume | 200-10,000 tickets |
| Platforms analyzed | Bublly, Zendesk, Intercom, Freshdesk, and others |
| Tracking period | 12 months post-implementation |
Key Findings
Overall ROI Distribution
| Segment | ROI Achieved |
|---|---|
| Top quartile | 580% |
| Average | 341% |
| Median | 285% |
| Bottom quartile | 127% |
Key Insight
Time to Value
- Average time to positive ROI: 4.2 months
- 67% of businesses saw positive ROI within 6 months
- 92% achieved positive ROI within 12 months
ROI Breakdown by Category
The 341% average ROI came from four main categories:
| Category | % of Savings | Annual Savings |
|---|---|---|
| Avoided hiring | 42% | $42,000 |
| Reduced agent time | 28% | $28,400 |
| Decreased ticket volume | 18% | $18,600 |
| Faster resolution | 12% | $12,200 |
| Total | 100% | $101,200 |
1. Avoided Hiring (42% of savings)
The biggest ROI driver was NOT needing to hire additional staff as ticket volume grew.
Real Example
Scenario: Company handling 3,000 monthly tickets with 4 support agents
Without automation: Growth to 5,000 tickets would require 2 additional agents = $84,000/year
With automation: AI resolves 30% automatically, remaining tickets handled more efficiently. Same growth handled by existing team.
2. Reduced Agent Time (28% of savings)
Automation handles routine tasks, freeing agents for complex issues:
| Metric | Before | After |
|---|---|---|
| Time on repetitive questions | 45% | 18% |
| Average handle time | 12 minutes | 8.4 minutes |
| Tickets per agent per hour | 6.2 | 9.1 |
Result: 47% productivity improvement across support teams.
3. Decreased Ticket Volume (18% of savings)
Fewer tickets reaching human agents means less work overall:
- Self-service knowledge base — 25-40% of potential tickets deflected
- Proactive communication — 10-15% fewer "where is my order" tickets
- Better first-contact resolution — 20% fewer follow-up tickets
Average reduction: 31% fewer tickets reaching human agents.
4. Faster Resolution (12% of savings)
Speed has both direct and indirect value:
- Direct: Reduced agent time per ticket, lower operational costs
- Indirect: Higher satisfaction, better reviews, reduced churn (estimated 8% improvement)
Implementation Costs
Software Costs (Annual)
| Business Size | Typical Annual Cost |
|---|---|
| 1-10 employees | $1,800 - $6,000 |
| 11-50 employees | $6,000 - $18,000 |
| 51-200 employees | $18,000 - $48,000 |
Implementation Costs (One-time)
| Category | Typical Cost |
|---|---|
| Setup and configuration | $500 - $3,000 |
| Data migration | $1,000 - $5,000 |
| Integration development | $2,000 - $10,000 |
| Team training | $500 - $2,000 |
Total First-Year Investment
| Business Size | Investment Range |
|---|---|
| Small (1-10 employees) | $4,000 - $15,000 |
| Medium (11-50 employees) | $12,000 - $35,000 |
| Larger SMB (51-200 employees) | $25,000 - $75,000 |
Calculate Your Potential ROI
Calculate Current Costs
Formula: Monthly tickets × Average handle time × Agent hourly cost = Monthly support labor cost
Example: 2,000 tickets × 12 min × ($25/hour ÷ 60) = $10,000/month
Estimate Automation Impact
Based on our research, conservative estimates:
• 25% ticket deflection through self-service
• 30% reduction in handle time
• 20% of tickets auto-resolved by AI
Calculate Potential Savings
Using the example above:
• Ticket deflection: 2,000 × 25% = 500 fewer tickets = $2,500 savings
• Faster handling: 1,500 tickets × 30% time savings = $2,250 savings
• AI resolution: Additional $900 savings
Monthly savings: $5,650 | Annual: $67,800
Factor in Investment
If annual software + implementation = $15,000
ROI = ($67,800 - $15,000) / $15,000 × 100 = 352%
What Drives Higher vs. Lower ROI
| 400%+ ROI (What They Did) | Lower ROI (What Went Wrong) |
|---|---|
| Higher ticket volume | Low ticket volume |
| Repetitive inquiry patterns | Complex, unique inquiries |
| Full team adoption | Partial adoption |
| Continuous optimization | Set-and-forget approach |
| Integration with other systems | Poor implementation |
Maximize Your ROI with Bublly
Bublly is designed for SMB ROI: quick implementation (days, not months), affordable pricing for small teams, all-in-one platform (no multiple tool costs), and built-in analytics to track your results.
Support automation ROI is real and substantial. Start with high-volume, repetitive inquiries for the biggest impact. Invest in proper implementation, train your team thoroughly, and measure continuously. The data shows: this investment pays for itself.
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