AI ROI benchmark · Sales
Sales AI ROI benchmark
Estimate the value of call summaries, account research, and first-draft outreach without pretending AI closes deals by itself.
Modeled result
This is a planning scenario, not a market average. Replace every input before making a purchase decision.
| Current labor on the workflow | 400 hours/month |
|---|---|
| Loaded labor cost | $58/hour |
| Share suitable for AI assistance | 35% |
| Productivity lift on that share | 20% |
| Savings realized in practice | 60% |
| Software and usage cost | $600/month |
Monthly gross value = current hours × loaded cost × addressable share × productivity lift × realization rate. Net value subtracts software cost. Capacity has value only if the business can redeploy it, avoid new cost, or produce more useful work.
Run your own numbersWhere to use it
Good pilot candidates
- Summarize calls and update CRM notes
- Draft account research briefs
- Create first-pass follow-up emails from approved facts
Keep a human decision
- Pricing commitments or contract terms
- Mass personalization from unverified account data
Evidence and limits
Controlled evidence supports faster drafting and document work, not a universal lift in win rate. The model counts time only and uses a 20% lift on addressable administrative work.
- Experimental Evidence on the Productivity Effects of Generative Artificial IntelligenceScience · Published 2023-07-13
In preregistered writing tasks with 453 college-educated professionals, ChatGPT reduced completion time by 40% and raised rated output quality by 18%.
- Generative AI in Real-World WorkplacesMicrosoft Research · Published 2024-07-31
A set of randomized field experiments across more than 6,000 workers found AI access increased document editing but did not establish a universal company-level ROI.
Read the full methodology, compare the other function benchmarks, or test a 30-day pilot against your own baseline.