AI Dispatch ROI: Breaking Down the Numbers for Service Contractors

You've heard the claims: "AI dispatch captures more leads" and "never miss another call." But what does that actually mean for your bottom line?

This article does the math. We'll calculate realistic ROI scenarios for different business sizes, compare costs to alternatives, and give you a framework to estimate your own returns.

No hype—just numbers.

The Core ROI Equation

AI dispatch ROI comes from one simple dynamic:

The question is: how many calls were you losing, and what were they worth?

Establishing Your Baseline

To calculate ROI, you need to understand your current situation. Here are industry benchmarks:

How Many Calls Are You Missing?

• Contractors miss 27-62% of incoming calls (depending on business size and coverage)
• After-hours calls represent 40% of total call volume
• 85% of callers who reach voicemail don't leave a message

What Are Those Calls Worth?

Trade	Avg Service Call	Avg Emergency Call
HVAC	$350-500	$600-900
Plumbing	$275-400	$450-700
Electrical	$200-350	$350-550

Conversion Rate

Not every answered call becomes a job. Industry conversion rates run 25-35% for service calls.

ROI Scenario: Small Contractor (1-3 Techs)

If AI dispatch captures even half of those lost jobs:

At $199/month cost and $1,600/month recovered revenue, AI dispatch pays for itself 8x over.

ROI Scenario: Mid-Size Contractor (4-10 Techs)

With AI capturing 50% of lost opportunities:

Annual ROI: $55,812 in recovered revenue on $3,588 annual investment.

Payback Period

How fast does AI dispatch pay for itself?

Using conservative assumptions (capturing just 2 additional jobs per month at $350 average):

• $99/month plan: Pays for itself with 1 captured job every 3.5 months
• $199/month plan: Pays for itself with 1 captured job every 1.7 months
• $299/month plan: Pays for itself with 1 captured job per month

For most contractors, AI dispatch becomes cash-flow positive within the first month.

Comparing to Alternatives

Solution	Monthly Cost	Coverage	Net ROI
AI Dispatch	$99-$399	24/7, instant	Highest
Traditional Answering Service	$300-$700	24/7, may have delays	Medium
Part-Time Receptionist	$1,500-$2,000	40 hrs/week only	Low
Full-Time Receptionist	$3,500-$5,000	40 hrs/week only	Lowest
Voicemail (current state)	$0	85% abandonment	Negative (losing money)

Hidden ROI Factors

The calculations above only count direct revenue capture. Additional ROI comes from:

Lifetime Customer Value

A new customer captured via emergency call often becomes a long-term relationship. One emergency repair leads to annual maintenance, future repairs, and eventual system replacement. That first $600 call could be worth $5,000+ over time.

Referrals

Satisfied customers refer others. Industry data suggests each customer refers 2-3 people over time. The customer you capture today brings future customers you didn't have to pay to acquire.

Reviews

More completed jobs = more opportunities for 5-star reviews. Better reviews = better Google ranking = more inbound calls. It's a virtuous cycle.

Reduced Stress

Harder to quantify, but real: knowing every call is answered reduces the mental load of running a business. You can focus on the work instead of worrying about what you're missing.

When ROI Is Lower

To be fair, some businesses see smaller returns:

• Very low call volume: If you only get 20 calls/month, the math is harder (but still often positive)
• Already excellent coverage: If you're answering 90%+ of calls, improvement opportunity is smaller
• Very low ticket values: If average job is under $100, each captured call contributes less

For most service contractors, none of these apply. The typical contractor is missing 30-50% of calls and has average tickets of $300+.

Calculate Your Own ROI

Here's a simple framework:

Subtract your AI dispatch cost ($99-$399) and that's your net monthly gain.

The Bottom Line

AI dispatch typically delivers 500-1500% ROI for service contractors. The math is straightforward:

• You're currently losing calls (and you are—everyone is)
• Each lost call has significant value ($200-$900)
• AI dispatch costs relatively little ($99-$399/month)
• Even capturing a few extra jobs per month yields massive returns

The question isn't whether AI dispatch has positive ROI—for most contractors, it does. The question is how much you're losing by not using it.

Every month you wait is another month of calls going to voicemail, leads going to competitors, and revenue walking out the door.

Run your own numbers. You might be surprised how much you're leaving on the table.