Free fit call
A short conversation to test whether a specific process has enough pain, value, and operational support to warrant discovery.
Pricing and commercial model
A fee tied to the savings we agree before we build.
AutoMates starts with a free fit call, then scopes a paid Process Discovery. If the work proceeds, the core commercial principle is simple: 25% of agreed Year 1 savings, charged once. The baseline, assumptions, and definitions are agreed before implementation begins.
What this means in practice
Fixed discovery scope
The discovery fee and deliverables are agreed before the work starts. The current-state map and findings remain with the client.
Once-only gain share
The implementation fee is 25% of Year 1 savings as agreed in advance—not an indefinite share of value and not a hidden retainer.
A necessary distinction
Projected savings are not validated savings.
The commercial baseline is an agreed forecast based on documented current cost and stated assumptions. After go-live, the team compares results with the baseline. If an assumption changes, it should be visible rather than retrofitted into the story.
The baseline
How the savings model is built.
Current cost
The team documents the process frequency, handling time, loaded labour cost, tooling, avoidable rework, delays, and other evidence-backed costs relevant to the decision.
Expected change
The model states which steps disappear, become faster, become more reliable, or remain manual. It also states what is deliberately excluded from the forecast.
Agreed definition
Before implementation, both sides agree the Year 1 time period, savings calculation, data source, validation approach, dependencies, and the 25% once-only fee.
What is included
Commercial clarity before work begins.
Scope and deliverables
The proposal distinguishes discovery, implementation, any third-party or infrastructure costs, client responsibilities, and the post-launch support arrangement.
The stop option
Discovery may conclude that a build is not justified yet. In that case, the client keeps the documented assessment and is not pushed into an implementation simply to recover the discovery effort.
Ongoing support
Support is defined separately from the implementation fee. The agreement states what is covered, who owns the workflow, how changes are handled, and what remains the client’s responsibility.
What we can show
A simple commercial sequence
The exact scope varies by process. The sequence does not.
| Stage | Purpose | What is agreed |
|---|---|---|
| Fit call | Decide whether one process warrants a closer look. | Pain, rough value, owner, systems, constraints, and next step. |
| Process Discovery | Establish the baseline and recommendation. | Fixed scope, fee, deliverables, access, stakeholders, and decision criteria. |
| Implementation | Build and validate the agreed workflow. | Architecture, controls, milestones, expected savings, and 25% of agreed Year 1 savings once. |
| Support | Keep the workflow understandable and operable. | Ownership, response boundaries, changes, and commercial terms. |
Common questions
Answers before the call.
Clear answers to the practical questions that usually come up before a first conversation.
How much does AI automation cost?
There is no honest generic number. Cost depends on process scope, integrations, data quality, controls, implementation effort, and the evidence required to validate value. Process Discovery makes those variables explicit before a build is quoted.
What happens if discovery says not to build?
The client keeps the assessment, map, baseline, and recommendation. A stop or re-scope decision is a valid discovery outcome.
Why use a gain-share model?
It keeps the commercial discussion close to measurable value. The model still depends on an explicit baseline and agreed assumptions; it is not a substitute for clear scope or delivery discipline.
AutoMates
The numbers should stand up before anyone writes a workflow.
Bring the process cost you can see. We will help determine what needs to be measured before a commercial commitment makes sense.