The ROI Framework
Return on investment for an AI receptionist is calculated from the revenue recovered from calls that would have otherwise gone unanswered, minus the cost of the service. The formula:
Monthly ROI = (Recovered Revenue - Monthly Cost) / Monthly Cost x 100
Where: Recovered Revenue = Missed Calls x Booking Rate x Average Client Value
The three variables — missed calls, booking rate, and average value — differ significantly by industry. Here are real calculations for each of the five primary verticals.
Dental Practices
| Metric | Conservative | Average | Aggressive |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly inbound calls | 250 | 400 | 600 |
| Missed call rate | 25% | 35% | 42% |
| Missed calls captured by AI | 63 | 140 | 252 |
| New patient booking rate | 20% | 30% | 35% |
| New patients booked | 13 | 42 | 88 |
| Avg. first-year production | $850 | $850 | $850 |
| Monthly revenue recovered | $11,050 | $35,700 | $74,800 |
| Monthly AI cost | $1,500 | $1,500 | $1,500 |
| Monthly ROI | 637% | 2,280% | 4,887% |
| Payback on $2,500 setup | 7 days | 2 days | 1 day |
Learn more about AI receptionists for dental practices.
Law Firms
| Metric | Conservative | Average | Aggressive |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly intake calls | 100 | 200 | 400 |
| Missed call rate | 25% | 35% | 45% |
| Missed calls captured by AI | 25 | 70 | 180 |
| Intake-to-retained rate | 15% | 25% | 30% |
| New clients retained | 4 | 18 | 54 |
| Avg. case value (fee revenue) | $3,000 | $5,000 | $15,000 |
| Monthly revenue recovered | $12,000 | $90,000 | $810,000 |
| Monthly AI cost | $1,500 | $1,500 | $1,500 |
| Monthly ROI | 700% | 5,900% | 53,900% |
| Payback on $2,500 setup | 6 days | 1 day | <1 day |
The legal vertical has the highest ROI potential because case values are so large relative to the monthly AI cost. A single personal injury case recovered through an after-hours AI-answered call can pay for years of service. Learn more about AI receptionists for law firms.
Home Service Contractors
| Metric | Conservative | Average | Aggressive |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly service calls | 200 | 400 | 800 |
| Missed call rate | 25% | 40% | 55% |
| Missed calls captured by AI | 50 | 160 | 440 |
| Job booking rate | 35% | 45% | 50% |
| Jobs booked | 18 | 72 | 220 |
| Avg. job value | $350 | $400 | $500 |
| Monthly revenue recovered | $6,300 | $28,800 | $110,000 |
| Monthly AI cost | $1,500 | $1,500 | $1,500 |
| Monthly ROI | 320% | 1,820% | 7,233% |
| Payback on $2,500 setup | 12 days | 3 days | 1 day |
Learn more about AI receptionists for contractors.
Med Spas
| Metric | Conservative | Average | Aggressive |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly calls | 200 | 350 | 500 |
| Missed call rate | 25% | 33% | 40% |
| Missed calls captured by AI | 50 | 116 | 200 |
| Booking rate | 25% | 30% | 35% |
| Appointments booked | 13 | 35 | 70 |
| Avg. treatment value | $300 | $400 | $500 |
| Monthly revenue recovered | $3,900 | $14,000 | $35,000 |
| Monthly AI cost | $1,500 | $1,500 | $1,500 |
| Monthly ROI | 160% | 833% | 2,233% |
| Payback on $2,500 setup | 19 days | 5 days | 2 days |
Learn more about AI receptionists for med spas.
Veterinary Clinics
| Metric | Conservative | Average | Aggressive |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly calls | 300 | 500 | 700 |
| Missed call rate | 25% | 32% | 38% |
| Missed calls captured by AI | 75 | 160 | 266 |
| Booking rate | 25% | 30% | 35% |
| Appointments booked | 19 | 48 | 93 |
| Avg. visit value | $250 | $350 | $450 |
| Monthly revenue recovered | $4,750 | $16,800 | $41,850 |
| Monthly AI cost | $1,500 | $1,500 | $1,500 |
| Monthly ROI | 217% | 1,020% | 2,690% |
| Payback on $2,500 setup | 16 days | 5 days | 2 days |
Break-Even Analysis
To break even on a $1,500/month AI receptionist, a business needs to capture just a handful of additional clients/patients/jobs that would have otherwise been lost to voicemail:
| Industry | Avg. Value | Jobs/Patients Needed to Break Even | % of Typical Missed Calls |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dental | $850 | 2 new patients/month | 1.4% of missed calls |
| Legal | $5,000 | <1 new client/month | 0.3% of missed calls |
| Contractors | $400 | 4 jobs/month | 2.5% of missed calls |
| Med Spa | $400 | 4 appointments/month | 3.4% of missed calls |
| Veterinary | $350 | 5 appointments/month | 3.1% of missed calls |
In every industry, break-even requires capturing fewer than 5% of the calls that would have previously gone to voicemail. Given that AI receptionists capture 100% of calls, the break-even threshold is reached in the first few days of operation for most businesses.
Calculate your exact ROI with our free calculator.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are these numbers realistic?
The calculations use conservative assumptions: industry-average missed call rates, standard booking rates, and published average client/patient/job values. Actual results will vary based on your specific call volume, missed call rate, and close rate. The "conservative" column in each table represents the lower bound of expected performance.
How quickly do I see results?
Most businesses see their first AI-booked appointment within 24-48 hours of go-live. Week 1 typically yields 15-30 additional booked appointments that would have previously gone to voicemail. The ROI is visible in the scheduling system immediately.
What if my numbers are lower than the averages shown?
Even at half the average values shown in these tables, AI receptionists generate positive ROI within the first month in every vertical. The break-even threshold is so low (2-5 additional conversions per month) that negative ROI is extremely unlikely for any business with meaningful inbound call volume.