Calculating ROI for AI scheduling software requires understanding both the costs and the multiple value streams these solutions deliver. This framework helps you build a defensible business case with realistic projections based on documented results from similar implementations.

300-500%Typical First-Year ROI
3-6 moPayback Period
$1.8MAvg Savings/Shutdown

Step 1: Establish Your Baseline

Start by documenting current state metrics:

  • Annual Shutdown Spend: Total labor, contractor, and logistics costs for all maintenance shutdowns
  • Peak Labor Levels: Maximum daily headcount during shutdowns
  • Planning Resources: FTEs dedicated to scheduling and planning
  • Schedule Variance: Historical on-time completion rates
  • Overtime Costs: Premium pay and emergency labor expenses

Step 2: Identify Value Streams

AI scheduling delivers value through multiple mechanisms:

Direct Labor Savings (30-50%)

The primary value driver. AI optimization reduces peak labor by smoothing the labor curve, which eliminates:

  • Charter flights for mobilizing distant workers
  • Premium accommodation costs during peaks
  • Overtime premiums
  • Emergency contractor callouts
Labor Savings = (Current Peak - Optimized Peak) × Cost Per Worker × Duration

Planning Efficiency (60-80%)

AI generates optimized schedules in minutes vs. weeks manually. Organizations typically reduce scheduling team sizes by 60-80%.

Duration Reduction (15-25%)

Shorter shutdowns mean earlier return to production. Each day saved has direct revenue impact.

Conservative Assumptions

For business case purposes, use conservative estimates: 30% labor savings, 60% planning efficiency gains, 15% duration reduction. Actual results typically exceed these figures.

Step 3: Calculate Total Benefits

Example Calculation

For an organization with:

  • 4 major shutdowns per year
  • $5M average labor cost per shutdown
  • 10-person planning team ($1.5M annual cost)
  • $100K/day production value

Annual Benefits:

  • Labor Savings: $5M × 4 × 30% = $6.0M
  • Planning Efficiency: $1.5M × 60% = $0.9M
  • Duration Reduction: $100K × 2 days × 4 = $0.8M
  • Total Annual Benefits: $7.7M

Step 4: Determine Costs

AI scheduling costs typically include:

  • Software Licensing: Annual subscription based on users or sites
  • Implementation: One-time integration and configuration
  • Training: User onboarding and change management
  • Ongoing Support: Maintenance and updates

Step 5: Calculate ROI

ROI = (Annual Benefits - Annual Costs) / Annual Costs × 100

Using the example above with $500K annual software costs:

ROI = ($7.7M - $0.5M) / $0.5M × 100 = 1,440% ROI

Calculate Your Specific ROI

Use our interactive ROI calculator to estimate savings for your operations.

Try ROI Calculator

Building Your Business Case

Tips for presenting to leadership:

  1. Start Conservative: Use 30% labor savings vs. the 50% often achieved
  2. Show Comparables: Reference documented results from similar operations
  3. Include Soft Benefits: Safety improvements, employee satisfaction, sustainability
  4. Propose a Pilot: Start with one site to prove results before enterprise rollout

Conclusion

AI scheduling typically delivers 300-500% ROI in the first year, with payback periods of 3-6 months. The key is building a realistic baseline and using conservative improvement assumptions. Even with conservative estimates, the business case for AI scheduling is compelling for any organization spending significant amounts on shutdown labor. Use our ROI calculator to estimate your specific potential savings.

Tags:ROIBusiness CaseCost SavingsInvestment