How Much Does AI Automation Cost? Prices, Cost Components and a Worked Example
How much does AI automation really cost? Real prices for AI agents, every cost component, a worked ROI example and funding options in Bavaria, Germany.
AI email automation
The inbox sorts itself.The reply is already drafted.
An AI agent reads incoming emails, identifies the request and pulls the information it needs from your ERP, CRM or shop. It drafts a reply in your tone that you approve with one click. Anything outside its remit goes to the right person.
What the agent takes over
Five tasksyour team no longer does.
Most business emails follow a handful of patterns. That is where automation starts.
Sort
Every email gets a category, a priority and a folder. Spam and newsletters disappear from view.
Identify the request
Order status, appointment, price question, complaint or invoice: the agent understands free text, including typos and other languages.
Pull data
For the reply it looks up the order, delivery date, customer number or contract details in your ERP, CRM, shop or SharePoint.
Reply in your tone
The draft sounds like your team, because the agent is aligned with your previous replies and text templates.
One-click approval
The draft waits in Outlook. Check, adjust if needed, send. For clear standard cases it may also reply on its own.
Forward
What it should not answer goes to the right person with a short summary, or as a task in Teams.
Example calculation
One standard request,answered twice.
Reference values for a typical delivery status question. We measure your real times in the pilot.
Today, by hand
- Read and classify email1 min
- Look up order in the ERP3 min
- Write the reply3 min
- Send and file1 min
per email8 min
With an AI agent
- Classify, pull data, draft replyautomatic
- Check draft and send1 min
per email≈ 1 min
Example calculation: at 30 such emails a day that is about three and a half hours less searching and typing, every day.
How it works
How the agent getsinto your inbox.
1
Pick an inbox
We start with a shared inbox such as info@ or sales@ and look at which requests arrive most often.
2
Set the rules
Together we decide which requests the agent answers, which it only prepares and which it always forwards.
3
Connect systems
The agent gets read access to the data it needs for replies, for example orders in the ERP or customers in the CRM.
4
Test and go live
At first it only writes drafts. Once quality is right, you decide whether certain standard cases may go out automatically.
Which fits
Email agent orcustomer service platform?
The email agent fits when your sales support, purchasing or sales inboxes are full and replies need data from your systems. If most requests come from end customers across several channels, our customer service platform pingo is usually the better choice. pingo handles chat, phone, email and social media and only answers from approved knowledge.
- Email agent: internal and B2B inboxes, replies with data from ERP, CRM or shop, approval in Outlook
- pingo: end-customer service across all channels with its own interface
- Both can be combined, for example pingo for consumers and the agent for dealer enquiries
Integrations
Works in Outlookand your systems.
No new inbox, no new software. Drafts wait where your team already works.
- Outlook
- Microsoft Teams
- SharePoint
- Google Drive
- Slack
- Shopify
- SAP
- and ERP or CRM systems with an interface
Process & pricing
A tidy inboxin a few weeks.
Step 1
30 min · freeIntro call
We look at your inboxes and the most frequent requests and show where the agent helps first.
Step 2
2 to 4 weeks · from €2,500Pilot
We build the agent for a real inbox and measure how many emails it prepares.
Step 3
ongoing · from €250 / monthOperation
The agent works alongside your team. We monitor, improve and add more inboxes.
All prices net, plus VAT.
Guides
Read more
AI Agent vs. RPA: Which Fits Which Process?
AI agent vs. RPA: what is the difference, when does each fit and how do you combine them? With a comparison table, decision guide and how Zapier fits in.
AI Data Analysis in Business: From Data Silos to Better Decisions
How AI cleans, connects and clearly analyses scattered company data, and which steps you need to get started.
Frequently asked questions
What does it cost to answer emails automatically with AI?
A pilot for one inbox starts at €2,500, ongoing operation at €250 a month. We give you the exact price after the intro call, once we know the inbox and systems. All prices net, plus VAT.
Does it work with Outlook and Microsoft 365?
Yes. The agent reads the inbox through the Microsoft interface and places drafts directly in Outlook. It works with Google Workspace too.
Does the agent send emails without a check?
Only if you explicitly allow it for certain standard cases. At first it writes drafts only. Sensitive topics such as complaints or cancellations can be permanently excluded from automatic replies.
What if the agent misunderstands a request?
If it is unsure, it forwards the email with a summary instead of replying. Mistakes in drafts are caught at approval and fed back as corrections. Every step is logged.
Is it GDPR-compliant?
Yes. We implement in line with GDPR and define which inboxes and data the agent may read. More in our article on AI and data protection.
Can the agent also create quotes from email enquiries?
Yes, that is a separate workflow. See AI quote creation for how it works.
