5 February 2026 · 8 min read · SpectraIQ Research
Inputs that matter
Total monthly lead volume, current first-response time, current contact rate, current appointment rate, current show rate, current close rate, current gross per unit, and current BDC fully-loaded cost.
Inputs that don't
Vendor-supplied 'industry averages'. Anecdotes. Single-month spikes. Anything you can't audit against your CRM.
The honest model
Incremental units = lead volume × (new contact rate − old contact rate) × appointment rate × show rate × close rate. Then subtract the cost of the AI and any BDC restructure. Anything else is theatre.
A 90-day payback expectation
Done properly, AI BDC at a metro franchised store typically pays back inside 90 days. If a vendor's model needs 18 months to clear, ask why.