---
name: evaluate-ai-sdr
description: A buying evaluation of an AI SDR tool: the real cost per meeting, the risks vendors do not mention, and the questions to ask before signing.
license: MIT
metadata:
  author: The Revenue AI Report
  version: 1.0.0
  last-reviewed: 2026-09-04
  source: https://www.therevenueaireport.com/skills/evaluate-ai-sdr
---

# Evaluate an AI SDR

A buying evaluation of an AI SDR tool: the real cost per meeting, the risks vendors do not mention, and the questions to ask before signing.

## When to use this skill

- Evaluating any AI SDR or outbound automation vendor.
- Before renewing an AI SDR contract.

## Inputs to collect

- Vendor pricing and contract terms you were quoted
- Your current cost per qualified meeting, if known
- Your domain and deliverability situation

## Process

1. Gather the quote and your current baseline cost per meeting.
2. Build the fully loaded cost: license plus data, domains, deliverability work, and human review hours.
3. List the risks the demo did not mention.
4. Take the question list into the next vendor call.
5. Decide against your baseline, not against the vendor's case study.

## Decision rules

- If the vendor cannot state complaint-rate thresholds and what happens when they are hit, do not sign.
- Any term that locks you in past one pilot cycle without performance outs gets refused.
- If your baseline cost per meeting is unknown, measure it before you evaluate anyone.

## Output requirements

- Fully loaded cost per qualified meeting.
- Five risks vendors do not volunteer.
- Pre-signing question list and terms to refuse.

## Quality checks

- Cost includes human review and deliverability work, not just the invoice.
- Comparison is against your baseline.
- Refused terms are named explicitly.

## Limitations

- Vendor performance claims are vendor claims. Demand a pilot measured on your data.
- Deliverability damage outlives the contract. Weight it heavier than the price.

## Example input

Quote: $3k per month, annual term, promises 30 meetings per month. Current human SDR cost per qualified meeting: about $450. Team of 3 SDRs.

## Example output

Fully loaded estimate: add data tools, secondary domains, roughly 10 weekly review hours, and deliverability monitoring, putting real cost near $5k per month. At the promised 30 meetings that is about $167 per meeting, but only if quality holds; meetings that do not convert are not comparable to your $450 baseline. Ask: what is the average meeting-to-opportunity rate across current customers, and what complaint rate triggers a pause. Refuse: annual term with no performance out after the pilot.

## Review checklist

- Fully loaded cost computed?
- Baseline comparison honest?
- Refused terms written into the negotiation plan?

## Works with

- Playbook: Make conversation data do work (L3) (sales, L3) https://www.therevenueaireport.com/playbooks/conversation-data-to-work-l3
- Playbook: Borrow the engineering harness for revenue (L3) (revops, L3) https://www.therevenueaireport.com/playbooks/engineering-harness-for-revenue-l3
- Playbook: Rebuild the revenue data model so agents can act on it (L6) (revops, L6) https://www.therevenueaireport.com/playbooks/agent-ready-revenue-data-model-l6
- Tool: Cycle (Knowledge & Search) https://www.therevenueaireport.com/tools/cycle
- Tool: Mention (Marketing & ABM) https://www.therevenueaireport.com/tools/mention
- Tool: Vera (Foundation Models & Infrastructure) https://www.therevenueaireport.com/tools/vera
- Tool: Groq (Foundation Models & Infrastructure) https://www.therevenueaireport.com/tools/groq
- Tool: Arize Phoenix (Foundation Models & Infrastructure) https://www.therevenueaireport.com/tools/arize-phoenix

## Rules of conduct

- Write for a Director, VP, or operator. Short sentences. Explain uncommon terms.
- Separate facts from assumptions. Never hide uncertainty.
- Do not invent numbers, benchmarks, quotes, or customer names.
- Do not send messages, change CRM records, or publish anything unless the user explicitly asks.
- Flag when a decision needs human review.

## Evidence

This skill is grounded in The Revenue AI Report research:
- https://www.therevenueaireport.com/research/proof-gap
- https://www.therevenueaireport.com/research/rollback
- Related analysis: https://www.therevenueaireport.com/blog/ai-sdr-unit-economics
- Related framework: https://www.therevenueaireport.com/frameworks/proof-gap



Source and updates: https://www.therevenueaireport.com/skills/evaluate-ai-sdr