Part 2: The tool for transformation
RSM’s new automation decision support tool is designed to bring clarity to the table to enable more informed decisions about automation and AI investment.
Tim Linke, Partner, Corporate Finance at RSM who specialises in financial modelling says F.A.R.M (Feasibility of Automation Return Model) blends quantitative analysis with practical business insights to help companies weigh capital costs, operational savings, and payback periods – all within a structured yet flexible framework.
Tim Linke
“There’s no clear framework or case studies out there that help businesses understand costs and benefits of automation, so we built something that does exactly that,” Linke says.
Automation promises efficiency and savings, but the investment can be daunting,
particularly where margins are tight and capital costs are significant.
RSM advisors are using F.A.R.M. to help guide clients:
Model capital investment and operational savings
Calculate payback periods
Compare options such as part-cash versus part-debt financing
Provide key financial metrics such as internal rate of return (IRR)
Identify whether a business is ready or not for automation
For example, employees freed from repetitive or low-value tasks could generate new income streams, develop new services, or improve customer engagement.
“It’s creating efficiencies in your business so people can do more important, higher-value work,” Linke says.
This approach helps businesses frame automation as a strategy for growth and innovation, not simply as a cost-cutting exercise. Another challenge the tool tackles is the rapid pace of technological change. Many companies hesitate to invest in automation, fearing that today’s expensive technology will be obsolete tomorrow. The answer lies in the data.
“We look at what the cost of the kit looks like now versus when it was originally launched,” Linke says.
“Then we build an indicative glide path to determine what these costs will look like in two years.”
He uses the example of battery storage for renewable energy. “Two years ago, batteries were too expensive to make sense. Now you can’t build a solar farm without them. Prices caught up with practicality.”
The tool models several scenarios to reflect these dynamics:
This level of analysis gives business leaders confidence in the timing of decisions, which is particularly valuable in fast-evolving sectors such as AI and robotics.
Immediate investment:
Capturing operational savings sooner but paying higher upfront costs
Delayed investment:
Potentially benefiting from lower equipment prices, but missing out on two years of efficiency gains
Do nothing:
Calculating the cost of lost opportunity and unrealised savings
“As outlined earlier, one of the big concerns about automation is the potential loss of jobs, but Linke says the tool enables businesses to look at scenarios differently. “It’s not about redundancy – it’s about redeployment; how can human capital be redeployed into higher-value activities,” he says.
For example, employees freed from repetitive or low-value tasks could generate new income streams, develop new services, or improve customer engagement.
“It’s creating efficiencies in your business so people can do more important, higher-value work,” Linke says.
This approach helps businesses frame automation as a strategy for growth and innovation, not simply as a cost-cutting exercise.
Automation promises efficiency and savings, but the investment can be daunting, particularly where margins are tight and capital costs are significant.
“There’s no clear framework or case studies out there that help businesses understand costs and benefits of automation, so we built something that does exactly that,” Linke says.
RSM advisors are using F.A.R.M. to help guide clients:
- Model capital investment and operational savings.
- Calculate payback periods.
- Compare options such as part-cash versus part-debt financing.
- Provide key financial metrics such as internal rate of return (IRR).
- Identify whether a business is ready or not for automation.
By working through multiple scenarios, businesses can better understand when and how automation will become profitable and how quickly they should act.
“Being able to present the modelling to banks or other funders also demonstrates that you have done your homework and assists them in evaluating a funding proposal,” Justin Audcent, Partner, RSM Corporate Finance says.
Sneak peak
Supporting regional clients
While there is some hesitancy about automation, particularly among traditional family-run farms, Linke says F.A.R.M. helps agribusinesses evaluate the potential opportunity and benefits. “Our tool gives them a way to quantify the impact – what automation really means for their bottom line.”
The tool also factors in grant support and R&D Tax Incentives, helping clients identify funding options that can offset investment costs. A service-led initiative, F.A.R.M. has been developed to help agribusiness weigh up the pros and cons of automation.
“It’s there to help start conversations and support clients through the next steps,” Linke says.
“The aim is not just to improve business efficiency but to give time back to people. “Time is what it’s all about – time to focus on more valuable work, time to innovate, or even time to enjoy life more,” he says.
Ready to get started?
Planning an automation upgrade, or just testing the waters?
Complete the form below to understand what it will take—how much it may cost, what you could save, and how quickly it might pay for itself.
Our specialists can help you crunch the numbers and make confident decisions for your operation.
Planning an automation upgrade, or just testing the waters?
Complete the form below to understand what it will take—how much it may cost, what you could save, and how quickly it might pay for itself.
Our specialists can help you crunch the numbers and make confident decisions for your operation.
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