In: Finance
Beta has an opportunity to automate some of the billing process so that customers can use a direct account deduction. Moving to an automated billing process is voluntary for customers and Beta does not know what percentage will move.
There are currently 100,000 customers. The cost of the billing process as currently constituted is $40,000 of annual fixed cost and $0.20 per bill. Automating the billing will result in a total of $50,000 of annual fixed cost, which is to say that some of the prior fixed cost will continue and Beta will need new software and equipment. Variable costs for any automated bill will drop to $0.04 per bill.
How many customers must switch to the automated billing process to break even with this opportunity?