How should this matter be evaluated?
First, select a repetitive, quantifiable business task with assigned ownership, and use a one-month pilot to verify accuracy, processing time, manual review volume, and actual consumption. The 50,000 yuan mentioned in the case is a token pre-recharge described by the author in their agreement; it does not equal actual incurred costs nor service provider revenue.
First agree on which one thing to solve
"Building an enterprise agent" is difficult to validate. Reframe tasks into observable workflows: who provides the input, what results the system delivers, who checks at what time, and how long the original process takes. If the business lacks a responsible owner and sample data, enhancing model capabilities cannot replace workflow optimization.
- ScopeClearly define which business materials, users, and processes are handled this time; specify who handles exceptions.
- BaselineRecord the time, errors, and manual effort of the original process before going live.
- AcceptanceCompare result quality, time consumption, and the proportion requiring manual modification using the same set of actual tasks.
Distinguish between prepayments, consumption, and service fees in the budget
Prepayment is merely a financial arrangement. To assess pilot value, you must separately record actual token consumption, model and tool costs, and setup and maintenance hours, and explain how unused credits are handled. Service providers should quote initial setup and subsequent maintenance separately to avoid masking long-term delivery costs with one-time pilot revenue.
- Client viewHas the cost per task decreased, and does quality meet agreed requirements?
- From the service provider's viewCan delivery hours, rework, and support costs be covered by the contract?
- Both sides seeAre the conditions for deactivation, renewal, and data handover clearly specified?
After one month, how to decide whether to continue?
Replace 'results look good' with acceptance records written before the pilot: how many real tasks were completed, which still require human fallback, where errors occurred, and what the actual total cost was. Processes that meet goals can be expanded; processes that look good in demos but require repeated rework when entering real business need to have their scope reduced and retried.
