FAQ
Every question
worth asking.
A Standin engagement is an AI implementation agency relationship — discovery consultation, optional readiness audit, fixed-fee build, and ongoing managed operation of the deployed system. The questions below are the ones prospects actually ask before paying for a discovery call, answered in full. If something's missing, email us directly.
Is the $1,200 refundable?No — the consultation fee is non-refundable if you choose not to move forward. It is applied in full toward either your AI Readiness Audit fee or your setup fee at signing. This structure keeps the conversation serious on both sides.
What is the AI Readiness Audit?A focused 1–2 week engagement ($7,500 fixed) where we audit your sales and business development process, client communication and follow-up workflows, internal operations, and existing tech stack — then deliver a written AI roadmap with prioritized opportunities, estimated ROI, and a phased build sequence. It's the recommended next step for new clients before committing to a build, and a standalone deliverable in its own right.
Do you only build the presentation system?No. The presentation system is our flagship, but we also build AI voice agents, workflow automation, custom chatbots and knowledge bases, custom LLM integrations, AI avatar content engines, ghostwriting systems, internal training tools, and email response automation. For clients running multiple Standin systems, we offer a Fractional Embedded AI Operator retainer.
How long does a full build take?Typically 4–8 weeks from signed agreement to live deployment, depending on scope, how quickly we receive your materials, and avatar training time. We'll give you a specific timeline in the proposal.
What industries do you work with?We work with established businesses — typically those doing $1M or more in revenue — across financial services, insurance, real estate, consulting, e-commerce, healthcare, home services, and professional services. The common thread isn't an industry; it's a repeatable, high-value process worth automating and the willingness to do it properly.
What do you need from us to get started?Existing presentation materials, recorded calls or scripts if available, and access to one senior presenter for a short avatar training session. We walk you through exactly what's needed in the proposal.
Can we control the presentation script?Completely. Every word the AI speaks is scripted and approved by you before deployment. The system does not improvise on your message — ever. Changes go through us and are deployed as updates.
What happens if we cancel?Standin retains the platform and all IP. The system is not transferred. Thirty days written notice ends the engagement. Setup fees and any build fees paid are non-refundable.
What size of business does Standin work with?Standin is built for established businesses with real operations to improve, materials to train on, and the budget to do AI properly — typically those doing $1M or more in revenue. We don't publish a hard revenue floor; the better question is whether you have a repeatable, high-value process worth automating. Because we deliberately keep our active client roster small, we're selective about fit during the discovery consultation.
How is Standin different from a chatbot vendor?Vendors sell software. Standin builds and operates a system. A chatbot vendor hands you a platform, training materials, and an invoice. We design the AI to fit your specific sales process, build it on infrastructure we own and maintain, and operate it month after month so the system keeps working as your business and the underlying models evolve. You don't manage anything — that's the point.
How is this different from hiring an AI consultant?Consultants deliver a deck. Standin delivers a working system in production, plus the ongoing operation that keeps it running. Our discovery and audit phases produce strategy documents the way a consultant would — but the engagement is structured to end in a deployed system, not a roadmap that gets shelved.
What's the typical ROI?ROI varies by service. The AI Sales Presenter is designed to free the senior presenter from intro and discovery calls entirely — they step in only on warm deals. AI workflow automation typically saves 10–30 hours of operational time per week. The AI Readiness Audit quantifies expected ROI for your specific situation before you commit to a build.
Who owns the AI we build?You own your AI personas, voice models, knowledge bases, presentation scripts, and the content of any vector databases trained on your materials. Standin owns the underlying platform — the architecture, software frameworks, and reusable components that allow us to deploy and operate your system. You receive a perpetual, non-exclusive license to the deployed system; if the engagement ends, you receive a read-only license to extract your data and content.
What if it doesn't work?Every build goes through approval gates: scripts, voice clones, presentation flows, and knowledge-base responses are all reviewed and approved by you before going live. After launch, every active deployment is managed under our monthly retainer — we monitor, tune, and adjust the system continuously. If something breaks, we fix it. If a system stops producing the intended outcome, we restructure it. The retainer exists so this is our problem, not yours.
Can you guarantee specific results?No. We don't make outcome guarantees because the variables — your materials, your sales process, your prospects — sit on your side of the engagement. What we guarantee is the build itself: a working system deployed to production, scripted and approved, integrated with your CRM and tools, operated by us. Outcome estimates are produced in the AI Readiness Audit using your actual data.
How do you protect confidential client data?All client materials are stored in dedicated, access-controlled environments. We sign NDAs as a standard part of the discovery consultation. Standin's standard contract includes a 3-year confidentiality survival period post-engagement. We do not use client data to train shared or general-purpose models.
Do you offer industry exclusivity?Yes — for an additional fee. Standard engagements are not exclusive, meaning we may work with other firms in your industry. If exclusivity matters, we offer it at 2x our standard fees, or via a negotiated equity or revenue-share arrangement. Exclusivity is discussed and priced during the consultation.
What CRMs and tools do you integrate with?HubSpot is our primary integration target, with first-class support also for Salesforce, Wealthbox, and Redtail. We integrate with email platforms (SendGrid, SES), SMS (Twilio), scheduling (Calendly, HubSpot Meetings, Zoom Scheduler), and calendar systems (Google Calendar, Outlook). Workflow automation is typically built on n8n. Other integrations are scoped during the audit.
Why do you limit how many active clients you take on?White-glove implementation and ongoing operation of multiple custom AI systems requires deep, sustained attention. Keeping our active roster small lets us deliver the quality the pricing demands. When capacity is full, we say so honestly. We grow capacity deliberately — bringing on additional senior operators as the right people and the right engagements line up, rather than reactively.
How do payments work?All setup and build fees are paid 100% upfront, before work begins. Monthly retainers are billed in advance for the upcoming month. Third-party costs (LLM API usage, avatar rendering, hosting) are passed through at cost with a small handling margin. Late payments accrue interest at 1.5% per month. All work is fixed-fee or retainer — we never bill hourly.
Related on Standin
Pillar guide
What is an AI implementation agency?
The definition behind every Standin engagement.
Read the full definition →Buying guide
How to choose an AI implementation agency
The six criteria, red flags, and discovery-call questions.
Read the buying checklist →How it works
The AI Sales Presenter, explained
The architecture of Standin's flagship system.
Read the architecture breakdown →Still have questions
worth a real conversation?
The discovery consultation is the right place. $1,200, fully applied toward what you book if we're a fit.