What if that robot isn’t supposed to pay off?

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I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve sat down with a factory owner, sipping coffee from a plastic cup, hearing the same thing:

"Jacek, it looks good, but... I’m not sure it’ll pay off."

And honestly? I usually just want to say (and sometimes I do):

What if that robot isn’t supposed to pay off?

What if it’s simply there to save your ass?

Because here’s the thing.
We love to talk about ROI, TCO, cost-benefit analysis. Like we’re buying an investment apartment in downtown Warsaw.
But in reality, a lot of businesses are one step away from disaster, and no one’s brave enough to say it out loud.

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When ROI makes no sense

If you can’t find people to hire.
If a customer just asked for twice the volume and you’re already at full stretch.
If your competitor just launched a fully automated line.
Then don’t ask "Will this robot pay off?"
Ask "Will I still be in business two years from now?"

That’s a whole different conversation.

True story, as real as coffee from a thermos

There’s this guy I met. Owns a factory, solid engineer, that “I-built-this-with-my-own-hands” look in his eyes.
He tells me:

"Jacek, I want to get into robotics, but it’s a lot of money. I need to be sure it won’t be a flop."

I looked at him for a moment…

-Do you have people?

-Not really… turnover’s crazy. Train someone, and they’re gone in a week.

-Then maybe the robot isn’t expensive. Maybe it’s just that you can’t afford people anymore?

He went quiet.
And I knew it landed. Because the real problem wasn’t the cost. It was the fear of what’s coming.

The blunt truth

Not every business decision is logical. Some are gut calls.
And that’s perfectly fine.

If you calculated everything, you’d never get married, buy a car, or start your own company.
And yet you did. Because you felt it was the right thing.

Robots are sometimes the same.
It’s not Excel making the decision.
It’s you, standing on your shop floor, asking yourself:

"Do I still want to be here in 3 years?"

I’m not saying ROI doesn’t matter. Of course it does.
But there are moments in business when it’s not about numbers. It’s about timing and guts.

A robot isn’t always an investment.
Sometimes, it’s a lifeline.
And that’s totally okay.

If you know someone who’s standing at that kind of crossroads, forward this to them. Maybe they just need to hear that not everything has to add up. Sometimes you just know.

Till next time,
Jacek