How Agencies are becoming Software with Bennett Spooner

In this episode of The SaaS Operators Podcast, we sat down with Bennett Spooner, Co-founder of OperatorOS, to explore how he’s turning an automation agency into something that looks and feels like software.

Bennett shares how his team built a customer service automation system that handles up to 90% of support without humans, and why Foreplay’s API is at the center of how he's productizing agency work. He explains how APIs, agents, and e-commerce automation are reshaping the line between service and SaaS, and why scalability isn’t about code, it’s about leverage.

We dive into the debate over service versus software models, how to think about margins and multiples when you’re in the middle, and what the next phase of AI-powered automation means for operators at both marketing agencies and software companies. The episode wraps with a bigger conversation on what it takes to build a business that compounds while the rest of the industry tries to catch up.

00:00 Introduction and Context Setting 02:57 Bennett's Automation Agency and AI Integration 05:32 The Role of APIs in Business Automation 08:46 SaaS vs. Service: Defining Business Models 11:40 Challenges of Scaling SaaS Solutions 14:41 The Future of E-commerce and AI 17:44 Predictions for Automation and Business Evolution 20:40 Conclusion and Final Thoughts 29:15 The Limitations of AI Recommendations 29:45 B2B vs B2C Advertising Dynamics 30:48 Consumer Experience and Brand Loyalty 32:41 The Evolution of Tech Product Launches 32:50 Leadership and Innovation in Tech Companies 35:43 The Future of Smart Wearables 38:47 The Role of AI in Business Transformation 41:32 Navigating the SaaS Landscape 44:59 The Future of Work and AI Integration