Most Indian solar EPCs buy a WhatsApp CRM twice. The first time, they buy based on a demo, a polished interface, a helpful sales rep, a discount for committing early. Three months later they discover that the tool cannot send proposal PDFs directly from WhatsApp without exporting to a third tool, that the broadcast feature uses unofficial API access (putting their number at risk of a ban), or that the "WhatsApp integration" is just a click-to-chat button with no actual pipeline sync. The second purchase is the right one, but it costs an extra six months and a disrupted pipeline.
This checklist exists to help you get it right the first time.
The 20 questions are divided into four categories: Core Messaging, Lead Management, Proposal Delivery, and Compliance and Scale. Each item tells you what to ask the vendor, what a genuinely good answer looks like, and the red flags that tell you to walk away.
Key Takeaway
A genuinely WhatsApp-native CRM for solar must satisfy all four categories: it must use the official Meta API (not unofficial tools), sync conversations to pipeline stages automatically, deliver personalised proposal PDFs without leaving the app, and provide a multi-agent inbox with compliance-grade template management. If a vendor cannot demonstrate all four live in a trial, that is your answer.
Rohit, a Pune-based EPC owner scaling from 3 to 7 reps, spent two months on a CRM that claimed "full WhatsApp integration." What they actually had: a webhook that logged messages but couldn't send outbound, templates that required a separate tool to manage, and no pipeline sync at all. After switching to a properly integrated platform, his team's proposal follow-up time dropped from 18 hours to under 2 hours for 80% of leads.
How to use this checklist
Print it or open it on your phone during the vendor demo. Follow these steps for each of the 20 questions:
Ask the vendor directly, no "yes we have that" without a live demo
Every question has a suggested ask. Use it word for word. Vague answers ("we support WhatsApp") are not answers. Ask them to demonstrate the specific workflow on screen during the call.
Check whether the demo matches the actual product, not the roadmap
Ask explicitly: "Is this feature available today in the plan I'm evaluating, or is it coming in a future release?" Roadmap features do not solve today's follow-up problem. Score only features you can use from day one.
Note the red flags, they are often more diagnostic than the answers
Red flags listed under each question are patterns that indicate a deeper product gap or compliance risk. One red flag on Question 16 (unofficial API) is a disqualifier regardless of how well the vendor scores on the other 19 questions.
A score of 16+ out of 20 (green answers) is the minimum for a solar EPC. Below 14, the gap in functionality will create manual workarounds that cost more than the subscription saves.
Category 1: Core Messaging (Questions 1–5)
Core messaging covers the daily reality of how your reps communicate with leads via WhatsApp, template management, broadcast, read receipts, and reply tracking.
| # | Feature | Ask the vendor | Good answer | Red flag |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Template management, create, edit, and get Meta approval for message templates inside the CRM | "Show me how I create a new approved template and how long approval takes." | Template editor built-in; approval typically 2–24 hours via Meta; pre-built solar templates (subsidy, proposal, reminder) included | Templates managed in a separate BSP portal; no pre-built solar templates; "our team submits templates for you" |
| 2 | Broadcast to segmented lists, send one message to a filtered group of leads (e.g. "all Proposal Sent leads in Maharashtra") | "Show me how I create and send a broadcast to leads filtered by pipeline stage and state." | Filter by any CRM field; preview recipient list before sending; confirmed delivery via Meta API; analytics showing delivered/read/replied | Broadcast only from manually uploaded CSV; no pipeline-stage filtering; no delivery analytics |
| 3 | Read receipts tied to lead records, see whether a specific lead read your WhatsApp message, inside the CRM pipeline view | "Open a lead record and show me the read-receipt status for the last WhatsApp message sent to that lead." | Read status visible on the lead card (Delivered / Read / Replied); timestamps shown; triggers follow-up task when read but not replied | Read receipts only visible in WhatsApp app itself; no CRM visibility; "we're adding that in the next release" |
| 4 | Reply tracking and conversation logging, all WhatsApp replies saved against the lead, not just outbound messages | "If I reply to a customer in WhatsApp and they reply back, where does that conversation appear in the CRM?" | Full two-way conversation thread in lead timeline; inbound and outbound; searchable; accessible by all authorised team members | Only outbound messages logged; replies exist only in WhatsApp app; no conversation history on lead card |
| 5 | Automated follow-up sequences, schedule WhatsApp messages at Day 1, 3, 7 post-proposal without manual intervention | "Show me how I set up an automated 3-touch WhatsApp follow-up sequence when a lead moves to Proposal Sent stage." | Visual workflow builder; trigger by pipeline stage change; personalisation tokens (name, system size, proposal amount); auto-stop when reply received | No automation; "you can use our reminder feature to manually schedule each message"; sequences require Zapier integration |
Why Core Messaging Matters
The five core messaging features are the ones your reps use every single day. A gap in read receipts or reply tracking alone can mean a rep double-follows-up a lead who already replied yes, one of the fastest ways to lose a near-close deal. Indian solar customers who say yes and don't hear back within 24 hours frequently change their mind or move to a competitor. Solar sales follow-up rules covers the timing science in detail.
Category 2: Lead Management (Questions 6–10)
Lead management covers how WhatsApp conversations connect to your pipeline, auto-capture from WhatsApp enquiries, stage assignment, and rep routing.
| # | Feature | Ask the vendor | Good answer | Red flag |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 | Auto-capture leads from WhatsApp enquiries, when a new customer messages your WhatsApp number, a lead is created automatically in the CRM | "If someone messages our WhatsApp number for the first time, does a lead get created automatically? Show me." | New contact auto-creates lead with name, phone, timestamp; assigned to default rep or based on routing rule; message logged to lead timeline | Manual lead creation required; "someone from your team needs to convert the chat to a lead"; no inbound capture |
| 7 | Pipeline stage auto-update from WhatsApp trigger, moving a lead to "Proposal Sent" when the proposal is sent via WhatsApp, not requiring manual update | "When I send a proposal via WhatsApp, does the lead automatically move to Proposal Sent in the pipeline?" | Stage moves automatically on proposal send; configurable trigger options; rep gets notification to confirm or override | Stage update always manual; "the rep needs to update the pipeline"; no event-based automation on WhatsApp actions |
| 8 | Lead assignment and routing, WhatsApp enquiries can be automatically assigned to the right rep based on location, product type, or round-robin | "If I have reps covering different cities, can WhatsApp enquiries route to the right rep automatically?" | Rule-based routing (by area, product, keyword); round-robin distribution; reassignment if rep doesn't respond within X minutes | Single inbox, no routing; manual assignment only; no escalation if unassigned |
| 9 | Lead source attribution via WhatsApp, ability to tag a WhatsApp lead with its source (Facebook Ads, IndiaMart, referral, organic) for ROI tracking | "If a lead comes from our Facebook Ad click-to-WhatsApp campaign, can I see that source in the CRM?" | UTM parameters captured from click-to-WhatsApp; source field auto-populated; source visible on lead card and in reports | All WhatsApp leads show as "WhatsApp" with no further attribution; no UTM capture; manual source entry only |
| 10 | Duplicate detection for WhatsApp leads, if the same phone number messages again, system recognises the existing lead rather than creating a duplicate | "If a lead who messaged us 3 months ago messages again, what happens?" | Phone number matching detects existing contact; surfaces previous conversation history; rep alerted that this is a returning lead; no duplicate created | New lead created every time; no deduplication; reps have to manually search for existing records |
Critical for Indian Solar
Lead source attribution (Question 9) is especially important for Indian solar EPCs running Facebook click-to-WhatsApp campaigns. If you can't tie a WhatsApp lead back to the specific ad that generated it, you cannot calculate cost-per-lead or shut down underperforming campaigns. See solar leads from Facebook Ads for the full picture on attribution.
Category 3: Proposal Delivery (Questions 11–15)
This category is often where "WhatsApp CRM" tools fall apart. Sending a proposal PDF via WhatsApp sounds simple, but personalising it per lead, tracking opens, and syncing the delivery event back to the pipeline requires tighter integration than most vendors have built.
| # | Feature | Ask the vendor | Good answer | Red flag |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11 | One-click proposal send via WhatsApp, generate a personalised proposal PDF and send it via WhatsApp from within the CRM, without switching apps | "Show me the exact steps from opening a lead to the proposal PDF arriving in the customer's WhatsApp." | 3 clicks or fewer: generate → preview → send. PDF delivered via WhatsApp API. No copy-paste, no downloading to send manually. | "Download the PDF and send it from your WhatsApp"; 5+ steps required; requires switching to WhatsApp app |
| 12 | Proposal open tracking, know when a customer has opened the proposal PDF you sent via WhatsApp | "After I send a proposal, how do I know if the customer has opened it?" | Read receipt tied to PDF delivery; "Opened" status visible on lead card; timestamp of first open; option to auto-trigger a follow-up when opened but not replied | WhatsApp blue ticks only (message delivered, not PDF opened); no open tracking; "we're working on that feature" |
| 13 | Proposal personalisation tokens, customer name, system size, total cost, subsidy amount, payback period pulled dynamically from lead data into the proposal PDF | "Show me a proposal generated for one of your demo leads, does it pull the system size and subsidy amount automatically?" | All key fields auto-populated from CRM data; PM Surya Ghar subsidy calculated based on system size; no manual data entry into proposal | Proposal template with blank fields that rep fills manually; subsidy calculation done in separate spreadsheet |
| 14 | Proposal version history via WhatsApp, if you send a revised proposal after negotiation, both versions are logged against the lead | "If I send a revised proposal after the customer negotiates, does the CRM keep both versions?" | All proposal versions versioned and timestamped; visible in lead timeline; rep can see what changed between v1 and v2 | Only latest proposal stored; "you can rename files manually"; no version history |
| 15 | Digital acceptance via WhatsApp, customer can confirm acceptance of proposal by replying via WhatsApp, which logs the confirmation in the CRM | "Can a customer accept a proposal through WhatsApp? How is that logged?" | WhatsApp reply with keyword (e.g. "Confirm" or "Yes") triggers stage change to Won; or link to digital signature embedded in proposal; acceptance timestamp logged | No acceptance workflow; "customers sign a paper form"; acceptance only via email; no CRM event triggered |
Proposal Delivery Context
The proposal delivery category is where Indian solar CRMs diverge most sharply. Tools built for Western markets handle email proposals well but treat WhatsApp proposal delivery as an afterthought. Since over 85% of Indian residential solar customers prefer WhatsApp for receiving proposals (vs email), a tool without native proposal delivery via WhatsApp is a significant operational liability. See the Solar CRM Buyer's Guide for a broader 25-question evaluation framework.
Category 4: Compliance and Scale (Questions 16–20)
The fourth category separates tools that will grow with you from those that will create liability as you scale. Compliance covers Meta policy adherence, official vs unofficial API access, and the multi-agent inbox you'll need when your team grows past 3 reps.
| # | Feature | Ask the vendor | Good answer | Red flag |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16 | Official Meta BSP or Cloud API, not unofficial tools, confirming the WhatsApp integration uses Meta-authorised access, not "unofficial" libraries or emulators | "Are you an official Meta Business Solution Provider or do you use the official Cloud API? Can you show your Meta partner page?" | Listed on Meta's BSP directory; or confirmed Cloud API usage; can share official Meta partner certification link; transparent about which BSP they use | Vague about API type; "we use a proprietary integration"; cannot share Meta partner link; pricing is unusually cheap (often signals unofficial tool) |
| 17 | Meta policy compliance guardrails, tool prevents sending outside the 24-hour conversation window, flags template violations, and monitors spam-report rates | "What happens if a rep tries to send an unapproved template or messages outside the 24-hour window?" | Blocks sending of unapproved templates; enforces 24-hour window rule; dashboard shows spam report rate; alerts when rate approaches Meta's limit | "The rep is responsible for following WhatsApp rules"; no guardrails; no spam-rate visibility; "we've never had a number banned" without evidence |
| 18 | Multi-agent shared inbox, multiple sales reps can handle WhatsApp conversations from the same business number simultaneously, with assignment and visibility controls | "If I have 5 reps and one customer messages our business number, which rep sees it and how is collision prevented?" | Shared inbox visible to manager; conversations assigned to individual reps; "lock" on active conversations prevents collision; manager can reassign | Each rep uses own WhatsApp number; no shared business number; "reps manage their own WhatsApp separately" |
| 19 | Number portability and ownership, if you cancel the CRM subscription, you retain ownership of your WhatsApp Business number and can migrate to another tool | "If I cancel my subscription, what happens to my WhatsApp Business number? Can I take it to another provider?" | Number registered in your business name (not the vendor's); transferable to another BSP; clear data export policy; 30-day offboarding period | Number registered in vendor's name; "you'd lose the number if you leave"; no clear offboarding; data export requires paid support |
| 20 | Messaging volume limits and pricing transparency, clear explanation of per-conversation charges, monthly cap, and what happens when you exceed the plan | "Show me the exact per-conversation charge and what my monthly bill looks like at 100 new leads and 300 follow-up conversations." | Itemised breakdown of platform fee + Meta conversation charges; India-specific conversation rate (~₹0.40–₹0.75 per conversation); usage dashboard in-app | Bundled pricing with no per-conversation visibility; "it's unlimited" (usually means throttled or unofficial); surprise overage charges with no alerts |
The Unofficial API Risk
Question 16 (official BSP/API) is the non-negotiable. Several Indian CRM vendors use unofficial WhatsApp automation libraries that simulate a WhatsApp Web session, technically violating Meta's Terms of Service. These tools are often priced at a fraction of official BSP-connected tools. When Meta detects and bans the automation (which they do periodically in enforcement waves), every business on that vendor's platform loses their WhatsApp number simultaneously. There is no recourse. Always verify BSP status before signing.
Summary scorecard, what good looks like
16–20
Green answers
Strong candidate, proceed to trial
12–15
Green answers
Conditional, identify which gaps are blockers
8–11
Green answers
High risk, workarounds will cost more than subscription
Below 8
Green answers
Do not buy, this is not a WhatsApp CRM
How QuickEstimate scores on the checklist
| Category | Questions | QuickEstimate Score | Key Capability |
|---|---|---|---|
| Core Messaging | 1–5 | 5 / 5 | Templates, broadcast from pipeline filter, read receipts on lead card, full conversation log, automated Day 3 / Day 7 sequences |
| Lead Management | 6–10 | 5 / 5 | Auto-capture from WhatsApp enquiry, stage update on proposal send, city-based routing, Facebook Ads UTM attribution, phone deduplication |
| Proposal Delivery | 11–15 | 5 / 5 | One-click proposal send, PDF open tracking, PM Surya Ghar subsidy auto-calculated, version history, WhatsApp reply acceptance |
| Compliance and Scale | 16–20 | 5 / 5 | Official Meta BSP integration, policy guardrails, multi-agent shared inbox, number portability, transparent per-conversation pricing |
- Solar-specific proposal builder with PM Surya Ghar subsidy calculation built in
- WhatsApp broadcast filtered by pipeline stage, no manual CSV uploads
- Automated follow-up sequences that stop when the customer replies (no ghost-messaging)
- Proposal PDF delivery and open tracking via WhatsApp API in 3 clicks from the lead card
- Facebook click-to-WhatsApp lead capture with UTM attribution for ROI calculation
- Multi-agent inbox for teams growing beyond 3 reps, conversations assigned per rep
- Official Meta BSP integration, your number is registered in your business's name
- Mobile-first, full functionality on Android and iPhone, not just desktop browser
Pros and cons of a fully integrated WhatsApp CRM vs partial integration
Fully Integrated (native WhatsApp CRM)
- Zero app-switching, pipeline and WhatsApp in one view
- Every message auto-logged; no manual notes
- Broadcast from live CRM filters, not static CSV lists
- Read receipts and open tracking tied to lead records
- Automated sequences eliminate follow-up discipline gaps
- Official API = no number-ban risk
- Manager visibility of all team conversations
Partial Integration (click-to-chat or manual log)
- Reps still manage WhatsApp separately from pipeline
- Manual copy-paste of messages into CRM notes
- Broadcast from downloaded CSV, always out of date
- No read receipts in pipeline view
- Follow-up depends entirely on rep discipline
- Often unofficial API = number-ban risk
- Manager has no visibility unless rep reports manually
Related evaluation resources
Before finalising your vendor decision, use these guides in parallel:
- WhatsApp Broadcast for Solar Business, understand the broadcast use case before evaluating CRM broadcast features
- When to Buy a Solar CRM, confirm you're at the right stage before investing
- Solar Sales Funnel India, map the checklist features to each stage of your actual funnel
- Qualifying Solar Leads, understand lead filtering before evaluating broadcast segmentation
- How to Build a Solar Sales Team, team structure determines how many multi-agent inbox seats you need
For the definitive 25-question framework for evaluating solar CRMs more broadly (not just WhatsApp features), see the Solar CRM Buyer's Guide.
External references
- Meta, WhatsApp Business Policies and Guidelines (official Meta Business documentation on template rules and API tiers)
- MNRE, PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana (official scheme documentation for subsidy eligibility used in proposal personalisation)
- TRAI, Unsolicited Commercial Communications Regulation (governs business messaging compliance in India; relevant to opt-out and consent requirements)
- WhatsApp Business Platform, Meta official page (pricing, BSP directory, and Cloud API documentation)
- DPDP Act 2023, MeitY (India's Digital Personal Data Protection Act; relevant to how customer WhatsApp data is stored in a CRM)
Frequently Asked Questions
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