How to Set Up a WhatsApp CRM for Your Indian Business
A complete setup guide for Indian SMBs — from signing up and connecting your WhatsApp number to importing leads, building a pipeline and going live. Most businesses finish in a weekend.
Setting up a WhatsApp CRM has 8 steps: sign up → connect your WhatsApp number → import leads → configure pipeline → invite team → connect lead sources (IndiaMart, Facebook, etc.) → build your first automation → go live. Total time: 2–4 hours for a basic setup, a full weekend for a complete one. You do not need a new WhatsApp number or the WhatsApp Business API to start.
Before you start — what you'll need
Android or iOS phone (or laptop for web)
Required
Your existing WhatsApp Business App number (keep it)
Required
Lead list as a CSV or Excel file (even 20 leads is fine to start)
Optional — add later
IndiaMart seller dashboard login (for the IndiaMart integration)
Optional — add later
Facebook Business Manager access (for Facebook Lead Ads)
Optional — add later
Team members' mobile numbers to invite them
Optional — add later
8-step WhatsApp CRM setup guide
Follow these in order. Amit, a solar panel dealer in Jodhpur, set up 3Sigma for his 6-person team on a Saturday and was live by Sunday evening.
Sign up and create your organisation
Download the 3Sigma app from Google Play or open the web dashboard. Create your organisation: company name, industry, number of salespeople. Add your logo and brand colour — this shows on quotations and invoices.
Note: You get a 14-day full-feature trial. No credit card required.
Connect your WhatsApp number
Go to WhatsApp Settings in the CRM. Choose Coexistence (keep your existing WhatsApp Business App number — recommended for most small teams) or WhatsApp Business API (needed for bulk campaigns and multiple-agent teams). Follow the on-screen steps to connect. Your existing contacts and chat history sync automatically.
Note: With Coexistence, you keep using WhatsApp on your phone. The CRM mirrors conversations in real time.
Import your existing leads
Export your current lead list from Excel or Google Sheets as a CSV. In 3Sigma, go to Leads → Import → CSV and map the columns: name, mobile, email, source, product, status. All leads land in your pipeline instantly — with original notes if you included them.
Note: For leads in your phone contacts, export from Android as VCF, convert to CSV and import the same way.
Set up your pipeline stages
Go to Settings → Pipeline and edit the default stages to match your actual sales process. A real estate team might use: New → Site Visit Requested → Site Visit Done → Negotiation → Booked. A loan DSA might use: New → Documents Collected → Bank Submitted → Sanctioned → Disbursed.
Note: Custom labels (Hot / Warm / Cold) are separate from stages — use both to segment your pipeline precisely.
Invite your team and set up auto-assignment
Go to Team → Invite and add each salesperson's mobile number. Assign them to a team and set their permissions (can they see all leads or just their own?). Then go to Automation → Auto-assign to set up round-robin or rule-based assignment — e.g. all IndiaMart leads go to the B2B team, Facebook leads go to inside sales.
Note: Each salesperson installs the 3Sigma app and sees only their assigned leads. The manager sees everything.
Connect your lead sources
Go to Integrations and connect each source you use: IndiaMart, JustDial, Facebook Lead Ads, 99acres, MagicBricks, Google Lead Forms. Each takes 5–15 minutes. After connecting, new inquiries from that source create CRM leads automatically — with source tagged so you can track which channel converts best.
Note: Priority order for Indian SMBs: IndiaMart first (highest lead volume), then Facebook Lead Ads, then JustDial.
Set up your first follow-up automation
Go to Automations and create your first sequence: When a new lead arrives → Wait 5 minutes → Send WhatsApp template ('Hi [Name], thank you for your enquiry about [Product]…'). Add a second step: Wait 1 day → Create task 'Call [Name]'. This single automation ensures every new lead gets contacted within 5 minutes, before they call your competitor.
Note: WhatsApp template messages need to be approved by Meta first. Use a simple intro message — approval usually takes 24–48 hours.
Go live — test with one real lead
Add yourself as a test lead (use your own mobile number). See how the lead appears in the pipeline, test the WhatsApp auto-message, assign to a salesperson and reply from the inbox. If it all works, announce to your team that the CRM is live. Day 1 target: zero leads managed in personal phones.
Note: Run a 15-minute team walkthrough: show the app, demonstrate assigning and replying. Most salespeople pick it up in an hour.
Setup checklist — are you live?
If all nine are checked, your WhatsApp CRM is live. Come back to add more automations, connect more sources, and build out your reporting as you grow.
Explore 3Sigma features
WhatsApp CRM overview
Full feature list — inbox, pipeline, calling, AI bot, quotations
Lead management
Capture from 15+ sources, auto-dedup, custom fields
Follow-up automation
Multi-day sequences and reminders
WhatsApp API setup
Official WABA for bulk campaigns
Pricing
Plans and pricing for Indian SMBs
Contact us
Get a live setup walkthrough from our team
WhatsApp CRM setup — FAQs
How long does it take to set up a WhatsApp CRM in India?
A basic setup — sign up, connect WhatsApp, import leads, and configure pipeline stages — takes 2–4 hours. A more thorough setup with automations, team members, and all lead-source integrations (IndiaMart, Facebook, etc.) takes a weekend. Most Indian SMBs are live and managing leads by Monday morning after a Saturday setup.
Can I keep my existing WhatsApp number when setting up a CRM?
Yes. With WhatsApp Coexistence you connect your existing WhatsApp Business App number to the CRM. Your contacts and chat history sync in, and you can keep using the WhatsApp Business App on your phone at the same time. No number change, no lost conversations. This is what most Indian businesses use to start without disruption.
Do I need the WhatsApp Business API to set up a WhatsApp CRM?
Not to start. WhatsApp Coexistence connects your existing WhatsApp Business App number without requiring the API. The WhatsApp Business API is required if you want to (1) send bulk broadcast campaigns to large lists with approved templates, or (2) have multiple agents handle chats at the same time without one device being a bottleneck. For teams under 5, Coexistence is usually the right starting point.
How do I import my existing leads into a WhatsApp CRM?
Export your existing leads from Excel, Google Sheets, or your old CRM as a CSV file. In 3Sigma, use the CSV import — map columns (name, phone, source, etc.) and all leads appear in your pipeline instantly. If leads are only in your phone contacts, export contacts from Android as a VCF/CSV file and import that. The whole process usually takes under 30 minutes for up to 5,000 leads.
What happens to old WhatsApp chats when I set up a CRM?
With WhatsApp Coexistence, your existing contacts and chat history sync into the CRM when you connect the number. Old conversations appear on each lead's timeline so context is never lost. New conversations happening on your phone are mirrored in the CRM in real time.
How do I connect IndiaMart to a WhatsApp CRM?
In 3Sigma, go to Integrations → IndiaMart and follow the connection steps (you'll need your IndiaMart registered email and API key from the IndiaMart seller dashboard). After connecting, every new IndiaMart inquiry creates a CRM lead automatically — including the buyer's name, number, message, and product category. Setup takes under 10 minutes.
Can I set up a WhatsApp CRM without a laptop?
Yes. The 3Sigma Android app includes lead management, pipeline, WhatsApp inbox, calling, quotations, and basic automations — all from your phone. For team management, bulk imports, and detailed reporting, the web dashboard is more practical. Many small Indian businesses start entirely on mobile.
How much does setting up a WhatsApp CRM cost in India?
The cost depends on the CRM you choose and whether you use the WhatsApp Business API (Meta charges a per-conversation fee, separate from CRM pricing). Some CRMs have free plans for single users. Paid plans for teams typically start at ₹500–₹2,000 per user per month. 3Sigma's pricing is available at the link below — it includes WhatsApp, calling, and all features in one plan.
Set up your WhatsApp CRM this weekend
Download 3Sigma, keep your existing WhatsApp number, import your leads, and be live by Monday. 20,000+ Indian businesses already did it.
See: WhatsApp CRM features · Pricing