12 Questions to Ask Before You Buy a CRM in India
Demos show the best path. These twelve questions show the real one — GST, WhatsApp, data export, mobile use and what happens after the deal is won.
Before you buy a CRM, ask questions that reveal what happens on a normal Tuesday, not in the demo: how enquiries arrive, how follow-ups are reminded, how quotes become GST invoices, what WhatsApp really does, and how you get your data out. A CRM is chosen in an hour and lived with for years; twelve questions are cheap insurance.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- Ask what happens on a normal day, not in the demo.
- Get WhatsApp, GST and data-export answers in writing.
- Check the price at double your current size.
Getting leads in
- How do website and ad enquiries arrive? Automatically, or by copying?
- What exactly does the WhatsApp integration do? Inbox? Lead creation? Which messages send automatically?
- Can I import my existing list from Excel? In what format, and who cleans it?
Working the leads
- How are follow-ups reminded? Calendar, task list, email?
- Does it work on a phone? Show me on a phone, not a laptop.
- Can I see which source produces revenue, not just leads?
After the sale
- Can it make a GST quotation with HSN/SAC and the right tax split?
- Does the accepted quote become an invoice without retyping?
- How do clients pay, and does the payment reach my books?
Safety and exit
- Where is my data stored, and is there two-factor login?
- Can I export everything, any time, without asking?
- What does it cost when we double in size?
How Grovia answers them
Leads arrive from website and ad forms through a webhook, from WhatsApp conversations, or from a spreadsheet import. Follow-ups are tasks on the team calendar. Quotations carry HSN/SAC and the CGST/SGST or IGST split and become invoices; clients pay through your own Razorpay and the payment is posted to your books. Grovia runs in a phone browser, offers two-factor login, keeps data in AWS's Mumbai region, and lets you export your data. Its plans are on the pricing page. Where it is weaker: no per-rep lead assignment, lead scoring or built-in calling.
A test you can run this week
Send each shortlisted vendor questions 2, 8 and 11 in writing. Vague answers to those three tell you more than any demo.
Grovia is a business platform built for Indian service companies — leads, quotations, invoicing, projects, HR and support in one place. Start a free trial and see whether it fits the way you already work.
Frequently Asked Questions
What should I ask a CRM vendor?
How leads arrive, how follow-ups are reminded, whether quotes become GST invoices, what WhatsApp does, where data is stored, and how you export it.
How do I choose the right CRM for a small business in India?
Test it with your real leads for a week, check GST quotations and WhatsApp claims in writing, and make sure you can export your data.
Is data export important when choosing a CRM?
Yes. Being able to take your data out at any time is your protection if the product or price changes.
Where is Grovia's data stored?
In Amazon Web Services' Mumbai region, in India.
Does Grovia have two-factor authentication?
Yes, users can turn on two-factor login with backup codes.
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