Every week, Indian business owners call us to undo the damage done by a previous AI vendor. Money spent. Months wasted. Systems built that don't work. Staff who hate the new tools. The pattern is consistent enough that we've distilled it into 10 questions — if a vendor can't answer all 10 satisfactorily, walk away.
The 10 Questions
Q1: "Can you show me a live demo right now — using my industry as an example?"
A vendor who can only show pre-recorded demos or generic presentations has either never built for your industry, or their system isn't working reliably enough to demo live. Serious vendors can fire up a working WhatsApp bot demo in the first meeting.
Q2: "How many clients have you deployed for in my specific industry?"
Generic "AI for business" experience is worth little. Industry-specific knowledge — knowing the compliance requirements of pharma, the seasonal patterns of real estate, the language preferences of farmers — is the difference between a system that works and one that confuses your customers.
Q3: "What is the exact timeline from payment to go-live, week by week?"
If the answer is vague ("it depends on complexity"), push harder. A basic WhatsApp AI agent should go live in 14–21 days. A full automation suite in 30–45 days. If they can't commit to a timeline, that's a red flag about project management capability.
Q4: "Who is my point of contact after go-live, and what is their response SLA?"
Many vendors have a great sales team and a non-existent support team. Ask specifically: who handles support calls, what's the response time for urgent issues, and can you speak to a current client about their support experience?
Q5: "What happens when WhatsApp changes its API policies?"
WhatsApp Business API policies have changed multiple times in the past three years. A vendor who doesn't have a clear answer about API policy monitoring and adaptation is a vendor whose system may break in 6 months with no warning.
Q6: "What are all the costs — setup, monthly, per-message, support — over 12 months?"
Get the total 12-month cost in writing before signing. Many vendors quote a low setup fee and hide ongoing per-conversation charges. WhatsApp API itself charges per message type — a vendor who doesn't explain this clearly may be unaware of it, which is worse.
Q7: "Can this system be modified if our business processes change?"
You will change your pricing, add new products, hire new staff, enter new markets. Your automation system needs to evolve with you. Ask how modifications are handled, how quickly, and at what cost. A vendor who locks you in to the original build is not a long-term partner.
Q8: "Do you own the code, or do we?"
Some vendors build on proprietary platforms that you can't take with you. If you ever want to switch vendors, you start from scratch. Ask explicitly who owns the automation workflows, the data, and the code — and get the IP ownership clause in the contract before signing.
Q9: "Can you give me two client references I can call this week?"
A vendor with satisfied clients will give references readily. A vendor who hedges — "our clients prefer privacy," "we'll need to ask permission" — may not have clients who would give a glowing recommendation. Call the references and ask specifically about what went wrong, not just what went right.
Q10: "What metric will prove this was worth the investment at the 90-day mark?"
If a vendor can't define success in measurable terms — lead response time, conversion rate, support ticket volume, revenue from automated sequences — they're not being held to any standard. A good vendor welcomes this question and gives you a number they're confident they'll hit.
MNB Research Answers All 10 — On the First Call
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The Complete Guide to Choosing an AI Automation Partner in India — 10 Questions to Ask Before You Sign