The AI automation market in India has moved from novelty to noise. Every agency has a chatbot demo and a slide with a savings number on it. The questions below are the ones we would want a client to ask us, and they work just as well on anyone else.
1. What will it cost per month to run, not just to build?
Every agent consumes model calls, messaging fees and hosting. Ask for the running cost at your expected volume, in rupees, and ask who pays if usage doubles. A build that is cheap up front and expensive to operate is the most common regret we hear about.
2. Which of my systems does it write to, and who owns that data?
An agent that reads your catalogue is low risk. One that writes to your invoicing, CRM or bank is not. Get a list of every system it touches and confirm the data stays in accounts you control.
3. What happens when it is wrong?
Ask to see the exception path. If the answer is "it is very accurate", that is not an answer. You want to see the queue, the approval step and the log.
4. Can I switch it off myself?
You should be able to pause any automation from your phone without calling anyone. If you cannot, you do not control it.
5. Which languages does it handle, and how well?
Hindi, Hinglish and regional languages are where Indian customers actually write. Test the demo with real messages from your own inbox, misspellings included.
6. Who will I talk to after go-live?
The person who sold it and the person who supports it are rarely the same. Ask for the support channel, the response time and whether it is included in the fee.
7. What does the first result look like, and when?
A credible vendor will name a specific metric (reply time, leads captured, hours saved) and a date inside the first month. Vague timelines usually mean the scope is not agreed.
8. Can I see it running for a business like mine?
Not a demo: a live deployment, with the client's permission, or at minimum a walkthrough of the logs from one. Sector matters less than the shape of the process.
9. What do you recommend I not automate?
This is the question that separates advisers from sellers. Every business has processes that are cheaper to fix by hand, and a vendor who cannot name one is optimising for the invoice rather than the outcome.
Put the same nine questions to MNB on a call: book a walkthrough, or read how we work first.
Nine questions to ask before you hire an AI automation vendor in India