10 Questions to Ask Before
Buying AI Automation in India
The Indian automation market is full of vendors who oversell and underdeliver. These 10 questions — asked before you sign anything — will separate the serious implementers from the PowerPoint sellers.
"Can you show me 3 case studies from businesses exactly like mine?"
Why it matters: Generic testimonials mean nothing. You need proof from companies your size, in your industry, in India. If they can't produce these, they haven't done it before.
"What does the implementation timeline look like, week by week?"
Why it matters: Vague "6–8 week" promises hide a lot. Ask for a week-by-week plan. A vendor who can't describe Week 1 specifics isn't ready to implement.
"Who will be my dedicated point of contact, and what are their qualifications?"
Why it matters: Many Indian vendors sell projects and then assign fresh graduates to execute them. Ask who specifically will work on your project before you sign.
"How do you handle Tally/Zoho/WhatsApp integration — show me a live example?"
Why it matters: Indian-specific integrations are where most global tools fail. Ask for a live demo of the exact integration you need, not a mock-up.
"What happens if the automation breaks after go-live?"
Why it matters: Support quality is the most common complaint in Indian automation. Ask specifically: what is the SLA for issue resolution? Who do I call on Sunday at 6pm if everything stops working?
"What is included in your monthly fee — and what costs extra?"
Why it matters: Low base prices with expensive add-ons are common. Get a complete list of what's included and a written commitment that the quoted price is the final price for the agreed scope.
"Can I see the tool running on a real client's data (anonymised)?"
Why it matters: A demo on clean test data looks great. Ask to see it operating in a real, messy business environment. The response to this request tells you a lot.
"What is your team's experience with businesses that have our compliance requirements?"
Why it matters: GST, FSSAI, SEBI, healthcare regulations — compliance-specific automation needs domain knowledge. Ask for their specific experience with your regulatory environment.
"What does the exit process look like if we want to switch vendors?"
Why it matters: Data portability and exit terms are often buried in contracts. Ask upfront: if we leave in 12 months, what happens to our data and our automations?
"Will you put your ROI projections in writing as part of the contract?"
Why it matters: If a vendor confidently projects ₹80,000/month in savings, ask them to back it with contractual language. Vendors who believe their projections will agree. Those who don't will deflect.
Ask us all 10 — we welcome every one
MNB Research will answer every question above in writing. We put our projected ROI in our contracts. We provide references on request. Because we believe what we deliver.
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