WhatsApp CRM guide

A WhatsApp CRM puts an owner, a stage and a record next to every chat

This guide explains what a WhatsApp CRM does and how to choose one. MyCRM's WhatsApp connection is coming soon; Telegram works in the same panel today.

Where things stand

MyCRM's WhatsApp connection is not available yet. It is in development, and the channel that works in the panel today is Telegram. This page is a guide first. What MyCRM plans to offer is in its own section, written in the future tense.

What is a WhatsApp CRM?

WhatsApp is a messaging app. It does not record who is looking after which customer or how far a quote has got. A WhatsApp CRM is software that adds that information on top of the chats. The conversation stays the same, and next to it you get:

An assignee: every chat has an owner.
A stage: steps such as new enquiry, quote sent and awaiting payment, tracked on a board.
Labels and notes: information the customer never sees.
Reminders: "I'll get back to you on Thursday" no longer depends on someone's memory.
Tickets: a problem that needs solving gets a priority and a deadline.
Reports: how many chats came in, how long the first reply took, who carried the load.

The WhatsApp Business app has labels and quick replies too, and for a one-person business it is often enough. The gap appears when a team grows: the app does not assign chats, separate permissions or report at team level.

Who needs one, and who does not

A simple test: if more than one person answers the same number, or you run more than one number, a CRM layer will make the work easier.

Sales teams use stages and reminders so a price enquiry is not forgotten.
Support teams need the handover between shifts to show who had the chat and what was promised.
Agencies want each client's number visible only to the people working on that client.
Businesses with several branches keep numbers separate while a manager sees them in one list.

If you get a handful of messages a day and answer them yourself, the free WhatsApp Business app will most likely do.

Two routes: the official API and your own number

Software can connect to WhatsApp in two basic ways, and the choice shapes the whole product.

Topic	Official WhatsApp Business Platform (API)	Linking your own number as a linked device
Setup	A Meta business account and usually a solution provider	A QR code or pairing code from the app on your phone
Cost	Meta charges for the template messages you send	No message fee to Meta, only the software fee
First message	With an approved template and the customer's opt-in	Like any ordinary WhatsApp user
Terms	The route WhatsApp provides for businesses	WhatsApp's terms restrict unofficial clients

Full comparison: WhatsApp Business API vs linked device.

What to look for

Is the connection method stated plainly? Official API or linked device? Be careful with a vendor who does not say.
Are permissions set per number? An agent should see their own numbers, not all of them.
Can customer phone numbers be hidden? When staff change, the customer list should not leave with them.
Are there chat ownership and internal notes? These stop two people giving the same customer two different answers.
How does history arrive? With a linked device, WhatsApp syncs only recent history.
Is the contact record tied to a phone number? WhatsApp has started rolling out usernames, so in future you may not see some customers' numbers.
How is mass sending offered? Blasting people who do not know you is the shortest way to get a number reported and closed.

What MyCRM plans to offer

When WhatsApp launches, you will add your number as a linked device from the app on your phone, by QR code or pairing code. Chats will land in the same shared inbox as Telegram chats and use the same fields: assignee, stage, labels, notes, tickets and reports. We will not offer bulk messaging to people who have not written to you.

All of this works on the Telegram side today. You can start with Telegram and use WhatsApp in the same workspace when it opens.

FAQ

Can I use WhatsApp in MyCRM today? No. The WhatsApp connection is in development and has not launched. Today you can connect Telegram numbers in the same panel.

Is the WhatsApp Business app a CRM? Not quite. It has labels, quick replies and a catalogue, but it does not assign chats to team members, set permissions per number or produce team reports.

Is linking my own number allowed by WhatsApp's terms? Linking it through unofficial software is not. WhatsApp's terms restrict such clients and automation. If full compliance is a requirement for you, the official WhatsApp Business Platform is the right choice.

Can I send marketing messages with a WhatsApp CRM? On the official API you send approved templates to customers who opted in, and you pay per message. On MyCRM's WhatsApp side there will be no bulk sending to people who have not written to you.