2 to 4 weeks for a standard setup: a CRM, one main channel and the three basic automations — instant reply, qualification and reminders — from mapping the current process. 6 to 8 weeks if there are multiple channels, multiple teams handling replies at once, or a data migration from a previous system. On top of either, there’s always the first month of real-world operation, which isn’t an optional phase.
What happens in the 2-4 weeks of a standard setup
The process starts by mapping the current sales process: where leads come in today, who handles them, and which questions repeat the most. From there, one main channel — WhatsApp, a web form or email, whichever brings in the most volume — gets connected to a CRM where the full history lives, and the three basic automations go live: instant reply as soon as a lead comes in, qualification through a few automatic questions, and reminders so no conversation stalls from being forgotten.
What stretches the timeline to 6-8 weeks
Two specific factors stretch the process. The first is having multiple channels at once — WhatsApp, form, phone and chat, each with its own flow that has to be designed and tested separately. The second is a data migration from a previous CRM or spreadsheet: migrated data isn’t always clean or complete, and it has to be verified before automations can work with it reliably, because a badly migrated record produces a badly targeted automated message.
Why the first month in production isn’t optional
No automated message gets calibrated well from internal testing alone. The team designing it knows what it means to say, but a real lead asks things testing didn’t anticipate, in a different tone than expected, or at a time of day that was never tested. The first month in production is when those real conversations get reviewed and whatever didn’t work as expected gets adjusted — skipping this phase leaves automations that work in the demo but fail with real customers.
The full service, with the three basic automations and the connected CRM, is at AI automation & CRM. If the main channel is WhatsApp, the process and timelines are somewhat different — see WhatsApp automation. For the full picture, see the AI automation & CRM guide. Tell us how your leads come in today.