In today’s fast-paced digital world, email alone isn’t enough. Customers expect instant communication — and nothing beats the accessibility of WhatsApp and SMS for real-time engagement.
If your team uses Zoho CRM, you’re already managing leads and deals in one place. Now imagine enhancing that experience by connecting it directly to WhatsApp or SMS — for sending appointment reminders, follow-ups, or even lead qualification messages.
In this guide, we’ll show you how to connect Zoho CRM to WhatsApp and SMS gateways, and how this integration can transform your customer communication strategy.
💡 Why Integrate WhatsApp or SMS with Zoho CRM?
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🔔 Instant notifications: Send automated reminders or alerts to contacts.
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🤝 Faster follow-ups: Reach prospects in real time to move deals forward.
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📈 Higher engagement: SMS and WhatsApp have open rates above 90%.
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🧩 Workflow automation: Trigger messages based on CRM actions or fields.
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📝 Unified history: Keep all communications logged in the CRM.
🔌 Integration Options
You can integrate Zoho CRM with WhatsApp or SMS gateways using:
1. Zoho’s Built-in Marketplace Extensions
Zoho Marketplace offers prebuilt integrations with popular providers like:
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Twilio
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SMS Magic
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WATI (for WhatsApp Business API)
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MessageBird
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Kaleyra
These extensions simplify setup, allow message sending from within CRM, and often support workflow triggers.
💡 Go to Zoho CRM > Setup > Marketplace > All Extensions > Search for your preferred gateway.
2. Custom Functions via Deluge
For more flexibility, you can use Deluge (Zoho’s scripting language) to send SMS or WhatsApp messages through external APIs.
Example: Sending an SMS via Twilio
You can add this function to Workflow Rules to trigger messages automatically based on CRM events like:
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New lead creation
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Status update
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Missed follow-up date
3. Using Third-Party Platforms (Make, Zapier, Pabbly)
Platforms like Make (Integromat), Zapier, or Pabbly Connect can help non-developers connect Zoho CRM to:
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WhatsApp (via WATI, 360Dialog, Twilio)
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SMS providers
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Chatbots
These tools use drag-and-drop builders to automate workflows without code. Ideal for marketing and operations teams.
📲 WhatsApp Business API: What You Should Know
To use WhatsApp Business API, you must:
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Apply via a provider like Twilio, 360Dialog, or WATI
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Verify your Facebook Business Account
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Create pre-approved templates for outbound messages
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Follow opt-in and compliance rules (very important!)
For 1:1 conversations initiated by users, your agents can respond freely for 24 hours. Beyond that, templates are required.
🛠️ Example Use Cases
Here are a few ways to use SMS or WhatsApp with Zoho CRM:
Use Case | Trigger | Message Type |
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Appointment reminder | Date/time field | SMS via Twilio |
Lead welcome message | New Lead entry | WhatsApp template |
Deal follow-up | Deal stage change | |
Payment confirmation | Invoice created | SMS |
Post-sale feedback | Deal won | WhatsApp with survey link |
✅ Best Practices
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Always obtain consent before sending messages.
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Keep messages concise and personal.
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Use merge fields (e.g., [First Name], [Deal Name]) for personalization.
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Avoid over-messaging — stick to important, action-based messages.
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Log message history in the CRM for full customer context.
📦 Need Help Setting It Up?
As a Zoho consultant, I help businesses:
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Choose the right WhatsApp/SMS provider
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Set up APIs or marketplace extensions
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Write automation scripts in Deluge
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Design message workflows that convert
Let’s make your CRM truly conversational. 🗣️
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