In this guide · 8 sections
Short answer
Connect your website form to a Google Sheet or CRM with Zapier, Make or your CRM's own form, send the customer an instant acknowledgement email, alert the owner by email or WhatsApp, and add a reminder if the lead is still untouched after a set time. Record consent before sending any marketing.
The lead follow-up flow at a glance
An enquiry that sits unanswered in a shared inbox is easy to lose. The flow below makes sure each one gets an answer and an owner.
| Step | What happens | Typical tool |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Capture | Form entry is saved with name, contact, service and source | Google Sheets, Airtable or your CRM |
| 2. Acknowledge | Customer gets an instant email (or WhatsApp) reply | Gmail/Outlook via Zapier or Make, or the CRM |
| 3. Alert | Owner or staff member is notified with the details | Email, Slack, Teams or WhatsApp |
| 4. Remind | If the lead is still 'New' after a set time, a reminder fires | Zapier delay or CRM task |
| 5. Follow up | A gentle check-in a few days after the quote | CRM sequence or scheduled email |
If you are choosing between workflow tools, our Zapier vs Make comparison covers how each one charges.
Step by step: form to sheet, reply and alert
This version uses a website form, Google Sheets and Zapier, because they are the most common starting point. Make and most CRMs follow the same logic.
Tidy the form fields
Ask only for what you need: name, email, phone with country code, service and a message. Add a hidden 'source' field (for example, the page URL) and a separate, unticked box for marketing consent.
Send entries to a sheet or CRM
Create a Zap with your form tool as the trigger (WordPress forms, Webflow, Typeform, Google Forms and others connect to Zapier's Google Sheets integrations) and 'Create spreadsheet row' as the action. Add columns for Status, Owner and Date contacted.
Send an instant acknowledgement
Add an email step that thanks the customer by name, confirms what they asked about and says when you will reply, for example 'within one working day'. Send it from your business mailbox so replies come back to you.
Alert the owner
Add a step that emails or messages the person responsible, with the enquiry details and a link to the sheet row. Route by service if different staff handle different work.
Add a reminder for untouched leads
Add a delay (for example 4 working hours), then check whether Status is still 'New'. If it is, send a second alert to the owner or a manager.
Test with three fake enquiries
Submit the form from a phone and a laptop, check the row, the customer email, the alert and the reminder, then delete the test rows.
Using a CRM instead of a spreadsheet
A spreadsheet works well up to a few dozen enquiries a month. Beyond that, or with more than two people handling leads, a CRM is easier: it assigns owners, creates follow-up tasks and keeps the email history with each contact.
Most CRMs have their own web forms and auto-responders, which removes the need for Zapier for steps 1 to 3. Our CRM comparison for Singapore small businesses compares Zoho, HubSpot and Pipedrive on price, WhatsApp support and PDPA set-up.
Spreadsheet is fine if
- Under about 30 enquiries a month
- One or two people handle all leads
- Quotes are simple and sent by email
Move to a CRM if
- Several staff share leads and need owners
- You want automatic follow-up sequences
- You need a history of every call, email and WhatsApp per customer
Adding WhatsApp to the flow
Many Singapore businesses already talk to customers on WhatsApp. There are two different ways to add it to the flow.
- Alerts to your own team: sending the owner a WhatsApp alert about a new enquiry is simple through the WhatsApp Business Platform, and it is internal, so marketing rules do not apply.
- Replies to the customer: the WhatsApp Cloud API lets you send an approved template message, such as 'Thanks for your enquiry, we will reply within one working day.' Meta requires the customer's opt-in for business-initiated messages (Meta's opt-in rules), so add a WhatsApp opt-in line to your form.
Meta charges per message delivered; a Singapore utility message costs about S$0.021 from 1 October 2026. Our WhatsApp Business API cost guide has the full rates and setup steps.
Consent, marketing and the DNC Registry
Replying to the enquiry someone just sent is what they asked for. Sending them promotions later is different. This is general information, not legal advice.
Before you send any marketing
The PDPC's DNC business rules say a DNC check is valid for 21 days. PDPC also says you do not need to check if you have the person's clear and unambiguous consent, and that you have 21 days to act on an opt-out. Our DNC Registry check guide explains how to check numbers and build it into a flow.
What the automation costs
Rough monthly costs for 100 enquiries a month, approximate, as of October 2026:
- Zapier, 5-step flowFits Zapier's entry Professional tier (750 tasks), US$19.99/mo on annual billing per our Zapier vs Make guideUp to about 500 tasks/month
- Google SheetsWith Google Workspace or a free Google accountIncluded
- WhatsApp utility replies (optional)100 messages x about S$0.021About S$2/month
- CRM (optional)Zoho CRM Free (3 users) or Standard for 3 usersS$0 to S$51/month
Estimated totalRoughly US$20 to US$60 a month in tools
Triggers do not count as Zapier tasks; each action that runs does. Check current pricing before you buy.
Do it yourself or get help?
If you are comfortable with Zapier or Make, the basic flow takes two to three hours, mostly testing. Help is worth it when you want WhatsApp templates approved, a CRM connected, or routing by service and staff member.
Workflow Automation (S$390 per workflow) builds and tests the full capture, reply, alert and reminder flow on accounts you own. WhatsApp Notifications (S$590) sets up the WhatsApp Business API with approved templates for customer replies and staff alerts. You pay Zapier, Make, Meta or your CRM directly.
Frequently asked questions
For alerts to your own team, connect the form to a workflow tool such as Zapier or Make and send a message through the WhatsApp Business Platform. For replies to the customer, use an approved WhatsApp template through the Cloud API, and only message people who opted in to WhatsApp on your form. Meta charges per delivered message.
Thank the customer by name, confirm what they asked about, and say when they will hear back, such as within one working day. Include your business name, phone number and website, and send it from your business mailbox so replies reach you. Keep it short and avoid promotions in the acknowledgement itself.
As fast as you reasonably can, ideally the same working day. An instant acknowledgement buys time, but set a reminder if an enquiry is still untouched after a few working hours, and a check-in a few days after you send a quote. Write your promised response time in the auto-reply and keep to it.
Only if they gave consent for marketing. Use a separate, unticked checkbox on the form and record the date and channel. For promotional calls, SMS or WhatsApp to Singapore numbers without clear and unambiguous consent, check the Do Not Call Registry first; results are valid for 21 days.
No. A Google Sheet with Zapier or Make handles capture, replies, alerts and reminders for a small volume of enquiries. A CRM becomes worthwhile when several people share leads, you want automatic follow-up sequences, or you need a full history of calls, emails and messages for each customer.