From architecting Telangana’s digital governance systems to powering the tech stack of 30+ early-stage startups, Vinil Chandra has worn many hats — all while staying deeply grounded in solving for scale, efficiency, and real-world impact. Today, as the Founder and CEO of Squarebox AI, Vinil is on a mission to bring enterprise-grade customer engagement tools to India’s small and medium businesses — starting with a platform they already live on: WhatsApp.
In this exclusive interview with CXQuest.com, Vinil opens up about the core philosophy behind Squarebox AI, why he believes customer experience is the next battleground for SMBs, and how AI-driven simplicity could be the defining game-changer.
WhatsApp-first CRM with Squarebox AI
Q1. You’ve had a diverse entrepreneurial journey — from Washapp to Hyno to TS-bPASS. What motivated you to take the leap into building a WhatsApp-first CRM with Squarebox AI?
VC: My journey has always been driven by a passion for solving real-world problems through technology. With Washapp, I gained deep exposure to B2C operations and logistics, understanding the pulse of end consumers. Hyno gave me the opportunity to work with global startups and some of the sharpest CTOs from Silicon Valley — it refined my understanding of product-market fit and what it takes to scale tech products across markets.
TS-bPASS was a game-changer. We helped the Telangana government streamline building permissions, processing over 2 lakh applications and enabling over $1 billion in revenue generation. That experience taught me how tech can drive transformation at scale — even in government systems.
Squarebox was born from a powerful insight I kept seeing in every interaction: WhatsApp is the default business tool for MSMEs in India, but it lacks structure, follow-up, and intelligent automation. If we could layer AI on top of this habit, we could truly empower small businesses to scale like enterprises. That realization was the spark for Squarebox.ai.
SMB Ecosystem and Squarebox AI
Q2. What does “customer experience” mean to you personally, especially in the context of India’s SMB ecosystem?
VC: In the context of Indian SMBs, customer experience is fundamentally about trust and consistency. It’s not about grand gestures or surprise-and-delight moments — it’s about showing up, following through, and making the customer feel heard and valued.
Most SMBs operate with limited resources. They don’t have dedicated CX teams, but they have something far more powerful — direct, human relationships with their customers. The challenge is, as they grow, it becomes harder to maintain that same personal touch across every interaction.
To me, customer experience is about enabling scale without losing the soul of the business. It’s making sure that no inquiry goes unanswered, that every promise is met, and that customers feel they’re dealing with someone who genuinely cares.
In a market like India, where expectations are rising and competition is fierce, good customer experience isn’t just a differentiator — it’s survival. And when done right, it becomes a growth engine that turns customers into advocates.
WhatsApp – Default Business Communication Tool
Q3. Squarebox AI is rooted in the insight that for SMBs, WhatsApp is the default business communication tool. How did you identify this opportunity, and what gaps were you looking to address?
VC: It all started when a business owner told me he was manually sending personalized messages — with images — to over 500 of his distributors on WhatsApp. He was editing each image, copying names, and sending them one by one. It was taking him two full days, and even then, some messages got missed.
That one conversation hit home. Why was something so simple taking so much effort? We wrote a small program to automate it — generate dynamic images, personalize each message, and send them over WhatsApp. It worked like magic. And that’s when it clicked: WhatsApp was the default business channel, but there were no real tools around it. No structure. No automation. Just effort and chaos.
That one insight became the foundation of Squarebox.
As we looked deeper, the problem was everywhere — missed follow-ups, leads falling through cracks, messages scattered across team members, no way to prioritize or personalize at scale. Businesses were doing their best, but the tools weren’t built for how they actually worked — which was, almost always, on WhatsApp.
Squarebox brings automation, AI, and personalization into the everyday workflows of SMBs — on WhatsApp. We’re not asking them to change their habits. We’re just giving them the power to scale what they already do, without the stress or the manual work. That’s how Squarebox was born — and that’s the problem we’re solving.
AI-powered Shared Inbox
Q4. One of the key differentiators of Squarebox is its AI-powered shared inbox. Could you walk us through how this feature changes the day-to-day workflow for a small business owner or sales team?
VC: The shared inbox is the beating heart of Squarebox — and it’s built for the realities of how small teams operate on WhatsApp.
In most SMBs, one WhatsApp number is used for everything: sales, support, follow-ups, and service. But that quickly becomes messy when multiple team members are involved — messages get missed, follow-ups slip, and no one knows who’s handling what.
Our shared inbox solves that by centralizing all WhatsApp conversations into a single, collaborative dashboard. Now, even if 1,000 chats come in through one number, the team can manage them together — with full visibility and accountability.
Here’s how it works:
- Generic or repetitive queries can be instantly answered by AI, saving hours every day.
- Complex or high-value leads get flagged and intelligently assigned to the right team member.
- Each user sees their own list, gets AI suggestions on what to reply, and even nudges if a hot lead hasn’t been followed up with.
- The system sets reminders, helps schedule future messages, and ensures nothing falls through the cracks.
Whether it’s a follow-up for a site visit, a payment reminder, or a customer asking for product details, everything can be handled from one place — faster, smarter, and with context.
The result? Your team looks more responsive, your customers feel more valued, and your business runs like it’s 10x bigger than it really is. That’s the power of the shared inbox.
Fear Around Automation
Q5. A common fear around automation is the loss of a human touch. How do you ensure that AI in Squarebox enhances rather than erodes personal customer engagement?
VC: That fear is valid — especially in SMBs, where customer relationships are deeply personal and built on trust. But the way we see it, AI should never replace the human touch — it should protect it.
In Squarebox, automation isn’t about sending cold, robotic replies. It’s about making sure a small team can still feel personal, responsive, and in control — even when they’re managing hundreds of chats.
For example, in the shared inbox, AI steps in to:
- Handle repetitive questions instantly, so the team has time to focus on important conversations
- Suggest replies with the right tone and empathy, tailored to the customer’s context
- Nudge team members when a high-intent lead needs attention or when follow-ups are due
So rather than overwhelm the team or let messages slip through, AI keeps everything on track — while humans stay at the center of the interaction. The personal connection is still there — AI just gives your team more time and clarity to nurture it.
In short, Squarebox doesn’t replace people — it gives them superpowers.
Integrated Knowledge Base
Q6. How do your AI agents work with the integrated knowledge base? Can you share a real-world scenario where this created a breakthrough in customer support or lead conversion?
VC: Our AI agents are deeply integrated with each business’s knowledge base — that includes their FAQs, pricing details, service policies, tags, and even past chat history. This allows the bot to answer questions with context, not just generic replies.
A real breakthrough happened with one of our clients — a mid-sized real estate firm. They were receiving over 150 WhatsApp inquiries a day, and 70% of them were repeat questions: “Is this project still available?” “What’s the exact price per square foot?” “When is possession?”
Before Squarebox, their sales team spent most of the day copy-pasting answers — by the time they reached the serious leads, it was too late.
Once we set up Squarebox, our AI agent was trained on their property details and standard responses. Within 24 hours, it started handling the repetitive questions automatically — not just responding faster, but accurately pulling in price, availability, and timelines directly from the knowledge base.
This freed up the sales team to jump straight into calls with hot leads — resulting in a 35% increase in qualified site visits within the first month, and drastically shorter response times. It was a clear example of how AI and knowledge integration, when done right, can directly impact both support efficiency and business outcomes.
Telecalling + WhatsApp Workflow
Q7. You’ve mentioned that Squarebox offers a “Telecalling + WhatsApp workflow.” How does this dual-channel strategy improve response times and CX outcomes for your clients?
VC: In India’s diverse and mobile-first market, businesses can’t rely on a single channel — some customers prefer speaking over the phone, others are more comfortable texting on WhatsApp. Squarebox bridges that gap by tightly integrating telecalling and WhatsApp into one intelligent workflow.
Here’s how it works:
- When a sales or support agent makes a call, it’s not cold — our AI voice agents are preloaded with context from previous WhatsApp chats, CRM notes, tags, and customer history. This ensures the conversation is relevant, personalized, and efficient.
- After the call, the system auto-generates a call summary, suggests next steps, and even creates tasks for follow-ups. If a customer says, “I’ll confirm by Friday,” a reminder is set — and if they miss it, the agent is nudged to check in again.
- Every interaction — both call and message — gets logged into a training loop that improves the personalization of future responses. Over time, the system learns customer preferences, tone, and timing — making sure the customer always feels heard.
This approach isn’t just about better outreach — it’s about staying on top of your customer’s mind. Businesses can start a conversation on WhatsApp, continue it over a call, and follow up again on chat — without missing context or momentum. It results in faster responses, smoother conversations, and ultimately, better conversion and retention.
Balancing Cutting-edge AI with Ease of Use
Q8. Simplicity and affordability are often at odds with advanced tech solutions. How does Squarebox balance cutting-edge AI with ease of use for non-tech-savvy SMBs?
VC: That’s something we think about every day — because our users aren’t tech teams, they’re business owners, sales reps, and support staff who need things to just work.
We designed Squarebox to be flexible and intuitive from day one. Our AI is built to be useful without being overwhelming. Every feature — from chat automation to campaign setup — is guided. We also provide onboarding support and dedicated customer success managers who help businesses tailor the platform to their exact workflows, even if they’re new to CRMs or automation.
On the affordability front, we offer plans that start as low as ₹500 per user per month, and a 10-person team can get started with just ₹5,000 a month — all features included.
And when it comes to creative needs like sending festive greetings or product updates, you don’t need a designer or video editor. We’ve integrated AI image and video generation tools — just write a prompt like “Diwali wishes for my top customers,” and within seconds, you get a ready-to-send visual or video message.
So whether it’s running smart campaigns or handling 1,000 chats, we’ve made sure Squarebox stays powerful on the backend, but effortless on the surface. That’s how we deliver true value — without the learning curve or the price tag.
Client Success Story
Q9. Could you highlight a client success story where Squarebox significantly transformed their customer experience and business efficiency?
VC: Certainly. One of our early success stories comes from a real estate client who was struggling to manage daily WhatsApp inquiries. They were receiving over 150 messages a day — most asking for pricing, availability, or site visit slots. Their small sales team was overwhelmed, and valuable leads were slipping through the cracks.
Once they onboarded with Squarebox, we automated responses to common questions using our AI knowledge base, implemented follow-up reminders, and enabled smart lead assignment across their team. Within just a month, their site visit bookings increased 3x, and overall closure time was cut in half. More importantly, the team was finally able to focus on real conversations instead of repetitive tasks.
Another unique example was when we helped manage communications for a 10K marathon event with over 1,000 participants. Using Squarebox, we coordinated bib distribution, ticket confirmations, event-day reminders, and real-time updates — all through WhatsApp. We created custom flows for registration, enabled automated responses for FAQs, and even sent personalized reminders. What would’ve taken days of manual coordination was handled smoothly in just hours.
These examples show how versatile Squarebox is — whether it’s helping close real estate deals or managing logistics for a high-footfall event, we bring structure, speed, and clarity to customer communication.
Emerging User Behavior Patterns/ CX Trends
Q10. You’ve onboarded clients across industries like real estate, edtech, and retail. What CX trends or user behavior patterns are you seeing emerge across these segments?
VC: Across all segments, one trend is crystal clear: customers expect immediacy. Whether it’s a parent inquiring about admissions, a buyer asking about a 2BHK flat, or a shopper checking delivery timelines — they want quick, personalized responses, and they want them now.
We’re also seeing a rise in regional language usage — especially from Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities. Businesses that communicate in the customer’s preferred language are seeing significantly higher engagement and trust.
Another big shift is the demand for multi-channel continuity. People might discover you on Instagram, ask a question on WhatsApp, and expect a follow-up via call. Businesses that unify these channels into one smooth experience are getting ahead.
In retail and D2C, festive and lifecycle campaigns are seeing great traction — like personalized birthday offers or “you left something in your cart” nudges. In edtech and real estate, follow-ups and scheduling automation are driving better conversions.
What ties it all together is this: good CX is no longer about flashy design or gimmicks — it’s about speed, context, language, and memory. Businesses that act fast, speak the customer’s language, and remember past conversations are winning — and we’re proud that Squarebox is enabling that shift.
Interdisciplinary Approach in Design for CX at Squarebox
Q11. Your co-founding team comes from strong product, design, tech, and marketing backgrounds. How does that interdisciplinary approach influence how you design for CX at Squarebox?
VC: You’re absolutely right — each of us founders leads a different function: product, design, tech, and marketing. That’s precisely why we were able to launch Squarebox in just 3 months — we operate like a full-stack execution team with a shared mindset.
Collectively, we bring over a decade of experience building and supporting startups from the ground up. But what truly binds us is our customer-first approach. Every feature we ship, every campaign we run, and every UI we design — it starts with the customer’s perspective, not just what looks good on a roadmap.
We’ve worked closely with early-stage startups, where every customer interaction matters. That experience taught us to listen deeply, simplify ruthlessly, and never build just for show. Internally, our motto is: “Don’t impress — solve.”
This cross-functional thinking helps us create products that not only work well, but feel intuitive, relevant, and scalable. It’s what makes Squarebox click — not just as a tool, but as an experience.
Product-market Fit and Customer Validation
Q12. With your experience in gov-tech and startup ecosystems, how do you approach product-market fit and customer validation differently at Squarebox?
My experience in both the startup world and large-scale government systems taught me one key lesson: assumptions don’t scale — listening does.
In gov-tech, especially with projects like TS-bPASS, we were building for millions of citizens with vastly different needs and digital comfort levels. We had to design systems that worked even with low literacy, patchy internet, and outdated devices — yet still deliver real outcomes. That forced us to validate every interaction, question every flow, and simplify continuously.
In startups, the stakes are different but the mindset is similar: if you’re not solving something that genuinely matters to the user, they won’t stick around. At Squarebox, we don’t treat product-market fit as a one-time milestone. It’s an ongoing loop — build, deploy, observe, listen, tweak, repeat.
Every new feature goes through live validation with real customers, often co-built with early adopters. We run shadow onboarding sessions, watch how users actually interact with the platform, and adapt the UX based on real-world friction — not internal assumptions.
What’s different at Squarebox is that we bring a systems-thinking mindset from gov-tech and blend it with the agility of startups. That helps us move fast, but still build for scale and inclusivity. It’s not about just finding fit — it’s about growing into it with empathy and evidence.
0 to 1 Journey for 30+ Startups
Q13. You’ve supported the “0 to 1 journey” for 30+ startups via Hyno. How has that shaped the way you think about onboarding, retention, and long-term CX for your own platform?
VC: Supporting 30+ startups through their “0 to 1” journey at Hyno taught me that building a product is just the beginning — the real challenge is getting users to experience value fast, and stay engaged long enough to become loyal.
At Squarebox, that experience has shaped everything — especially how we approach onboarding and retention. We know that for SMBs, time is a luxury they don’t have. So our onboarding is designed to deliver value within the first 15 minutes — whether it’s automating a follow-up or sending a personalized message. If they don’t see impact quickly, they’ll bounce. It’s that simple.
From our work with startups, we also learned that retention is built during onboarding — not after. So we don’t just show users what Squarebox does; we guide them to their first meaningful win. Our customer success team plays a hands-on role, understanding the user’s business and shaping the tool around their real-world needs — not the other way around.
And when it comes to long-term CX, I’ve learned that it’s less about flashy features and more about staying relevant. That means constantly listening, updating based on feedback, and showing users that you’re evolving with them. It’s a mindset we carry every day at Squarebox — because we’ve seen firsthand how powerful it is when done right.
Empower 100,000 SMBs in the Next Two Years
Q14. Squarebox aims to empower 100,000 SMBs in the next two years. What does scaling great CX look like at that level of ambition?
VC: Scaling to 100,000 businesses isn’t just about more users — it’s about building trust at scale without losing the intimacy that makes small businesses feel cared for.
To me, great CX at scale means designing systems that feel personal, even when they’re automated. It’s about ensuring that a business owner in a tier-3 town gets the same clarity, respect, and responsiveness as a mid-sized enterprise in a metro. And that requires us to go beyond traditional support and build proactive, context-aware experiences.
Core Principles
At Squarebox, we’re approaching this challenge through a few core principles:
- AI as an enabler, not a barrier: Our goal is to make each user feel like they have a personal assistant who remembers their customers, reminds them when to follow up, and suggests what to say — without needing to be tech-savvy.
- Localized, human-backed support: As we scale, we’re doubling down on vernacular support, self-serve guides in local languages, and success managers who understand regional nuances. Because great CX in India isn’t one-size-fits-all — it’s personal, cultural, and contextual.
- Data-driven empathy: We track how users interact with Squarebox, not just to improve the product, but to trigger help when needed — whether it’s a tutorial, a reminder, or a check-in from a real human when we see signs of drop-off or confusion.
- Community and education: We want our users to not just use the product, but to grow with it. That’s why we’re building a resource layer — playbooks, webinars, and peer communities — where SMBs can learn how to sell better, support better, and grow smarter.
Scaling great CX isn’t about handling more tickets or faster replies. It’s about designing an experience where even the 100,000th user feels like we built Squarebox for them. And that’s what we’re committed to.
Final Advice to Early-stage Founders
Q15. Finally, what advice would you give to early-stage founders or CX leaders building for India’s underserved business segments?
VC: If you’re building for India’s underserved business segments, the first thing I’d say is: start where your customers already are, not where you want them to be. Whether it’s WhatsApp, voice calls, or pen and paper — meet them there first, then build forward.
Second, don’t assume that just because a business is “small,” their needs are simple. Most SMBs in India are juggling marketing, sales, support, and delivery — often from a single phone. They don’t need more features. They need fewer steps. Simplicity is not a compromise — it’s the strategy.
Third, listen more than you ship. In early stages, every call, every complaint, every drop-off holds gold. Your best product roadmap won’t come from your team — it’ll come from your customers’ frustrations and workarounds.
And finally, respect their time. In this segment, people don’t have hours to explore your product or sit through demos. Make the first 5 minutes count. Give them quick wins, clear outcomes, and genuine support.
You don’t win this market by out-coding others. You win it by out-caring them. Build for trust, and growth will follow.
Thank you, Vinil, for sharing such valuable insights into the world of AI-driven customer engagement for SMBs in India. Your passion for enabling small businesses with simple yet powerful tools is inspiring, and it’s exciting to see how Squarebox AI is reshaping the future of customer experience.
We’re looking forward to seeing how Squarebox continues to grow and impact SMBs across the country. Your journey and perspective offer so much for other entrepreneurs and CX leaders to learn from.
Best wishes for all your future endeavors, and we look forward to keeping up with Squarebox’s success!
