TL;DR

Score every vendor with the same Arabic prompts, WhatsApp workflow, ecommerce events, security questions, support scenario, and total-cost model.

Who this guide is for

This guide is for ecommerce operators on Salla and Zid, clinics and real-estate teams using WhatsApp Business, and IT buyers comparing customer-engagement platforms. Use it to document requirements and evidence; it does not rank vendors or replace security, legal, or procurement review.

1. Arabic dialect quality (not just MSA translation)

Ask for a live demo with the dialects and mixed-language patterns your customers use, including Arabizi where relevant. Score intent, facts, tone, refusal, and handoff with native speakers; do not accept a language-count or 'Arabic supported' claim as evidence.

2. WhatsApp Business API depth

  • Official WhatsApp Business API / BSP connectivity with template management
  • 24-hour session messaging + approved marketing templates
  • Broadcast campaigns with segmentation, quiet hours, and STOP handling
  • Media messages, catalog/product links, and interactive buttons
  • Quality rating monitoring so your number does not get restricted
  • Unified inbox so WhatsApp sits beside Instagram, Telegram, webchat, and LinkedIn

3. Ecommerce automation: Salla, Zid, and cart recovery

For a Salla or Zid workflow, test order lookup, identity checks, tracking, stock, cart events, COD confirmation, restock alerts, opt-outs, and failure states. Use test orders and verify every returned field rather than accepting a slide or prerecorded demo.

4. Voice and missed-call follow-up

If voice is required, test number availability, caller notice, recording controls, Arabic speech quality, interruption, latency, actions, fallback, and human transfer. For missed-call messaging, verify permission, template category, timing, retries, quiet hours, opt-out, and whether voice and chat share the intended customer record.

5. Security, PDPL, and data residency

Ask each vendor to document purpose support, legal-basis workflows, notices, retention, deletion, rights handling, hosting regions, subprocessors, transfer safeguards, encryption, roles, logs, incidents, and contract terms. Confirm applicability with qualified counsel rather than treating a feature list as PDPL approval.

6. Developer surface: REST API, webhooks, and CRM sync

Require current API documentation, authentication and rate-limit details, webhook verification, retries, idempotency, exports, contact identity rules, and a tested ERP integration. Compare the documented operations available in the exact SkyLight Chat plan and configuration under review.

7. Pricing & total cost of ownership

  • Seat pricing vs conversation pricing vs WhatsApp per-message Meta fees
  • Cost of Arabic AI tokens / knowledge base size
  • Onboarding for template approval and number migration
  • Hidden fees for campaigns, voice minutes, or extra channels

Run a scored pilot before an annual contract

Use one approved WhatsApp number, a sandbox or controlled store connection, representative Arabic prompts, failure cases, and a small authorized user group. Record evidence for every criterion, security and legal exceptions, operational effort, limits, and total cost before making a decision.