Kanban

Kanban is a visual column management method that originated on Toyota's production line in the 1940s. The word means "card" or "sign" in Japanese. Today it is the basis of almost every modern CRM — including CRMs for WhatsApp.

How it works

Each work item (in the case of sales, a lead) is represented as a card. Cards move between columns that represent stages — for example: "New", "In Qualification", "Proposal Submitted", "Under Negotiation", "Closed", "Lost". Kanban's strength is in giving immediate visibility to the funnel: You see at a glance where the bottlenecks are and how many leads are waiting for action.

Why Kanban works on WhatsApp

WhatsApp is a chat channel — chronological, linear. Without a Kanban view, the salesperson needs to open each conversation to remember what stage the lead is at. With Kanban within WhatsApp Web (like what Zapext offers), the lead is a visible card, each chat has a color per stage, and dragging it to another column closes the cycle.

The 5 typical steps in sales via WhatsApp

1. New lead — first conversation. No qualifications yet.
2. Qualifying — bot or human has already asked 2-3 questions. Know profile and interest.
3. Under negotiation — proposal sent, awaiting response.
4. Customer — closed. Receive automated onboarding.
5. Lost — did not close. Go to the remarketing queue in 30 days.

Common errors when setting up Kanban

• 10+ columns — becomes complex, no one updates. Start with 5.
• No clear stage change criteria — seller moves at random. Define objective trigger (ex: "Proposal sent = moved when the customer confirmed receipt").
• Do not review monthly — empty or abandoned columns must be rethought.

See also: CRM for WhatsApp and sales funnel.