Connecting Telegram, Instagram and WhatsApp to a CRM takes five steps and no developer: prepare the accounts, connect the channels, upload prices and answers, test a conversation and switch on the AI employee (AI agent). You need three things: a Telegram bot or account, an Instagram professional account and the WhatsApp Business app on your company number. In Zukko.AI, Instagram connects over OAuth, Telegram through a @BotFather bot and WhatsApp by scanning a QR code. Messages from all three channels land in one inbox and attach to the customer record, and comments under posts and Reels arrive in the same stream. The main limit on Instagram and WhatsApp: the customer starts the conversation, and you have 24 hours from their last message to reply freely. In Uzbekistan, start with Instagram and Telegram, the main sources of enquiries. A small business launches itself from 2 hours; a large one with integrations needs up to 30 days.
How to connect Telegram, Instagram and WhatsApp to a CRM: step by step
- Prepare the accounts: an Instagram professional account, a Telegram bot or account, and the WhatsApp Business app on your company number.
- Connect the channels in Zukko.AI with no developer: Instagram over OAuth, Telegram through a @BotFather bot or the Telegram Direct connector, WhatsApp by scanning a QR code in the WhatsApp Business app. Start with Instagram and Telegram: in Uzbekistan they are the main sources of enquiries, and WhatsApp is secondary.
- Upload your price list and answers to frequent questions, and set the rules: what the AI employee answers itself and what it hands to a manager.
- Check with a test conversation: the message lands in the single inbox and is attached to the customer record in the CRM.
- Switch the AI employee on: it replies in Uzbek, Russian or English and passes anything non-standard to a manager together with the conversation history.
Comments under posts and Reels are not lost either: the comment module picks them up, replies publicly and continues the conversation in Direct. The AI employee handles customers’ story replies the same way as Direct messages.
What each channel needs and where its limits are
| Channel | What you need to connect | Main limit | What lands in the customer record |
|---|---|---|---|
| A professional account (business or creator); depending on the connection method, a linked Facebook Page with admin rights | The customer starts the conversation; you have 24 hours from their last message to reply through the API | Direct messages, comments under posts and Reels, story replies, the request and the deal status | |
| Telegram | A bot created through @BotFather and its token; for private messages, the Telegram Direct connector | A bot cannot write first: the customer has to message it or add it to a group | The bot conversation or private chat, the contact, the request |
| The WhatsApp Business app on your company number (version 2.24.17 or later, per Meta’s documentation); you connect by scanning a QR code, and the number keeps working both in the app and in Zukko.AI | Any reply within 24 hours of the customer’s message; after that, only pre-approved templates | The chat with its history, the contact, the request; WhatsApp calls come through a separate connector |
The platform rules are given as stated in the official Meta and Telegram documentation in September 2026. They change, so check the primary source before launching templates and broadcasts: the links are at the end of the article.
Why connect channels to a CRM
In Uzbekistan sales and enquiries come through messengers: Instagram and Telegram are the main channels, WhatsApp is secondary. While each channel lives on its own, managers switch between apps, lose conversations and cannot see who has written before.
Once the channels are connected to the CRM, the gap closes: every message lands in a shared inbox, and the customer’s history is assembled in one record — no matter where they wrote.
This article is about connecting. How to run every conversation afterwards is shown on the Inbox AI page. The rules on automation are covered in are auto-replies allowed on Instagram, and the whole integration layer in the AI-CRM integration guide.
What to check after connecting
- Inbound from every channel. Write to Direct, the Telegram bot and WhatsApp from a personal number and make sure all three messages reach the inbox.
- One record. A second message from the same customer should land in their existing record rather than open a new one.
- Hand-off to a manager. Ask a question that is not in the price list: the AI employee should pass the conversation to a manager with its history.
- Comments. Leave a comment under a post: the reply appears publicly and the conversation continues in Direct.
What the business gets
- Not a single lost request — every channel in one inbox, nothing falls between apps.
- An answer the same second — the AI employee replies around the clock, at night and at weekends included.
- One customer record — the whole history from Instagram, Telegram and WhatsApp in one place.
- A fast start — onboarding from 2 hours with access ready; for a large business, up to 30 days.
Frequently asked questions
Can all three channels be connected to one CRM
Yes. Telegram, Instagram and WhatsApp connect to Zukko.AI as separate connectors and meet in a single inbox, where every message is attached to the customer record. A customer can start on Instagram and continue on WhatsApp, and the history stays in one place. Messenger, web chat, Email and SMS are available too.
What should we prepare before connecting
For Instagram, a professional account (business or creator) and, depending on the connection method, a linked Facebook Page. For Telegram, a bot created through @BotFather or an account for private messages. For WhatsApp, the WhatsApp Business app on your company number: the channel connects by scanning a QR code. Add a price list and answers to frequent questions.
Can we connect a personal Instagram or WhatsApp account instead of a business one
Not officially. Instagram opens its messaging API only to professional accounts, so a personal profile is first switched to a professional one. WhatsApp connects through the WhatsApp Business app; the regular personal WhatsApp app will not do. The platform rules do not provide for connecting personal accounts around the official routes. Check the current terms in Meta’s documentation.
Do we have to change our number or account
No. Your Instagram and Telegram accounts stay as they are. The WhatsApp number stays too: the WhatsApp Business app connects to Zukko.AI by QR code in Meta’s official mode, and the number keeps working both in the app and in Zukko.AI. Per Meta’s documentation, some app features are switched off in this mode, such as broadcast lists and disappearing messages.
Why can’t we message a customer on Instagram or WhatsApp at any time
Under Meta’s rules the customer starts the conversation, and the business has 24 hours to reply from their last message. On WhatsApp, once that window closes, you can send only a template approved by the platform in advance. On Instagram a separate tag exists for a later reply by a human agent. Check the current terms in the documentation.
Are comments under posts handled
Yes. Comments under Instagram posts and Reels arrive in the same stream as Direct: the AI employee replies publicly as your brand and continues the conversation in private messages. A “how much is it” under a post becomes a conversation and a request in the CRM instead of getting lost in the feed. Story replies are handled the same way.
How long does connection take
A small or mid-size business launches on its own, from 2 hours with access ready: connect the channels, upload the price list and switch the AI employee on. A large business with integrations and a security review needs up to 30 days. Allow time on the platform side too: WhatsApp message templates are reviewed before sending.
Sources
- Meta for Developers — Instagram Platform overview (professional accounts, Instagram Login and Facebook Login)
- Meta for Developers — Instagram Messaging API: the 24-hour reply window
- Meta for Developers — WhatsApp Cloud API: sending messages and the customer service window
- Meta for Developers — WhatsApp message templates and their review
- Meta for Developers — WhatsApp: onboarding WhatsApp Business app users to Cloud API (the app and the platform working side by side)
- Telegram — Bots: an introduction for developers
- Telegram — Bot Features: bots for business accounts