# Shared WhatsApp inbox or omnichannel CRM | Shimli > 70% of customers expect whoever helps them to know their case. What breaks when a team shares one WhatsApp and what an omnichannel CRM with AI agents solves. [Comparisons](https://www.shimliapp.com/en/comparar) Team support ## Five advisors on one WhatsApp aren't a team: they're a sorting problem. The short answer Sharing one WhatsApp number among several people works at first, but nobody knows who handles what, the history is split across phones and the customer explains their case again. An omnichannel CRM assigns each conversation to one person, keeps the history in one place and lets an AI agent resolve the repetitive part. 5 min read · Updated October 6, 2026 Why choosing well matters 70% of customers expect anyone they deal with to have full context of their situation [Zendesk, CX Trends · 2023 ↗](https://www.zendesk.com/newsroom/press-releases/contextual-intelligence-becomes-the-new-standard-for-exceptional-customer-experience-in-2026/) 56% say they often have to repeat their case to different people at the same company [Salesforce, State of the Connected Customer ↗](https://www.salesforce.com/resources/articles/customer-expectations/) 4 linked devices at most, besides the primary phone, can share a WhatsApp account [WhatsApp, official blog · 2023 ↗](https://blog.whatsapp.com/one-whatsapp-account-now-across-multiple-phones) ### What happens when everyone replies from the same number The problem isn't WhatsApp; it's that a shared inbox doesn't know whose each conversation is. With a shared inbox - Two advisors reply to the same customer, or neither does - The history stays on the phone of whoever answered - There's no way to assign or hand over a case - Nobody measures response time - After hours, the customer waits until the next day And the supervisor sees none of this until there's a complaint. With Shimli's omnichannel CRM Hi, can you help me with my order? I wrote yesterday and nobody answered. - The conversation is assigned to one person, by rules you set - The full history, from every channel, on the customer's case - An AI agent answers the repetitive part, at any hour - The supervisor sees response times and workload per advisor Every conversation has an owner, a history and a measured response time. ### The comparison, point by point Both use the same WhatsApp. What changes is how the team behind it is organized. | Criterion | Shared inbox one number for everyone | Shimli's omnichannel CRM with AI agents | | --- | --- | --- | | Who handles each conversation | Whoever sees it first | Assigned by rules, and can be handed to another person | | Customer history | Split across phones and devices | A single conversation per customer, across all channels | | How many people can answer | One phone and up to four linked devices | The whole team, each with their own user | | After hours | An away message | An AI agent serves and resolves what it can | | Team measurement | None | Response times, conversations per advisor and dashboards | | Other channels | Each in its own app | WhatsApp, calls, Instagram, web, Telegram, SMS and email in the same inbox | The $139 monthly plan includes 3 human seats and 1 admin; each extra human seat adds $9 a month. [See pricing](https://www.shimliapp.com/en/precios) ### When each one fits It isn't a contest: they're tools for different problems. #### A shared inbox is enough if… - One or two people answer and know every case. - The volume fits on one phone. #### An omnichannel CRM fits if… - Three or more people answer. - You need to know who handles what and how long it takes. - Customers write to you on more than one channel. ### Frequently asked questions What people ask when comparing. Can I keep my current WhatsApp number? – Yes. The number you use today on the WhatsApp Business app can be registered on the official API and moved into Shimli's inbox. How are conversations split among advisors? + With rules you set in the platform, and any advisor can hand a case to another with the full history. The supervisor sees each one's workload. What does the AI agent do inside the inbox? + It answers the repetitive part, checks your systems and, when the case needs a person, hands it to an advisor with full context. Sources - Zendesk, CX Trends, full-context expectation (70%), 2023 - Salesforce, “State of the Connected Customer”, customer expectations - WhatsApp, “One WhatsApp Account, Now Across Multiple Phones”, official blog, 2023 ### Create your first agent in under 10 minutes. Describe what you need to the assistant and watch the agent work. Or we book 30 minutes and look at it on your operation. [Create account](https://shimli.app/user/auth/create-account) Book a demo