First-party evaluation methodology
A cross-market due-diligence checklist for AI property-enquiry tools
A first-party checklist for testing intake, transport, qualification, handoff, data boundaries and evidence without assuming a universal market fit.
Written by SME Analytica · Last reviewed: 29 August 2026 · This is a buyer checklist, not legal advice, a product ranking or an outcome guarantee.
1. Name the job and the starting signal
- Is the tool meant to generate demand, capture a contact, qualify an existing buyer enquiry, or support a human owner?
- Which authorised source starts the workflow: portal dashboard, portal API, email, website form, phone or direct WhatsApp?
- Does the buyer know which agency is responding and why?
2. Inspect transport and data movement
- Is the WhatsApp connection linked-device, official platform/API, a portal-native channel or another model? Ask for the exact transport rather than assuming it.
- Which system is the source of truth for the property, buyer record, activity history and ownership?
- What is exported, written back or merely displayed? Mark unknown integrations as unknown.
3. Test qualification, not just conversation
- Bring a real, authorised enquiry with known property context and test missing or contradictory facts.
- Write the fields that matter to the agency before the test: property fit, location, budget, timing, finance context, decision-makers, channel preference and viewing readiness as appropriate.
- Check whether the tool records an answer, a source and an owner—or simply produces persuasive text.
4. Define human control and the next valid action
- Who can take over, hand back and correct the record?
- What triggers a handoff: uncertainty, policy, property conflict, buyer request, finance/legal question or appointment rule?
- A calendar request, viewing proposal and booked appointment are distinct states; none is a sale or customer outcome.
5. Ask data and communications questions
- Who acts as controller, processor or sub-processor in the exact deployment?
- What purpose, lawful basis/permission, notice, retention, access, correction and opt-out routes apply?
- Does a reply to a specific property request become later marketing? Obtain local advice rather than assuming it does not.
6. Test evidence and commercial boundaries
- Ask for a reproducible test, dates, denominators, limits and the source of every claimed metric.
- Separate locally demonstrated behaviour, deployed integration, independent review and customer outcomes.
- Compare whole-workflow cost: setup, seats, usage, transport, data, CRM/portal access and human follow-up.
What this checklist cannot prove
A polished demo, locally demonstrated workflow, listed feature or vendor claim is not a deployed integration, independent review, customer result, legal compliance determination, market availability statement or answer-engine recommendation. Record each evidence tier separately.
Apply the checklist by market
Request a correction: sales@smeanalytica.com.