38-point Small Business Digital Readiness Checklist
Catch the gaps before you spend on software, websites, or automation. Each unchecked box is a foundation problem the project will hit later.
A. Foundation (5 checks)
GSTIN registered and active
Current account in business name
Business email (yourname@yourbusiness.in, not Gmail) for at least the founder
Founder identity proofs (PAN, Aadhaar) digitised and easily retrievable
Basic business insurance (fire/burglary/professional liability if relevant)
B. Customer data (6 checks)
Clean customer list with at least name, phone, last-purchase date
Record of consent — when did each customer agree to be contacted?
Basic segmentation possible (active / dormant / churned)
Process for customer-requested data deletion
DPDP awareness — at least one team member has read the Act + Rules
Customer count known to within ±5%
C. Operations (6 checks)
Clear org chart — even an informal one drawn on paper
Explicit owner assigned for the digital project
Stable internet at every business location
Basic IT support available (in-house or AMC) for hardware issues
Daily/weekly backup discipline of important files
Single source of truth for who-decides-what
D. Money (5 checks)
UPI payment acceptance live (BHIM / Paytm / PhonePe QR)
Online payment gateway active if relevant (Razorpay / PayU / Cashfree)
GST-compliant invoice template in use
Accounting software in use (Tally / Busy / Marg / Zoho Books)
Monthly bank reconciliation routine
E. Customer touch (6 checks)
WhatsApp Business app installed (not just personal WhatsApp)
Public phone number monitored during stated business hours
Email address checked at least daily, monitored by a real person
Google Business Profile claimed and verified
Working website (even a one-pager is better than nothing)
Some form of social proof online (reviews, testimonials, press)
F. Compliance (5 checks)
Privacy notice published (even one paragraph)
Terms of service or service agreement template
Refund / cancellation policy if applicable to your business
DPDP basic checklist reviewed (consent, breach plan, DPO requirement check)
Sector-specific licenses current (FSSAI for food, MCI for medical, Bar Council for legal, etc.)
G. Team readiness (5 checks)
Owner is genuinely committed (not delegating without follow-up)
One named point person inside the business for the digital project
8-12 weeks of protected calendar for the implementation phase
Team willingness to learn new tools — not "we've always done it this way"
Change-management plan — who tells customers about new touchpoints, when, how