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TABLE OF CONTENTS

This article will take a look at how you can create a customer portal for your business in the most optimized and efficient way.

Creating a customer portal is an important step in any service that has regular customers, but it also needs to be done correctly.

If not, then the process will either cost too much or be inefficient.

In this blog post, we'll discuss how you can create your own customer portal with minimal effort and maximum efficiency - without breaking the bank!

Customer portal - A brief explanation

A customer portal is a web-based application that provides customers with self-service access to their account information as well as the ability to conduct transactions.

It can also include features such as support ticketing, chatbots, and product ordering.

The first step in creating your own customer portal is understanding what type of service you offer.

A customer portal is a website or web application that allows customers of a business to log in and view their account information, as well as make changes or updates to it.

A customer portal can also include features like support tickets, order tracking, discussion forums and more. In other words, it's a one-stop shop for all things relating

Significance of a proper customer portal:

The customer portal is an important aspect of any service that has regular customers, but it also needs to be properly set up in order to function at its best.

If there are flaws in the design or coding of a custom-built portal, then it can either cost too much and/or prove inefficient for your company's business model.

It should seamlessly integrate with existing systems so as not to cause problems later on down the line - even if you expand!

Customer portals don't have to break the bank: How you create one depends on how your service works internally

There are many different ways through which businesses provide their services, some more complex than others.

The way by which you offer your own service will what kind of features need to be integrated into your customer portal, and how it needs to be set up.

If you already have a basic website for your business then this may suffice as the company's main portal.

But if not - or if there is no existing system in place whatsoever - then you'll need to consider what kind of features and functionality are needed before getting started with development work on the project.

How much custom development is required will depend on exactly what you need, but it's important to factor this in when budgeting for the project.

The customer portal should be an extension of your company - not a separate entity

Too often we see cases where businesses create a standalone customer portal as if it were its own entity. This can lead to problems down the line as updates and changes made to the main website are not always reflected in the customer portal.

In order for the two systems to work together seamlessly, they need to be designed and coded properly from scratch with this in mind.

The best way to do this is by having one team working on both projects simultaneously so that communication is at its strongest.

You don't want customers struggling to find information being directed elsewhere because of a badly implemented customer portal!

Pro's and con's of having an optimized customer portal:

Pro's:

  • Increased customer satisfaction
  • Improved communication between company and customers
  • Easier access to account information and updates
  • More efficient service for regular customers

Con's :

  • None! (unless it isn't implemented properly...)

Some of the ways to create a customer portal are:

1. Determine what you want your customer portal to do:

  • Do you want to provide a self-service area for customers to view their account information?
  • Would you like to offer the ability for customers to place orders online?
  • How about providing support tickets or discussion forums?

Once you know what you would like your customer portal to do, it becomes easier to design and build the features you need.

The more advanced your service becomes, the more in-depth a customer portal is going to have to be in order to keep up with demand and expectations of your customers.

There are many different ways through which businesses provide their services, some more complex than others.

If there are flaws in the design or coding of a custom-built portal, then it can either cost too much and/or prove inefficient for your company's business model.

The customer portal should be an extension of your company - not a separate entity

In order for the two systems to work together seamlessly, they need to be designed and coded properly from scratch with this in mind.

If you already have a basic website for your business then this may suffice as the company's main portal.

But if not - or if there is no existing system in place whatsoever - then you'll need to consider what kind of features and functionality are needed before getting started with development work on the project.

This may seem like an obvious first step, but it's important to take the time to really think about what you want your customer portal to do.

Is it simply for viewing account information? Or do you also want it to include features like support tickets and order tracking?

Once you know what you want, it will be much easier to determine the right platform and development process.

2. Choose the right platform:

There are many different ways through which businesses provide their services, some more complex than others.

It's important to consider the type of platform you need for your particular brand and customer base - especially if there isn't an existing system in place already.

For example: If you're a local company with only one office location then you won't need anything as complex as a customer portal that can be accessed from anywhere in the world.

A basic website with an account login area and contact form would suffice.

On the other hand, if you're a larger company with multiple locations and want to offer customers the ability to place orders online then you'll need a more sophisticated platform that can be integrated into your website.

There are many different platforms to choose from, each with its own advantages and disadvantages.

Some popular choices include:

- Custom Development (PHP, ASP.NET, Java)

- Wordpress Plugin (WooCommerce)

- Shopify App Store

- Salesforce AppExchange

When choosing a platform it's important to make sure that it will be able to do everything you need it to.

Not all customer portals are created equal. Some platforms are better suited for certain tasks than others.

If you're looking for a more general portal with limited features, then a simple website may be all you need.

However, if you're looking for something more complex with more features - like support tickets or order tracking - then you'll need to use a web application or custom-developed software.

3.Don't overspend on development:

Another thing to keep in mind is that the customer portal doesn't necessarily need to be developed from scratch.

If you already have a basic website for your business, then this may suffice as the company's main portal.

But if not - or if there is no existing system in place whatsoever - then you'll need to consider what kind of features and functionality are needed before getting started with development work on the project.

This may seem like an obvious first step, but it's important to take the time to really think about what you want your customer portal to do.

Is it simply for viewing account information? Or do you also want it to include features like support tickets and order tracking?

Once you know what you want, it will be much easier to determine the right platform and development process.

If your company already has a website then this can act as the foundation for creating your customer portal; it's just a matter of customizing an available plugin or theme with user account functionality that allows customers to access their account information.

If you don't have a website, then you'll need to create one and include the customer portal functionality as part of the design.

This can be done with a custom-developed web application or by using an existing platform like Salesforce or Shopify.

This is perhaps one of the most common mistakes businesses make when creating a customer portal.

They assume that they need to spend a fortune on custom development in order to get everything just perfect.

However, this isn't always the case. Often times, a well-designed and properly implemented customer portal can be created without any custom development - using existing software or platforms.

4.Make it easy to use:

The customer portal should be easy to use and navigate. This means that it needs to be designed in a way that is intuitive and user-friendly.

Customers shouldn't have to spend time trying to figure out how to use the system - they should be able to access the information they need with minimal effort.

A customer portal is only useful if it's easy to use. This means that all of the necessary information should be easily accessible, as well as any features that you want your customers to use.

Navigation should be simple and straightforward, and no one should ever have to struggle in order to find what they're looking for.

5.Test it out :

Once your customer portal is up and running, don't forget to test it out! Make sure that everything works correctly and that all of the information is displayed accurately.

This includes testing both the front-end and back-end systems. It's also a good idea to have someone outside of your company do some

Also, make sure to test out the navigation and see how easy it is to use. If there are any problems, address them as soon as possible.

Conclusion:

The bottom line is that a customer portal can be a very valuable tool for your business - but only if it's created in an optimized and efficient way.

By following the tips in this article, you can ensure that your customer portal is both effective and affordable!

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