How a customer portal can help you do more with less
15 June 2020
After Covid-19 business has changed forever. And for you to survive and prosper you must adapt to the new trading environment. This means reducing overhead costs as well as adopting new ways of reaching your customers. A customer portal will help you do both.
Before the pandemic, 60% of businesses in the US expected to implement a customer portal within the next 12–18 months. (source)
This figure is now even higher after Covid-19, with heavy restrictions placed on face-to-face contact and the drive improve efficiency across all areas of business.
Customer portals allow a greater two-way flow of information and collaboration between customers and the business, helping to build stronger relationships.
Important information such as contracts, proposals, quotes or project plans can be accessed via a portal by staff, external partners (contractors, freelancers, etc) and customers. In addition, tasks that were previously completed face-to-face can now be done online and at the customer’s convenience.
The specific functionality of the portal depends on the industry and the type of business. For example, a customer portal for a recruitment company may contain documents, applications and job offers. While a portal for a property management company might contain contracts, a record of correspondence as well as a reporting system.
View our case study:
customer portal for the optical industry
As well as the significant cost savings a customer portal can deliver, there are also a range of other benefits for the business:
Stronger customer relationships
Customers can quickly and easily access information and clear up any discrepancies or questions they may have. This rapid response helps to strengthen relationships and build customer loyalty. Centrally located, online forms such as support requests, requests for quotes, acceptance of quotes or work orders, make it much easier for the customer to do business with you rather than your competitors.
More time for your customer service team
By providing a specific place for customers to access information and support at their own convenience, your service and sales staff can allocate more time to activity that generates greater value for the business, such as networking, new business and upselling.
Data synchronisation and integration
By extending your customer portal to incorporate CRM, project management and workflow functionality you can further streamline operations and dramatically improve productivity. The portal can automate repeatable, manual tasks such as appointment reminders, enquiry tracking and requests for information. This helps streamline processes and speed up service delivery.
Auditable conversations
Everything shared through a customer portal is stored and saved against the customer’s record, allowing both parties to refer to it if, or when, needed. This transparency builds trust between both parties and identifies potential issues before they escalate.
Time to do more with less
The COVID-19 crisis has presented you with a once in a lifetime opportunity to transform your business into something more resilient, productive and profitable. You now need to do more with less.
So, if you would like to discuss how we can help, please don’t hesitate to get in touch. You can do so by calling the office on 01772 823734 or selecting one of the options below:
Michael Lough
Categories
Productivity