Why do companies have client portals? To create a better customer experience. To attract and retain more customers. To more effectively engage with their customers.
These are things all businesses, big or small, want. So the short answer to the question “Are client portals only for big businesses?” is no, certainly not. Small businesses can greatly benefit from implementing a client portal, especially when they’re starting to experience significant growth.
Let’s look at how client portals can benefit your small business.
What is a client portal?
A client portal, also called an extranet, is a self-service hub that allows customers to access information, perform certain tasks and interact with your business all in one secure place.
Through a client portal, customers can do the following:
- access information and resources
- place and track orders
- schedule appointments
- update contact details
- download invoices and statements
- pay bills
- submit support requests
Are client portals only for big businesses?
Early adopters of customer portals were large corporations in industries such as banking, insurance, retail, and government services. These portals offered customers a convenient way to conduct transactions, check account balances, submit applications and so forth.
Today, almost every industry, from small marketing agencies to large-scale manufacturers, uses client portals.
Customers want efficient and speedy service, whether from a large or small business. Many prefer using a self-service portal because it allows them to solve problems quickly. A study by Harvard Business Review showed that 81% of customers attempt to resolve issues themselves before reaching out to a customer support agent.
Why small businesses need a client portal
Can your business exist with a client portal? Yes, it can. But here’s why you should consider implementing a self-service portal.
- Customers expect it. A Statistica survey found that 88% of customers expect a company to have an online self-service support portal.
- It’s a must in certain industries, for example, finance, healthcare, e-commerce and IT service providers. However, every industry can benefit from having a client portal.
- It makes you more competitive. It’s clear customers want self-service options. Not offering it could put you at a disadvantage against competitors.
- Customer portals can help small businesses with limited resources function more effectively. If you are a small enterprise, you may not have a dedicated team of customer service agents. Responding to customer queries will likely be spread across different departments. Having a centralized customer portal means employees spend less time providing customer support.
10 benefits of client portals for your small businesses
There’s no doubt client portals are beneficial to customers, but they also have significant benefits for small businesses.
1. Saves money
Small businesses operate with smaller budgets than larger companies. Self-service platforms mean you don’t have to set up a large customer service department. That lowers your payroll bill as you can employ fewer customer support agents.
However, a client portal shouldn’t replace a customer service team. The sweet spot for customers is having access to self-service options and human assistance when needed.
2. Increases employee productivity
As a small business, you want to maximize your employees' time. If they spend less time responding to customer support queries, they can devote more time to performing their primary job function.
3. Speeds up customer onboarding
Customer onboarding is the process of helping new customers get started with a product or service and setting them up for customer success. You can use customer portal software to:
- introduce your products
- set up their online profile
- link their bank account
- process application forms, sign documents and upload supporting or legally required documents such as identity or social security cards.
- direct them to product tutorials or troubleshooting guides
Paperless customer onboarding has another benefit – it’s environmentally friendly, which green customers will appreciate.
4. Streamlines customer support
Keeping track of customer queries is difficult when they are spread across multiple channels that include phone calls, emails, messaging apps and social media. It’s easy to miss messages or forget to reply to them. This can lead to frustrated customers who decide not to do business with you again.
Client portal software solves those challenges. It keeps all support tickets and customer interactions in one place, where your customer service team can easily keep track of them. Superior customer service is a sure-fire way to attract customers and, more importantly, retain them.
5. Provides the opportunity for peer support
Another way to minimize the number of support queries filtering through to your employees is by creating community forums. By including community forums, discussion groups and other forms of peer support in your client portal, customers can seek advice or answers from other customers.
6. Offers convenient 24-hour access
Customers expect companies to offer self-service 24/7. They don’t want to wait until your business opens at 8 a.m. the next day to make an inquiry, buy a product, track an order or follow up on a support query. Providing 24-hour access through a client portal can meet their expectations and significantly improve the customer experience.
7. Allows you to personalize your marketing
Client portals are rich with data that can give you a deeper understanding of customers’ buying preferences and shopping habits. You can leverage this data to develop personalized marketing campaigns and promotional offers targeted to specific customer segments. Some client portal applications also support multiple languages, which will let you communicate with customers in their preferred language.
8. Communicate important information
There are various channels through which to communicate with customers, such as email, social media, and advertising. Client portals are an effective way to stay in touch with your existing customers.
You can share important announcements, product news and project milestones, and update customers on crisis management plans. Being transparent with customers builds their trust in your brand.
9. Ensures customers' data is secure
In a world where cybercrime is a major threat to businesses, keeping customers’ personal and financial information safe is crucial. Client portal software typically includes security measures, such as Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) protocols and single sign-on (SSO) authentication, to protect against data breaches.
10. Supports continuous customer service improvement
Maintaining excellence in customer service is an ongoing process. By analyzing client portal data and measuring key metrics, you can use the insights to continuously improve the customer experience. According to HubSpot, 93% of customers will likely make repeat purchases with companies that offer excellent customer service.
Finding the right client portal software for your small business
Not all client portal software is created equal. They differ in features, pricing and user experience. It’s important to compare client portal software to find one that will best fit your needs.
One key feature you should look for is scalability. You want a platform that can support an expanding customer base as your small business grows. Many client portal applications offer demos or free trial runs, so you can take them for a test run before purchasing.
Other features to consider are:
- Customization that will allow you to put your brand stamp on it.
- The ability to integrate the portal with other internal systems, such as a help desk system or accounting software.
- AI-enabled features like chatbots that can respond to simpler queries and direct customers to resources.
Key Takeaways
Today’s customers are more independent and want to solve problems themselves. They expect businesses, big and small, to provide self-service options to do that. Client portals are one such channel that makes it easy for customers to perform a multitude of tasks in one convenient place. It’s a tool that can play an important role in the customer experience, boosting customer satisfaction and loyalty.
