There’s nothing worse than being ignored. If you’ve ever been in the dark about what’s going on with a request — think waiting on the cable or power company to restore service — you know what I mean. You pay your bill, so you deserve to know what’s happening.
The same goes for your clients. They’re the source of your livelihood, and their demands are clear and justified: swift, responsive and reliable service. The question is: How can you meet these demands in the most efficient and operationally wise way?
A client portal can act as a digital gateway to all the information they want and need. Quick access to updates and support can position your firm miles ahead of your competitors. But if you’re not convinced of the ROI, it’s worth diving deep into each potential outcome you could achieve by providing the right kind of portal.
Your clients want to have an open view of what your team is working on and be able to communicate with you effortlessly. Here are just a few of the things a great client portal can help you offer them.
An emailed quote can quickly get lost in a prospect or client’s inbox. With a client portal, you can send your quote and see when it’s been viewed or accepted in real time. This can expedite the decision-making process for the client and streamline your sales cycle.
➡️ IT firm SupportMyMac found a way to offer personalization by setting up an automated workflow every time a quote is accepted via the portal. The CEO receives an automatic notification and sends the client a handwritten welcome note.
Sometimes, keeping clients abreast of what’s going on with their projects can take as much time as the projects themselves. You need to be able to share project progress automatically to free up your team and focus your efforts on more important tasks. It’s also vital to feel confident uploading documents to a centralized space, which you can do with a portal that’s 100% secure — a digital fortress for your contracts and more.
➡️ What users say about clients’ response to the Accelo portal: “They love the fact that everything’s tied up in a neat little bow, with all the attachments and correspondence in one place.” - Logan Wiltshire, AREI Designs
Nothing frustrates a client more than feeling like their form submission has entered a black hole. A client portal is a convenient place to direct people for request submission, and they’ll take note if they can see when it’s been opened, assigned and resolved. Applying automation to these ad-hoc requests internally can make it a breeze to provide top-tier client support without expending too much of your time.
➡️ What users say about keeping track of requests with Accelo’s portal: “The Accelo client portal allows us to receive, prioritize and track customer tickets and requests all in one place. This feature is mission-critical for us to continue to scale our operation.” - Magnus R., Senior Product Design Consultant
Financial transparency is one of the most important elements of client-provider relationships. Your clients need an easy way to view and pay invoices and track retainer budget usage. And both you and the client need a clear, chronological record of all transactions. Think of a client portal as your money mediator, helping both parties preempt misunderstanding and interact in a neutral environment.
➡️ What users say about the availability of information in Accelo’s portal: “Transparency among clients and business has been improved via using the client portal as we both can track the billing history and projects and send files fast.” - Phillis K.
Access to a client portal doesn’t have to be something you offer your clients for free. There are all kinds of creative ways to use it as an upsell. Perhaps you provide custom reports or recommendations. With secure document sharing, there are no limits to what you can provide!
➡️ IT consulting firm Fluidity uses the client portal to provide monthly reviews to clients and justify higher rates. This contributed to doubling their profitability in just one year!
A standalone client portal has its uses, but imagine what’s possible when your portal is integrated with all of your client work management functions from the prospect stage to the billing stage. Consolidation and automation cut down on your team’s non-billable hours while improving your client satisfaction.
“Accelo has helped our firm provide better communication via the client-facing, secure portal with customizable user permissions built in.”
G2 User Review
Accelo’s client portal is secure, user-friendly, organized and connected to the key stages when your clients need attention. Plus, it just got a facelift to make it even more appealing to your clients! Check out the new client portal with its upgraded look.
