Why do you use client portals? I like the way we are doing things, or I have my own processes. Can small business owners have client portals? We will cover client portals for small business owners in this article.
Client portals daily use and purpose.
We use client portals in life every day. When we log in to online systems to pay a bill, make an online purchase, or any place we create “accounts” we are longing into the client portal. Client portals provide a safer space and location for organizing data. It helps me manage my tasks and workload as well as help with communication with the client. Since I have different work hours often, we miss each other if we are only waiting to communicate via phone. Often my work calls for a quiet environment so I am not able to work while talking. I have things that I multitask just like most business owners to have a balance between work and family life.
Finding the right client portal fit for me.
The client portal is a way for me to work as I need to work. And I can upload and communicate with you, the client. I will cover the features that encouraged me to select a client portal over the last seven years. I admit I could not find the right fit. And I had to switch around. But I have returned to Zoho Desk to help me with my client portal needs. Since I use the Zoho ecosystem, the Zoho Desk integrates with my CRM (Customer Relations Manager). With this integration, I do need to have a third-party special plug-in that would cost time and money.
I also know the systems are working together and it helps me to provide better services to my clients. Therefore, I can add on more clients without feeling like how I can keep this all straight! Yes, that was a fear of mine in the past. But not anymore and this is where business process management comes into place.
In this video, I will cover my top four reasons for using a client portal. I will also cover the reason I have two client portals.
Accounting and software integrations.
Yes, I could purchase one system but that will cost more. And important functionalities are comprised when software developers open up to third-party software. You can tell when someone is offering a feature just to make money. I know accounting software provides multiple support for different business ventures and I can have those all-in-one centralized places.
Although I could connect Zoho Books to my CRM honestly, I do not like what happens with the integration. Personally, I do not believe your CRM should have accounting information flowing through the system. Have a place for accounting to enter or add reports on the balances due for your team. Sometimes convenience can give the wrong people too much information. So, I believe in not integrating the systems. But I can easily switch back and forth to the applications for best business management.
Storage settings for document management.
Storage is another issue when thinking of applications. We must determine the information that we share and the software that works best. Accounting software is not meant to be document management software. Therefore, we have cloud document applications for file sharing and storage.
Things to consider when selecting software.
When we select software, we look at our goals, our needs, and how the software can help us. We must consider the limitations of the software. So we can determine if is it still worth using the software. If there is another application we must use in addition to it or is there all in one? When considering the application, I think of time and money.
Q&A
How much time will it take, and how much will I have to charge the client? I do not mind login into client systems and software if you do not mind paying for the extra time. But watch the video for more information on these topics.
