Bespoke customer portal development
Everything your customer needs. One useful place.
A bespoke customer portal can give people secure access to relevant information and routine services without needing to email or call each time.
The portal should be designed around what customers actually need to understand and do.
Why a customer portal?
Give routine questions a better answer.
Appropriate self-service can give customers quicker access while reducing repetitive administration.
“Can you send that document again?”
“What's happening with my booking?”
“Can I update my details?”
“Where can I find my invoice?”
“How do I make a payment?”A clear, secure place to complete the next task
What could customers do?
Design the dashboard around useful tasks.
A portal may include some of these areas. The right combination depends on the service, customer journey and information involved.
Customer experience
Do not simply expose the internal database.
The portal should translate business information into a journey customers can understand and use.
- 01
Start with the need
What has the customer come here to find or complete?
- 02
Use customer language
Present information in terms that make sense outside the business.
- 03
Make actions clear
Show what can be done, what happens next and where help is available.
- 04
Hide internal complexity
Keep administrative detail and system rules behind the experience.
The admin side
Two views of one useful service.
Customer portal
Simple, relevant self-service
- View permitted information
- Complete agreed actions
- Upload or request what is needed
Business / admin system
Controls for the team
- Manage accounts and access
- Update statuses and documents
- Review bookings, submissions and payments
Connecting existing systems
The portal may be the customer-facing part of a wider process.
A portal can potentially connect to your CRM, booking or job management system, payment provider, website, database or other business software.
Feasibility depends on the systems, APIs, permissions and data involved. Explore Automation & Integrations for the connections behind the experience.
Security & access
Show the right information to the right person.
The appropriate controls depend on the information and actions involved. Security, account recovery and permissions need to be designed and tested as part of the project.
Portal or app?
Choose around access and the task.
An installed mobile app is useful only when the experience needs it.
Secure website area
Focused access within an existing website.
Web portal
A browser-based customer service.
Mobile app
Installed access where mobile features add value.
Connected system
Several services working together behind one journey.
Compare the wider options on App Development and Mobile App Development.
How it works
Build from real customer scenarios.
- 01Understand customer needs
- 02Map the journeys
- 03Design the portal
- 04Build and integrate
- 05Test real scenarios
- 06Launch and support
Pricing
Customer portals from £5,000
The final price depends on users, permissions, data, integrations and administration requirements.
Explore central PricingWhat affects the cost?
Common questions
Customer portal FAQs.
How much does a customer portal cost?
Cost depends on accounts, permissions, data, documents, payments, bookings, integrations, administration tools, testing and support. Scope is needed before pricing.
Can it connect to our existing CRM?
Potentially, if the CRM provides suitable API or data access. The required fields, permissions, limits and failure handling need checking.
Can customers make payments?
A supported payment provider can potentially be integrated. The payment journey, records, refunds and follow-up actions need defining.
Can customers upload documents?
Yes, where uploads are part of the agreed scope. File types, size, storage, access and review responsibilities need planning.
Can different customers see different information?
Roles and permissions can control appropriate access. The rules need to be explicit and tested with realistic scenarios.
Can it work within our existing website?
Possibly. The current platform and requirements determine whether a secure area, connected portal or separate application is the soundest route.
Do customers need to install an app?
Usually not for a web portal; customers can use a browser. A mobile app is worth considering only where installation adds useful value.
Can we manage the portal ourselves?
Appropriate administration controls can be included for accounts, content, documents or statuses. Agree exactly what the team needs to manage.
Can you replace an existing customer portal?
Potentially, after reviewing the current platform, data, integrations, access, contracts and migration risks.