Business Trends
Core capabilities of a customer portal
A customer portal allows businesses to interact with their customers in a more efficient and personalized manner. These portals can provide a wide range of features and capabilities, but there are a few critical ones that every business should consider when implementing a customer portal.
User Authentication and Access Control
One of the most important capabilities of a customer portal is the ability to authenticate and control access for different users. This includes not only the ability to create and manage user accounts, but also the ability to set permissions and roles that determine what each user can do within the portal and what gated information can be accessed.
Digital Self-Services
Another critical capability of a customer portal is the ability to provide self-service support. This includes providing users with access to frequently asked questions (FAQs), knowledge bases, and other resources that can help them find the answers they need. Additionally, a good customer portal will also allow users to create and track support tickets, as well as view their past interactions with the business.
Personalization
A customer portal should be able to provide personalized experiences for each user. This includes the ability to customize the layout, branding, and content of the portal based on the user’s preferences and past interactions with the business. Personalization can also include features such as personalized product recommendations, targeted marketing campaigns, and personalized customer service and support interactions.
Communication and Collaboration
Effective communication and collaboration between the business and its customers is a critical capability of a customer portal. This includes the ability to send and receive messages, share documents, and collaborate on projects with customers. Additionally, a customer portal should also allow businesses to send targeted notifications and alerts to users based on their preferences and past interactions with the business.
Analytics and Reporting
Finally, a customer portal should provide businesses with the ability to collect and analyze data on customer interactions and behavior. This includes the ability to track user engagement and activity within the portal, as well as the ability to generate reports and insights on customer behavior and preferences. This data can be used to inform business decisions, such as product development, marketing, and customer service.
SAP for Me has been launched by SAP as a self-service customer portal platform for SAP customers and partners to improve the customer journeys and provide a superior customer experience. It provides a personalized, integrated, and intuitive experience to help users manage their interactions with SAP and access the information and resources they need. You can access SAP for Me via the website me.sap.com/home.
Thanks,
Ozzy
Customer Experience Lead and Business Owner SAP for Me
Hi Ozzy,
Know this isn't an SAP for Me issue, but I wish SAP could somehow centralize/integrate its CRM world and the run world regarding user management across its areas... Cloud software owners/people who get contacted/notified, "S" users, etc. Some of it gets established on commercial agreement, some up to the customer to maintain adapt, etc
Today user management seems to be a fragmented world that, depending on the company's complexity and setup, leads to various opportunities.
Grateful for the article, will share it internally in the company I work for.
Best Regards, Wallace
Hi Wallace,
Thank you for your feedback and comments. Yes, it takes unfortunately a lot of effort to achieve simplicity. But the result would be very beneficial.
Regards,
Ozzy