This white paper provides a basic definition of an Internet portal, and then describes a CRM Portal, a portal that is a component of a CRM system. Different kinds of CRM Portals are discussed in terms of who uses these portals and what are they used for.
SOFFRONT SOFTWARE INC.
CRM Portals:
Open your doors to your
Customers, Partners and Employees
Abstract This white paper provides a basic definition of an Internet portal, and then describes a CRM Portal, a portal that is a component of a CRM system. Different kinds of CRM Portals are discussed in terms of who uses these portals and what are they used for. Typical CRM portals are for a company's customer, partners, and employees. Examples are provided of the information that can commonly be entered, updated and accessed from each of these CRM portals.
What is a Portal? An Internet portal is an access point, a web site featuring a suite of services. Internet portals often include a search engine or directory, news, email, stock quotes, maps, forums, chat, shopping, and options for configuration. Large portals may include dozens or hundreds of bundled services.
CRM Portals What is different about CRM Portals? A CRM portal is an extension to a CRM system. A CRM portal is a way to open up the CRM system to people who are not CRM system users. This allows them to work with and get information from the company in an efficient way, regardless of the time of the day. CRM portals usually ask the user to log in. When this is done, they are connected to the CRM system, and have access to those items that the portal is set to allow. In CRM, it is important to record information about each 'touch' that your company has with its prospects and customers. The CRM portal makes this possible for each portal interaction. You are able to track who enters the portal, as well as the information and actions they initiate. This helps enrich the data collected about each person. A CRM portal usually has two basic functions. One is the ability to create and update records (which usually, but not necessarily, are records in the CRM system). The other function is to provide access points for a variety of information that is relevant to the person logging in. This access is controlled based on who the user is, what their relationship with your company is, and the settings of the CRM Portal.
45437 Warm Springs Blvd, Fremont, CA 94539 T: 510-413-9000 F: 510-413-9027 (C) Soffront Software, Inc. 1992-2005 All rights reserved Page 1 of 6 info@soffront.com http://www.soffront.com
SOFFRONT SOFTWARE INC.
Using the Portal The CRM portal will ask the user to log in, and based on CRM system data, provide the access that is authorized and relevant to that user. A Customer Portal may allow "Self-Support." A customer with a problem can search the company's knowledge base to see if they can find a solution. If an answer is not found, they would be allowed to create a new Customer Support Ticket. They also might be allowed to enter new information about an existing ticket and see status and resolution of Support Tickets that were previously entered. In addition to items such as Customer Support Tickets, data from other sources, like accounting or order entry, can be made available. Usually access to other materials are provided, such as Frequently asked questions or FAQs, literature, downloads, and company news. The idea is to provide a means for those constituencies outside the CRM system to interact with your company and to get the materials that they need, without involving a customer support agent or a sales person.
Soffront's CRM Portals Soffront offers a Customer Portal, a Partner Portal, and an Employee Portal. Customer Portal A Customer Portal is often the most important and usually the first one to be implemented. The most common function of a Customer Portal is to allow "Customer Self-Support." Customer Portal 45437 Warm Springs Blvd, Fremont, CA 94539 T: 510-413-9000 F: 510-413-9027 (C) Soffront Software, Inc. 1992-2005 All rights reserved Page 2 of 6 info@soffront.com http://www.soffront.com
SOFFRONT SOFTWARE INC. Customer Self-Support can lower the cost of providing customer support, while at the same time improving your customer's sense of being provided with quality support when it is needed. Customer Self-Support: Submitting a Ticket through the Portal To submit a Ticket for Self-Suppor... [download for more]
