4 Client Portal Best Practices
A client portal serves as your organization’s digital front desk, providing clients with secure, 24/7 access to their documents, communications, and services. First innovated in the late 1990s, almost as long as there has been such a thing as the Internet, technology has evolved tremendously.
Portals have gone from clunky, limited beginnings to having a long list of bells and whistles. But having the right client portal features is only half the equation.
You have to implement them in ways that enhance both client experience and operational efficiency. Over two decades of real-world implementation have revealed clear patterns in what makes client portals succeed or fail – a few distinct “Dos” and “Don’ts.” Whether you’re launching a new portal or optimizing an existing one, these four essential best practices will help ensure your client portal becomes a valuable asset rather than a liability.
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Intuitive User Interface
Web developers have been obsessively studying user behavior for decades — not just how users react to user experiences, but training them how to react. User interface is practically a language unto itself. Think of all the things you intuitively know how to use when you land on a brand-new website:
- A little magnifying glass icon? You know this to be a search bar.
- A red asterisk? Required form field.
- Three little parallel lines on the upper corner of a mobile app? A “hamburger” icon that reveals a menu when you tap it.
- Red dot over a little envelope or “word bubble” icon? You’ve got mail!
That’s a lot of information you grasp instantly about a brand-new experience — simply because the developers spoke your language. A good client portal leverages these universal design patterns so any reasonably web-literate user can drop in and intuitively know what to do.
But intuitive design goes beyond familiar icons. Your client portal should actively guide users toward needed actions. For instance, when you request documentation from clients, they should see that pending request prominently displayed on their portal homepage the moment they log in. This immediate visual cue, combined with email notifications, ensures clients always know what tasks need their attention.
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Security and Privacy
Many service businesses — particularly legal, financial, and healthcare providers — handle sensitive client information. We’re talking tax ID numbers, credit card numbers, images of IDs, home addresses, medical records, and the like.
Storing that information or batting it back and forth across the web is actually extremely risky. Cybercrime is a major business-killer. In 2024 the average cost of a data breach was $4.88 million, the highest ever. Cyber attacks are up 72% between 2021 and 2023. Perhaps scariest of all, 60% of small businesses don’t make it 6 months after a cyber attack.
Service providers have a duty, under law and ethical best practices, to protect client data. It’s a key component of brand reputation. Security and privacy of data are usually an essential vector of regulatory compliance. As such, it’s an indispensable client portal best practice, as most client portals are used to store and transmit sensitive information. So what does a secure and private client portal look like? It must incorporate:
- Encryption of data at rest and in transit
- Authentication access controls, including multi-factor identification (MFA) and role-based access control
- Secure data storage in compliance with international security control standards like ISO 27001 and SOC 2
- Compliance with applicable privacy regulations like GDPR, CCPA, and HIPAA
- Audit trails and activity monitoring
- Backups and disaster recovery
If this sounds overwhelming, don’t worry — a security-forward client portal like SmartVault implements all of these controls automatically and in the background, without you even having to think about them.
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Self-Service Features
Another fantastic client portal best practice is empowering clients to handle routine tasks whenever and wherever they need to, without waiting for your team’s assistance.
Picture this: A client needs an important document. Instead of emailing your office and waiting for a response, they simply log into the portal from their phone, quickly locate the document, and download it. Or perhaps they receive a document that needs signing while they’re between meetings – with eSignature capabilities, they can review and sign it right from their tablet.
When clients can handle routine tasks like accessing documents, signing paperwork, and completing forms on their own schedule, you’ll field fewer routine requests, reduce email back-and-forth, and eliminate the bottlenecks that come from being the gatekeeper of client documents.
The result? Happier clients who feel in control of their information, and a more efficient team that can focus on meaningful work rather than administrative tasks. It’s a win-win that allows you to scale your services while maintaining – or even improving – the client experience.
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Easy Access to Support
Even with an intuitive interface, clients occasionally need help navigating your portal or troubleshooting issues. When those moments arise, having readily available support is crucial – nothing sours a user’s experience faster than feeling stuck without assistance.
Top-notch client portals come backed by robust support resources. Look for a vendor that offers:
- A comprehensive Help Center with video tutorials and step-by-step guides
- A US-based support team available to troubleshoot issues and answer questions
- Training resources that keep you and your clients updated on the latest features
- Tools and documentation you can share with your clients to help them get started
The key is choosing a portal provider that treats support as a priority, not an afterthought. When evaluating vendors, pay attention to their support infrastructure. Do they offer clear documentation? Are support resources easy to find and use? Is their support team responsive and knowledgeable? These factors can make the difference between a portal that frustrates your clients and one that truly serves their needs.
Remember: even the most well-designed portal needs a safety net. Quality support ensures that when clients do need help, they can get back to business quickly and confidently.
Making Your Client Portal Work for You
A good client portal is your secret weapon to seamless operations and happy clients. By prioritizing the best practices of an intuitive user interface, security and privacy, self-service features, and easy access to support, you can offer your clients a portal that will be a boon to them and your organization!
SmartVault implements all four best practices right out of the box, without any need for special configuration. Have a special need or feature for your client portal? Reach out to us for a demo and we’ll show you how SmartVault can meet almost any organization’s client portal needs.
