Strategies to Create a Collaborative Client Experience

“I never received that document. Can you just resend it?” — How many times have you received a client request like that, even though you know you sent the document via email a few days ago? Perhaps it’s in their spam or maybe they just overlooked it. Regardless, it would be a lot easier—and faster—if clients could access everything they need on-demand without asking for your assistance. 

A client portal is a secure, private, and authenticated online platform that empowers businesses to better collaborate with clients. Using a secure client portal allows your customers to access their documents whenever they need to and from wherever they are. This frees up time for you that might have otherwise been spent sending (or resending) documents to customers. A client portal will typically sit on the company website, with a link for clients to log in with a username and password. 

Saving Time with Onboarding 

Giving clients another way to access information takes some of the burdens from you. If, for example, you have general documents for your business, instructions on how to complete a specific form, or information on legislation they may need to use, then clients can access it all via the portal and not have to rely on you emailing them the information. 

Keeping Clients Happy 

Your customers want to access the information they need at a time that suits them. You will find you have happier customers when they are able to find and share information outside of normal working hours. Also, if your client portal integrates with eSign technology, such as DocuSign, it means they can sign important documents directly in the portal. This eliminates the need to print, sign, copy and send (or post!) a signed document.  

Securely Sharing Files 

While emails are OK for sharing generic, non-critical documents, you should avoid sharing documents that contain sensitive information such as social security numbers, bank accounts, or W-2s. And like we discussed before, emails can get lost or easily overlooked. With a password-protected client portal, you can add your clients as guest users and give them access to a shared folder that has all the documents they need. Instead of attaching critical information in emails, you can simply invite authorized recipients directly to access documents from a secure portal, eliminating the risks of hacking in the process. 

Requesting Documents from Clients 

No one likes to waste time requesting the same thing over and over again. The right DMS can streamline how you request and track documents from clients. It should empower you to request specific documents and/or a standard group of documents from multiple clients at once. Built-in templates can ensure you don’t spend time manually asking for documents again. The most powerful solutions can also send notifications to clients, gently reminding them to complete the action item. The system should also automatically notify you when documents are received and downloaded. 

Streamlining How You Work with Clients  

Download our latest white paper, How to Simplify Your Accounting Workflow and Increase Success with a Document Management System, to learn what your DMS should help you accomplish, as well as how you can ensure you’re choosing the right system for your business.  

To see why over 2 million people trust SmartVault, contact us today for a 15-minute demo.