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Self-service Success: the Business Portal

What is a business portal?

A business portal or corporate portal is a digital gateway on a website or application that gives customers access to their accounts, files, or information that is restricted to that specific customer. Built using enterprise portal software, a business portal gives customers the ability to independently access their accounts without having to directly contact the company.

Customizable for customers and simple to manage, Zendesk Help Center is a knowledge base, community, and business portal—all in one.

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A different approach Did you know? Time for a solution Get Started

A different approach

Many companies work with businesses that require support on a regular basis. This can take many forms, like questions about billing, customer service requests, inquiries about new product releases, or technical support. While some issues require a direct interaction, such as a phone call or email, many are simple issues that should not require the help of a customer service agent. However, if companies do not provide their customers with self-service options like a business portal, customers will have no choice but to directly reach out to the company. Leading to higher resource costs to the company that must now respond to a high-volume of simple requests for support. All of which would could be solved with business portal software.

Did you know?

Companies have been providing customers with a business portal for years, and as a result have seen many benefits, including:
  • Empowered customers. Rather than relying on the company to respond to a question, a business portal empowers customers log in and find what they need the moment they need it.
  • More time for difficult problems. In the long run, business portals save companies the time and resources they otherwise would have been forced to spend helping customers solve simple issues. As a result, customer service agents have more time to spend dealing with complex issues or providing support to VIP customers.
  • Better features. Business portals offer features that email and other channels just aren’t capable of, including larger file limits, integration with knowledge bases and other self-service options, and more.

Time for a solution

Because they depend on building ongoing relationships with customers, it is imperative that companies, particularly B2B companies, provide them with excellent experiences. Otherwise they run the risk of losing them to competitors. An essential component of any good customer experience is making sure customers have easy access to the information they need, when they need it. Providing customers with a business portal creates a direct line between the customer and the company, empowering the customer to engage with the company on their own terms, and simplifying customer engagement.
Camera Obscura's community example of Zendesk's business portal.

How Zendesk helps

Zendesk gives companies to provide all of their customers with a business portal, providing them with a self-service gateway to all of their interactions with the company. Everything from a history of closed tickets, status of open tickets, knowledge base articles subscribed to, account information, and more, all readily available within in Zendesk Help Center. Customizable for customers and simple to manage, Help Center is a knowledge base, community, and business portal—all in one.

Build a portal to the self-service dimension
Additional Resources

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A business portal is a vital component of any great self-service strategy. Learn more about how to help your customers help themselves.

Getting started with Help CenterHelp Center API developer introductionUsing themes and templates to customize your Help CenterConfiguring your channels to support multiple brandsSetting up a restricted Zendesk Help CenterCreate private internal knowledge basesDo you really need a technical writer?How to make your customer feedback form more visibleKnowledge bases and forums: what’s the difference?Developing content for your knowledge base

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