Uku is striving to relieve the burden on our accountants. That’s why we believe in using an accounting client portal to help customers interact independently.
Self-service is the ability for customers to serve themselves, including finding answers online, educating others within a community, and uploading documents. A popular example of digital self-service is an accounting client portal where your accounting firm customers can access and interact from any location and obtain or upload additional information.
What is customer self-service?
Customer self-service uses technology to provide online customer support without interacting with a live company representative.
The most frequent self-service channels include FAQs, Help Centres, online discussion forums, and forms of digital self-service solutions or accounting client web portals. You can do all of this without engaging a business representative.
Why is a client portal important for businesses?
Forbes states that self-service will be the fastest-growing customer service channel by 2021.
Client portals are the key to deliver powerful customer service.
Fintech companies are transitioning into using client portals, allowing clients to decide how they obtain information and manage their businesses.
Self-service is vital for many businesses for two primary reasons:
- It creates efficiency and more time for other tasks
- It shortens the feedback needed to provide customers.
Clients know their documentation is stored in the client portal and don’t have to chase data and interrupt their accountant’s workday. Their accountant is notified and does not have to post directly or call to check which documentation needs to be sent.
Advantages of client portals
The principal advantage of client portals is that they allow customers to engage with services on their terms.
Similarly, a client portal allows accountants and clients to view information independently without feeling pressured and understand what is required.
Overall, this results in a more positive user experience and more significant potential for the client to return.
Concerning documentation, client portals offer more comfort to clients, granting more freedom to access information expediently than finding and consulting directly with an accountant.
Client portals – lack of human interaction or more?
A disadvantage of using a client portal could be a lack of human interaction, which isn’t ideal in every environment or user.
Soft skills are rising in accounting, as complex cases require more human involvement because the Help Centre will not provide detailed answers to client questions. Clients must speak directly with an accountant, as each case is identical to the person or company concerned.
Accountants can then provide better value to their clients by increasing the right type of human interaction that generates more business revenue and customer loyalty.
What can Uku’s client portal offer you?
- Reduce email overload;
- Simplify document management;
- Automate client communication;
- Reduce manual follow-up emails;
- Help stay away from fraud.
A client portal is a lifesaver for accountants seeking a more organised, efficient, and user-friendly practice. It simplifies your day-to-day tasks by making client communication much easier than before. A client portal also secures client data and enhances client relationships while giving you back your most valuable asset – time.
With Uku’s Client Portal, you invest in peace of mind and a more balanced work life.
Read more about Uku’s Client Portal here.
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