Since the pandemic has turned every one to work remotely, the need for an online presence has increased. With that, it has become important for businesses to look for web portal software that will allow them to automate tasks, track operations, and significantly increase customer, employee, and partner engagement. But what type of web portal do you need? What will be the development cost? What factors affect the cost?

This article will cover web portal software, including types, development methods, functionalities, advantages, etc. Before that, let’s see what an online web portal is and how it differs from a website. Most people still use the names interchangeably as if it’s the same.

What is an Online Web Portal?

A web portal provides a single point of access to various information. You and users can consider it as a library of personalized and well-organized content consisting of company articles, products information, vendors and suppliers lists, and more.

A web portal software helps in search navigation, personalization, information sharing, notifications, etc. However, to carry out these activities and look at the content, users need access. They need a user account to log in. Once logged in, they can access information provided by you, i.e., a store owner. What makes a web portal convenient is that it collects information from various sources like CRM, CMS and presents it in one place. It reduces users’ efforts. For example, your team doesn’t have to juggle between systems to get customers’ details. Apart from accessing information, it even makes communication between teams easy.

Though the features of a portal look similar to that of a website, their purpose differs, and so do their characteristics. They are not interchangeable. While the website uses web pages that anyone can access, the web portal requires login credentials, and only authorized users can access it. The purpose of a website is to create a digital presence, whereas web portals provide relevant information to authorized users based on their roles.

Common Types of Web Portal Software

Online web portals help with personalization, document management, information tracking, collaboration, business intelligence, etc. As every business is unique, web portals are used in different ways. There are two main types: Horizontal and Vertical. Horizontal portals provide all the relevant information that users might require. Vertical, on the contrary, provides specific information only.

They are then bifurcated into various subtypes based on their target audience and purposes.

Customer Portal

This is for businesses that want to improve their customer support and build loyalty. Customer portals allow customers to place and track orders, generate tickets, activate/deactivate services, get personalized recommendations, manage their transactions, view the status of their query, and find solutions on their own.

Vendor Portal

It’s a solution for businesses having a vast number of third-party suppliers. This type of web portal software is used to communicate and share data with vendors. It makes vendor management easy. Vendors have the freedom to manage their accounts, proposals, orders, etc. Your staff can manage all the vendor-related activities such as sending invites, comparing proposals, viewing suppliers’ information all in one place.

Partner Portal

Industries such as travel, real estate, banking, logistics, or healthcare, often have to deal with multiple partners to get their work done. For instance, real-estate businesses have brokers and others to help them crack a deal. Partner portal helps businesses interact with their partners efficiently by giving them access to data, managing leads, viewing partner performance, speed onboarding, etc.

Affiliate Portal

This type of portal provides an attractive interface to affiliates. It allows them to manage custom links, channels, rewards, invoices, etc., saving your time and building long-lasting relationships.

B2B portal, B2C portal, membership management portal are a few of the other portal examples commonly used. However, the pandemic has forced businesses to implement new strategies, approaches, and digital tools. Thus, there are key portal types that are in demand. Let’s check them out!

Originally source: https://www.crmjetty.com/all-about-web-portal-software/