Extranets and Portals
An extranet or portal is essentially a web based application which extends beyond your internal users and allows your clients or customers to logon to the system. In today’s modern world with almost everyone having access to the internet people no longer want to have to ring a provider to get an update on a job or request new work and this is where an extranet or portal comes in. If your business is not moving at "Internet speed" you risk being left behind. The advantages of extranets are:
- Allow you to free up resources from answering customer queries.
- Help you communicate and collaborate with your clients more effectively.
- Get an edge over your competitors by providing an improved service to clients, customers and partners helping to win more business or gain new business.
- As you automate tasks that were previously done manually, bottlenecks will disappear and your company’s productivity will increase.
- Critical information will not be lost in an employee’s inbox.
- Provide timely and accurately information to clients in a matter of a few clicks a process which is impossible in a traditional paper-based publishing process.
Extranets make business easier for your customers. The more you make timely, accurate information available to your customers, the more likely they will be to remain loyal. Extranets also help you to save money. An extranet can help you spend less on supplies, staffing, or other overheads and eliminating even one paper-based process can yield dramatic savings. If a portal or an extranet is developed correctly it will be a win-win suituation for you and your clients.