As consumers expand their digital lifestyle, utilities should consider shifting to online services to change with the times. Providing a utility customer web portal for your customers can be beneficial not only to your community but to your utility, as well. With an online customer web portal, you’ll be able to streamline your operations and improve customer experience. By asking yourself these 5 questions, you can determine if an online portal is right for your community.

1. Will the customer web portal provide value to your utility and your community?

When a customer uses the portal, they should be actively engaged and have a positive experience. A robust customer web portal will provide your community with the following:

· Access to usage history and information,

· Access from any location with an internet connection,

· Online bill payment,

· The ability to initiate move-ins, move-outs, and additional changes to an account, and

· Alerts and notifications about upcoming service upgrades or outages.

These are just a sample of what an online customer portal can do for your community. When customers can access their own information, they can complete tasks when and where they need. Your staff is now free to focus on higher priority tasks, and you’re able to save on operating costs.

2. Will a utility customer web portal reduce the strain on your staff?

When your customers use a utility customer web portal, your staff can focus on other tasks. Your team will also have more time to get more jobs done because your community will use the web portal to handle everyday tasks conveniently. With a utility online web portal,

· Your billing department will be able to process billing changes quickly and manage requests efficiently,

· Your IT staff will be able to focus on improving customer experience, and

· Your customer service representatives will focus on higher priority tasks and will benefit from lower call volumes.

· Your customers will benefit from reduced wait times because they will handle routine tasks on the web portal, reducing the strain on your staff.

When customers use a self-service portal, your staff will use their workday hours to improve customer experience, which will better serve your community.

5 Questions to Ask About a Self-Service Customer Portal

3. Can I integrate the utility customer web portal with my existing solutions?

You’ve made an investment in software and solutions that help improve your customer experience, and your software allows your staff to serve your customers. Your team has gotten used to working with this software, and there’s no need to change it with a utility customer web portal like SilverBlaze. SilverBlaze is easy to configure and works with most CIS, billing, ebilling repositories, AMI/MDM, online payment services, and OMS. The interface will integrate seamlessly and help your customers anytime, anywhere, and on any device.

4. Can you customize the utility customer web portal to meet your needs?

When selecting a customer web portal, you want to make sure that it integrates logically with your software and provides a seamless transition from your website to the online portal. A customized web portal will allow you to use intelligent smart forms and be easy for your customers to navigate. With most out-of-the-box solutions, customers can tell that they are moving from your website to the portal. However, with a solution like SilverBlaze, you’ll be able to brand the portal and customize it to meet your needs. You’ll have complete control of the look and feel of SilverBlaze, and the portal will provide self-help tools for your customers. Overall, SilverBlaze will offer an exceptional customer experience.

5. Will the utility customer web portal keep your community’s information safe?

With more information available online and cybercrime on the rise, the utility customer web portal you choose must protect your community’s sensitive information like bank, credit card, and social security numbers. But security should be balanced with customer experience. Having something that is highly secure but difficult to navigate will frustrate your users. And if a portal is difficult to use, it will not help improve your customer service or free up your staff.

While collecting self-service information, it’s also essential that the portal you choose to store data in an encrypted, centralized hub. Your community’s personal private information should be stored in a secure location, and the portal should stand up to rigorous penetration testing to ensure that cyber criminals are not able to get into your system through a vulnerability in your online portal. With a customer web portal like SilverBlaze, you’ll know that your community’s information is safe.

Is a Customer Web Portal Right for Your Utility?

Technology is changing the way we interact with our service providers, and utilities are no exception. When selecting a utility customer web portal, it’s essential to ask yourself if the portal will improve your staff’s performance and provide a better customer experience. A secured customer web portal that allows customers to be first in line every time and enables your team to get more done during the day is always a good investment.

Ready to see what SilverBlaze can do for you? Click on the button to schedule a demo today.

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5 Questions to Ask When Considering a Utility Customer Web Portal