Building customer portals provides easier self-help functions for the best B2B customers with custom displays, targeted content, custom banners, menus, specialty catalogs, and other appealing features that deliver a top-of-the-line experience. Building a custom portal with Epicor Eagle delivers astonishing experiences that attract and retain customers. The Benefits of Epicor Eagle Integration for Powering Portal Technology Customers love self-service and prefer it to tracking down the right staff technicians to manage their service issues. In fact, Superoffice.com reports that the customer experience is a critical issue in 2019 and beyond. Customers show loyalty to companies that provide exceptional experiences to manage self-service. Customers also want to see consistency across marketing channels and sales platforms. [1] Managing customer experiences is the biggest benefit of integrating business applications to build a customer portal with Epicor Eagle. Other key benefits of building an integrated customer portal with Epicor Eagle include: Extended Benefits of Epicor Eagle ERP Software The benefits of Epicor Eagle integration include a robust API layer in which it's easy to integrate all the major brands of eCommerce platforms and CRM software. A fully integrated site enables companies to get the full benefits of Epicor inventory management tools to deliver intuitive and responsive ordering efficiency. Customers get real-time inventory updates that include data from all sales channels. Competitive Advantages Customer portals store all the customer’s account information, so everything buyers need is right at their fingertips. Portals can be designed for multiple company decision-makers to manage their concerns when approving purchase orders. Integrated B2B companies can simply deliver a higher-level service at each point of contact with a customer. Customers can't help but appreciate having a dedicated portal for ordering and researching products. It's an incredible benefit that competitors cannot easily duplicate. Automated Communications Reduce Phones Calls and Emails Custom can connect to Live Chat or chatbot applications while using their portals. FAQs and product-specific recommendations also reduce the need for customer service. Customers can request copies of past invoices and other information right from the portal without needing to speak to a staff member. Requesting a copy of an invoice usually takes at least 15 minutes when done manually. Greater Customer Loyalty The customer portal is the ideal platform from which to run an automated rewards program for customers. integration enables automated recommendations of the type of incentives that each client prefers, which are based on CRM information, buying history, integrated business intelligence, and other factors. Existing customers order about 33 percent more--on average--than new customers, and the marketing costs of converting them are 90 percent less. [2] Customer loyalty is a valuable marketing tool for earning larger profits from marketing investments. Bragging Rights Companies can offer their best customers custom portal designs that incorporate company logos, colors, and specialty catalogs for key departments, branch offices, and branded merchandise. Portals can limit orders to certain products, order totals, and specialty catalogs based on the customer's level of authorization. Retain and Manage Shipping Information An integrated customer portal knows each customer's shipping preferences including complex shipping strategies, drop shipping, split shipping, and sending parts of orders to different stores and locations. The portal retains all shipping addresses so that it's easy to order products while working on a small-screen mobile phone. Eliminating Common Errors Caused by Multiple Entries Customers only have to enter information once, and it's immediately disseminated throughout all business systems. If customers make a mistake, it's easy to correct it right on the portal, and the results can be reviewed in real time. Faster and More Accurate Order Fulfillment Every step of the ordering process is streamlined with an Epicor and portal integration. Epicor software speeds up touchscreen technology, so busy buyers can complete their orders quickly. Confirmations arrive in real time because Epicor fulfillment tools include bar scanners, RFID software, and other tools that integrate with all systems. Accurate inventory counts are guaranteed, and companies don’t really need to check shipping manifests against purchase orders. Industry-specific Software and Developer Adjustments Epicor ERP offers many specialty versions of its software for different industries and business models such as distributors, manufacturers, and eCommerce operations. Hiring a skilled developer allows companies to customize the software to their businesses instead of finding workarounds to inconvenient processes, and can even get you ERP portal integration. Enhancing Communication Channels with a Customer Portal Customers can perform all online operations 24/7 on a dedicated customer portal. The portal remembers account information, browsing history, and customer preferences and can simplify searches for products by displaying specialty catalogs, saved searches, and company-generated recommendations. A recent report found that the customer experience is more important than price and product quality when choosing a supplier. [3] Integration and Development It's important to hire the right developer to build seamless versions of customer portals based on buyer personas. What's needed is a vendor with experience in designing for B2B platforms. Clarity eCommerce and Clarity Connect enjoy just such a reputation, and Clarity uses open-source technology, frameworks, and coding resources to reduce development costs. The company will also follow your budget guidelines to install technology in a modular fashion so that you only pay for what you need when you need it. Clarity is a collaborative vendor that works with your IT staff to build a customer portal with Epicor Eagle and integrate your business applications. References: [1] Superoffice.com: 35 Customer Experience Statistics You Need to Know for 2019 https://www.superoffice.com/blog/customer-experience-statistics/ [2] Cvilnk.com: Loyalty Programs: Key to Greater Revenues and Profits http://cvilnk.com/collateral/Epicor-Eagle-Loyalty-FS-ENS.pdf [3] Draycir.com: 6 reasons to use a customer https://draycir.com/company/news/2017-08-31-6-reasons-to-use-a-customer-portal-that-integrates-with-sage-200