Client portals are becoming the standard requirement when clients are looking for an accounting and advisory firm to work with. At its simplest, a client portal serves as a secure file sharing tool. In its complete form, a client portal can be the “front of house” face and experience that is the primary tool used to onboard clients, meaningfully engage and conduct collaborative business.
There are many reasons to use a client portal: they provide you and your clients with a multitude of benefits, while adding value to your security, productivity and service. They also facilitate a better working relationship with your current clients and give you a competitive edge by showing that you provide 24/7 access to all information in one easy to use environment. A core function of a client portal should be to provide a secure environment for sensitive data. IBM Security’s Cost of a Data Breach Report states, “In 2020, the average business cost of a cyberattack was $3.86 million and it took over 200 days to detect the breach.” With 2020 seeing a sharp rise in cybercrime, now is the perfect time to assess the way in which you securely and efficiently collaborate with clients.
As more and more accounting and advisory firms embrace digital platforms, investing in digital transformation for your company now will help to keep projects on time and to budget. Cloud-based client portals can support your business and grow alongside your client base as they are easy to use and implement across borders.
Key takeaways