{"id":10628,"date":"2024-07-02T13:27:02","date_gmt":"2024-07-02T13:27:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/?p=10628"},"modified":"2024-07-02T13:27:03","modified_gmt":"2024-07-02T13:27:03","slug":"what-is-a-customer-portal","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/eu\/blog\/what-is-a-customer-portal\/","title":{"rendered":"What Is a Customer Portal \u2013 And Why Do You Need One?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Giving your agents the tools they need to successfully support customers is important for any business, but oftentimes customers want to handle things themselves before asking for help. In fact, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/eu\/resources\/research-reports\/state-of-the-connected-customer\/\">our research found<\/a> that 61% of customers prefer to start with self-service for simple tasks or questions. That\u2019s where customer portals come in.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Customer portals are where your customers go on your website to handle issues and complete tasks without needing help from an agent. By offering customers a place to manage their account information, find answers to FAQs, and troubleshoot issues, you give them 24\/7 support \u2014 not to mention also deflecting more cases by helping them get the right info on their own.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Let\u2019s break down the basics of a customer portal \u2013 what it is, why having one is important, and how AI is already shaping the future of customer portals \u2013 and show how your business can get started.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-what-you-ll-learn\">What you&#8217;ll learn:<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"#whatis\">What is a customer portal?<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"#benefits\">What are the benefits of a customer portal?<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"#basicelements\">Basic elements of a customer portal<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"#ai\">How AI plays a role in customer portals<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"#challenges\">What are the challenges of a customer portal?<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"#started\">How to get started with a customer portal<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"layout-one wp-block-salesforce-blog-offer\">\n\t<div class=\"wp-block-offer__wrapper\">\n\n\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-offer__content\">\n\t\t\t<h2 class=\"wp-block-offer__title\">Provide seamless self-service experiences<\/h2>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"wp-block-offer__description\">Scale customer support with a self-service experience built directly into your CRM. See how you can surface the most relevant information, provide recommended next steps, and give customers the tools to complete common tasks without the help of an agent.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-button\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"wp-block-button__link\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/eu\/service\/customer-self-service\/\">Show me How<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-offer__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-offer__graphics wp-block-offer__contour\"><\/div>\n\t\n\t\t\t<!-- Standard Illustration -->\n\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-block-offer__graphics wp-block-offer__illustration\" src=\"https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/eu\/blog\/wp-content\/themes\/salesforce-blog\/dist\/images\/offer-block\/offer-illustration-layout-one.png\" alt=\"\">\n\n\t\t<!-- Small Accent Illustration -->\n\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-block-offer__graphics wp-block-offer__accent\" src=\"https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/eu\/blog\/wp-content\/themes\/salesforce-blog\/dist\/images\/offer-block\/offer-accent-layout-one.png\" alt=\"\">\n\t\t\n\t\t<!-- Left Side Illustration -->\n\t\t\n\t\t<!-- Cloud Illustration -->\n\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-block-offer__graphics wp-block-offer__cloud\" src=\"https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/eu\/blog\/wp-content\/themes\/salesforce-blog\/dist\/images\/offer-block\/offer-cloud-layout-one.png\" alt=\"\">\n\t\t\n\t<\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"whatis\">What is a customer portal?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>A customer portal is an interface (often found on a business\u2019s website) where customers can get the help they need to either answer questions or find resolutions to issues they might be having.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It\u2019s also a place where customers can complete actions they may have previously needed an agent to help them with, like managing account details or updating subscriptions, which is why it\u2019s also referred to as a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/eu\/service\/customer-self-service\/\">self-service portal<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>These portals make it easier for customers to get things done quickly \u2013 on both a question side and an action side. <a href=\"#h-what-you-ll-learn\">(Back to top)<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"benefits\">What are the benefits of a portal?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Why are customer portals important? Businesses benefit in many ways from having a customer portal. For one, portals provide customers with an easy, fast way to resolve issues on their own.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Let\u2019s say you booked a flight on an airline last week, but now need to get on an earlier flight. These days, logging into your account to modify your flights is a fairly simple process \u2013 and much easier than jumping on the phone and waiting to connect with an agent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>And these portals aren\u2019t just convenient \u2013 they\u2019re also personalised for users. Customers who log into their accounts will see information that\u2019s catered to them, whether it\u2019s their account balance or a list of recommendations. Today\u2019s software goes beyond generic support to offer highly-personalised experiences, which contributes to higher <a href=\"https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/eu\/learning-centre\/customer-service\/measure-customer-satisfaction\/\">customer satisfaction<\/a> with a business. According to our research, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/uk\/news\/stories\/customer-spending\/\">65% of customers<\/a> say they will stay loyal to a company if it offers a more personalised experience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Finally, customer portals benefit your agents, too. By taking the most frequently asked questions that come through support and scaling them through a self-service portal, you can free up time for agents that can be spent on cases requiring more effort and empathy. This can both increase productivity and lower burnout, giving your agents more satisfaction in their roles. <a href=\"#h-what-you-ll-learn\">(Back to top)<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"basicelements\">Basic elements of a customer portal<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>There are lots of capabilities you can tack onto your customer portal, but businesses should start with the following basic elements:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Knowledge base<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Account management<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Task management<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>A <strong>knowledge base<\/strong> \u2013 also known as a help centre \u2013 is going to be the foundation for creating a successful customer portal (it\u2019s also the foundation for generative AI features). Because customers often turn to self-service for answering questions, you\u2019ll need a place to store FAQs, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/blog\/how-to-write-a-knowledge-base-article\/\">knowledge base articles<\/a>, and tutorials or demos.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>\u26a1 Pro Tip:<\/strong> Once you\u2019ve populated your knowledge base, consider checking in every now and then to ensure everything is up-to-date. Certain articles will become outdated and need to be deleted or replaced, and you might find new common issues pop up that you\u2019ll want to add to your FAQ section.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Account management<\/strong> refers to the place where, once logged in, customers can manage their account information, look at their purchase history, and update their billing and shipping information. <strong>Task management<\/strong>, on the other hand, consists of actions that your customers can take, like tracking the progress of their support cases.\u00a0<a href=\"#h-what-you-ll-learn\">(Back to top)<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"layout-astro wp-block-salesforce-blog-related-trail\">\n\n\t<img decoding=\"async\" class=\"related-trail__illustration related-trail__cloud\" src=\"https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/eu\/blog\/wp-content\/themes\/salesforce-blog\/dist\/images\/related-trail-cloud-layout-astro.png\" alt=\"\">\n\n\t\n\t<img decoding=\"async\" class=\"related-trail__illustration related-trail__background\" src=\"https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/eu\/blog\/wp-content\/themes\/salesforce-blog\/dist\/images\/related-trail-background-layout-astro.png\" alt=\"\">\n\n\t<div class=\"related-trail__wrapper\">\n\t\t<div class=\"related-trail__content\">\n\t\t\t\n<svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewBox=\"0 0 345.8 82.8\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"related-trail__logo\"><path fill=\"#1d3767\" d=\"M96.6 33h9v22.6h4.8V33h8.8v-4.3H96.6zm49.8 5.3c0-5.7-3.6-9.6-10.8-9.6H127v27h4.8v-7.9h3l2.3-.1 5.7 8h5.6l-7-9.2c3.4-1.6 5-4.5 5-8.2m-11.1 5.3h-3.6V33h3.6c4.4 0 6 2.3 6 5.3s-1.6 5.3-6 5.3m30.8-15.2-12.6 27.2h5l2.3-5.3h11.6l2.4 5.3h5l-12.6-27.1zm-3.6 18 4.1-9.2 4.1 9.3zm25.2-17.7h4.8v27h-4.8zm20.7 0h-4.8v27h17.6v-4.4h-12.8zm38.4 12.1h-13.2V28.7H229v27h4.7V45h13.2v10.6h4.7V28.7h-4.7zm15.9 14.8h17.5v-4.4h-12.7v-6.4H279v-4.2h-11.5v-7.5h12.7v-4.4h-17.5zm36.9-27.2L287 55.6h5l2.3-5.3H306l2.4 5.3h5l-12.6-27.1zm-3.6 18 4.1-9.2 4.1 9.3zm35.4-17.7h-10.2v27h10.2c8.2 0 14.4-5.9 14.4-13.6s-6-13.4-14.4-13.4m0 22.6H326V33h5.4a9.1 9.1 0 1 1 0 18.1z\" \/><path fill=\"#1d315f\" d=\"M43 82.8h.1a74 74 0 0 0 38.5-12.3 3 3 0 0 0 1.3-2.4v-6A66.2 66.2 0 0 0 42.5.2a3 3 0 0 0-2.3 0A66.2 66.2 0 0 0 0 62.2V68a3 3 0 0 0 1.2 2.4 74 74 0 0 0 40.2 12.4z\" \/><path fill=\"#8ed1f4\" d=\"M13.8 51.8a.3.3 0 0 0 0-.1L33 23.6a3.1 3.1 0 0 1 .8-.8 3 3 0 0 1 4 .8l9.5 13.8 3.5-5a3 3 0 0 1 4.9 0L69 51.6a.3.3 0 0 1 .1.3h7C70.7 17.7 43.7 7.2 41.4 6.2c0 0-11.2 4-21.2 16A59.6 59.6 0 0 0 6.8 51.8zm21.7-21.3\" \/><path fill=\"#aa76b3\" d=\"m62 51.9-8.7-12.6-4.2 6.1 4.8 6.4z\" \/><path fill=\"#722a87\" d=\"m49 45.4-4.4 6.4H54z\" \/><path fill=\"#8ed1f4\" d=\"m37 32.6-1.5-2.1z\" \/><path fill=\"#aa76b3\" d=\"m28 41.4 7.6 10.4h1.8l6.4-9.2-6.8-10-1.5-2.1z\" \/><path fill=\"#722a87\" d=\"m28 41.4-7 10.4h14.6z\" \/><path fill=\"#069a49\" d=\"M43.8 72.5a1.8 1.8 0 0 0-1-2.4L40.1 69a8 8 0 0 1-1-.5 7.8 7.8 0 0 1-2.4-10.7H6a44 44 0 0 0-.2 4.4v4.4A70 70 0 0 0 26 75a70 70 0 0 0 15.2 2l2.4-4.3zm33-14.8H44.3l-2.5 3a1.7 1.7 0 0 0-.2.5 1.8 1.8 0 0 0 1 2.3l2.7 1.2.7.4a7.8 7.8 0 0 1 3 10.6l-.5.9 4.8-.8a71 71 0 0 0 8.4-2.2l1.3-.4a71 71 0 0 0 14-6.7v-8.8z\" \/><path fill=\"#fff\" d=\"m46 65-.7-.3-2.7-1.2a1.8 1.8 0 0 1-1-2.4 1.7 1.7 0 0 1 .2-.4l2.5-3h-7.6A7.8 7.8 0 0 0 39 68.4a8 8 0 0 0 1 .5l2.7 1.2a1.8 1.8 0 0 1 1 2.4l-.1.2-2.5 4.3a52.5 52.5 0 0 0 7.2-.4l.5-.9A7.8 7.8 0 0 0 46 65.1z\" \/><path fill=\"#157139\" d=\"M56.9 67.3h8.8l-4.4-5zM23 71h9l-4.5-5.1zm-4.1-10.4-4.5 5h8.9z\" \/><\/svg>\n\t\t\t<h2 class=\"wp-block-related-trail__title\">Self-Registration in a Portal<\/h2>\n\t\t\t<p>Want to learn how to set up a customer portal that includes a self-registration flow? Level up with this lesson on Trailhead, Salesforce\u2019s free online learning platform.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-button\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/trailhead.salesforce.com\/content\/learn\/modules\/selfregistration-in-a-portal\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Start Learning Now<\/a><\/div>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"related-trail__mock\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"related-trail__points\">+1500 points<\/div>\n\t\t\t<div class=\"related-trail__eyebrow\">Module<\/div>\n\t\t\t<p class=\"related-trail__trail-title h3\"><a href=\"https:\/\/trailhead.salesforce.com\/content\/learn\/modules\/selfregistration-in-a-portal\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Self-Registration in a Portal<\/a><\/p>\n\t\t\t<p class=\"related-trail__trail-description\"><\/p>\n\t\t\t<div class=\"related-trail__actions\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"related-trail__action\">\n<svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" fill=\"none\" viewBox=\"0 0 10 10\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><path fill=\"#747474\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\" d=\"m4.93.69.88 2.88c.04.12.16.18.27.18h2.89c.29 0 .4.38.17.56L6.79 6.04c-.1.07-.13.2-.1.32l1.12 2.96c.08.27-.2.5-.44.33L4.85 7.77c-.1-.08-.23-.08-.34 0L1.97 9.65a.29.29 0 0 1-.45-.33L2.6 6.36a.3.3 0 0 0-.1-.32L.17 4.3c-.23-.18-.1-.56.17-.56h2.89c.13 0 .23-.04.27-.18l.9-2.9c.08-.27.46-.25.54.02Z\" clip-rule=\"evenodd\" \/><\/svg>\n<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"related-trail__action\">\n<svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" fill=\"none\" viewBox=\"0 0 9 5\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><path fill=\"#747474\" d=\"M4.16 4.5.26 0h7.8z\" \/><\/svg>\n<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n\n\t<img decoding=\"async\" class=\"related-trail__illustration related-trail__foreground\" src=\"https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/eu\/blog\/wp-content\/themes\/salesforce-blog\/dist\/images\/related-trail-foreground-layout-astro.png\" alt=\"\">\n\t<img decoding=\"async\" class=\"related-trail__illustration related-trail__parks\" src=\"https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/eu\/blog\/wp-content\/themes\/salesforce-blog\/dist\/images\/related-trail-parks-layout-astro.png\" alt=\"\">\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"ai\">How AI plays a role in portals today<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/eu\/blog\/why-is-generative-ai-important-for-business\/\">Generative AI<\/a> is everywhere \u2013 so how can it be applied to customer portals?\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Because AI can summarise and analyse tons of data \u2013 aka <em>customer<\/em> data \u2013 it can help drive the personalised experience that customers expect from businesses. One example of AI in customer portals is search answers. Customers looking to resolve an issue can search for it in their portal and quickly receive an AI-generated answer. No more scrolling through articles to find the info they need buried in the footnotes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Some other examples of AI and automation in customer portals can be found in Salesforce\u2019s Service Cloud offerings.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Service Catalogue:<\/strong> This automation takes the typical, trending questions that come through a customer portal and creates workflows customers can complete \u2014 all without having to reach out to an agent.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Chatbots:<\/strong> In some cases, your customers won\u2019t get their answers immediately from an article or demo. With Salesforce <a href=\"https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/eu\/artificial-intelligence\/\">Einstein\u2019s AI-powered chatbots<\/a>, customers can have a conversational experience where they get answers. They&#8217;ll also receive suggestions and recommendations for further learning, enriching the support experience.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Digital channels:<\/strong> Companies can deploy a chatbot across multiple channels to meet customers where they\u2019re at.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Generative AI saves your customers, agents, and businesses time and money. It saves that case from being created for an agent. It delivers the answers your customers need so they don\u2019t have to sift for it. And together with your portal, it helps keep costs low. <a href=\"#h-what-you-ll-learn\">(Back to top)<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"challenges\">What are the challenges of a customer portal?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>While there are lots of ways to set it up and tons of capabilities to add to it, a customer portal will turn out clunky and be difficult to implement if you don\u2019t know what you\u2019re trying to achieve with it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It helps to start off by identifying and understanding your business\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/eu\/service\/customer-service-operations\/\">customer service goals<\/a> \u2013 your KPIs \u2013\u00a0and then asking what your customers are looking for. Some questions to consider include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>What are you trying to measure with a customer portal?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>How do you want this to improve your business?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>What are ways you can encourage customers to adopt the portal?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>If a customer portal has too many components or is hard to navigate, the customer won\u2019t adopt it \u2013 they\u2019ll leave and find another business with a more intuitive, personalised portal. By understanding what you\u2019re trying to achieve and what your customers want, you can then create a portal that people will continuously log into and use \u2013 even before considering an agent. <a href=\"#h-what-you-ll-learn\">(Back to top)<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"started\">How to get started with a customer portal<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Once armed with your goals and customer needs, you\u2019re ready to find a solution that will support your customer portal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>With <a href=\"https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/eu\/service\/cloud\/\">Salesforce Service Cloud<\/a>, you get a 360-degree view of your customers so you can easily use the data around the cases coming in to inform your portal\u2019s capabilities. Service Cloud also lets you see what your agents are spending most of their time on, so you can learn what themes to cover in your knowledge base to deflect cases.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>And with Salesforce\u2019s self-service software that\u2019s built directly into your CRM, you can use AI <em>and<\/em> your trusted data to personalise every part of the customer portal and help customers get answers, fast.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When you have an easy-to-use, comprehensive customer portal, you help both your customers and your agents. It all contributes to higher customer satisfaction and increased loyalty to your business. <a href=\"#h-what-you-ll-learn\">(Back to top)<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"layout-four wp-block-salesforce-blog-offer\">\n\t<div class=\"wp-block-offer__wrapper\">\n\n\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-offer__content\">\n\t\t\t<h2 class=\"wp-block-offer__title\">Unlock the power of self-service<\/h2>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"wp-block-offer__description\">Are you providing your customers with an easy, efficient, and effective self-service experience? Take this quick online assessment to find out what you\u2019re doing well \u2014 and what you need to improve on.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-button\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"wp-block-button__link\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/form\/service-cloud\/self-service-assessment\/\">What&#039;s my Score<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-offer__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n\n\t\n\t\t\t<!-- Standard Illustration -->\n\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-block-offer__graphics wp-block-offer__illustration\" src=\"https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/eu\/blog\/wp-content\/themes\/salesforce-blog\/dist\/images\/offer-block\/offer-illustration-layout-four.png\" alt=\"\">\n\n\t\t<!-- Small Accent Illustration -->\n\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-block-offer__graphics wp-block-offer__accent\" src=\"https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/eu\/blog\/wp-content\/themes\/salesforce-blog\/dist\/images\/offer-block\/offer-accent-layout-four.png\" alt=\"\">\n\t\t\n\t\t<!-- Left Side Illustration -->\n\t\t\n\t\t<!-- Cloud Illustration -->\n\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-block-offer__graphics wp-block-offer__cloud\" src=\"https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/eu\/blog\/wp-content\/themes\/salesforce-blog\/dist\/images\/offer-block\/offer-cloud-layout-four.png\" alt=\"\">\n\t\t\n\t<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Sometimes, customers want a fast way to tackle issues on their own. Give them an easy self-service solution while saving agents time in the process.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":463,"featured_media":10633,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"sf_justforyou_enable_alt":true,"optimizely_content_id":"08cd4325dcff43028eca7ad98c790a63","post_meta_title":"","ai_synopsis":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"sf_topic":[75,41,139,1,3,86,251],"sf_content_type":[],"coauthors":[390],"class_list":["post-10628","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","sf_topic-service","sf_topic-crm","sf_topic-best-practices","sf_topic-digital-transformation","sf_topic-thought-leadership","sf_topic-service-cloud","sf_topic-ai"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v27.2 (Yoast SEO v27.2) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>What is a Customer Portal? | Salesforce<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Sometimes, customers want a fast way to tackle issues on their own. 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