By Artem Korsakov ·
A customer account is useful where a customer regularly comes back for information or to take an action. If a person submits a request once and never interacts with the company again, a separate account may be unnecessary. Start with the recurring questions that managers currently handle.
Collect real requests: “Where is my order?”, “Can I get an invoice?”, “Who is responsible for my request?”, “When does the service renew?”. Group them by task. A list like this helps you choose the core of the account without trying to move your entire internal CRM into it right away.
The first version usually needs an overview of the current situation. Show active orders or services, clear statuses and the next action. The internal name of a CRM stage does not always suit the customer. Instead of a technical code, it is better to explain: documents are being reviewed, approval is required, or the order is ready for collection.
For each status, define what the customer can do on their own. Download a document, upload a missing file, confirm details or ask a question about a specific order. A button without a clear result creates new requests instead of solving the task.
Agree on the source of information. Where are the current documents kept, and who updates the status? If the account shows data from the CRM, think through synchronization delays and behavior when the system is unavailable. It is better to state clearly that the information cannot be updated than to show outdated details as if they were new.
Access rights matter more than the number of screens. A customer must see only their own data. If one organization has several users, decide in advance who can view documents, make payments or change company details. Acceptance testing should include checking access between different customer accounts.
After launch, watch whether people perform the chosen actions and which requests keep coming in. This will help you define the next stage. New features are worth adding based on a confirmed need, not because they exist in someone else’s account.