Communication and collaboration with our clients is a central focus with everything we do at Diagram. However, with the wide variety of activities going on at any given time, from support tickets to project updates to retainer requests, keeping clients updated and informed has been challenging at best. We’ve used a variety of tools and platforms over the years to make this process as efficient and effective as possible, but for every communication advancement in one area, we’ve recognized our deficiencies in others. And too often, we’ve simply lacked proper transparency in important aspects of the client-agency relationship, such as outstanding invoices, real-time status updates, up-to-date retainer hour tracking, etc. So, last year we began the search for a comprehensive solution to help us manage our business and give our clients the access and exposure they’ve been asking for. The dust is beginning to settle, and the light is bright at the end of the tunnel... On April 1, we will unveil the new Diagram Client Portal to provide our clients with a single, feature-rich hub to manage everything we do together.
What Will You Be Able to do in the Portal?
Below are the primary features that will enhance collaboration and provide all new insight into the tasks and activities we work on together day to day:
Requests
If you need us to fix something or update your website, want a quote, or simply have a billing inquiry, our Request form will be your primary method to send us your questions and support requests. Rather than submitting an email that disappears into an obscure ticketing system on the backend, you can follow your request via the Portal as it is responded to or converted into a support ticket. Communication can be done directly in the Portal or through email while still being captured and recorded in the Portal.
Tickets
If your Request requires follow-up action from our Design and Development team or our Hosting team, it will be converted into a Ticket. The Portal will keep track of all support tickets and allow you to track their progress and communicate with the Diagram team member managing your issue.
Projects
Transparency takes away the uncertainty and hand wringing that often comes with complex, long term projects. Through the Diagram Client Portal, the detailed project plan will be visible along with up-to-date progress visibility and a threaded communication channel to provide on-point discussions and updates. File uploads, a sign-off tool, and invoice history are also included in the features provided.
Retainers
Retainers are the primary vehicle controlling the ongoing resources and services we provide to our closest client partners. In order for these retainers to be truly beneficial, a client should have as much insight and visibility into the activities occurring within the retainer as we do. The Diagram Client Portal will provide this insight with features such as activity/issue tracking, usage monitoring, and invoice history.
When Will the Portal Be Live?
Beginning the week of March 28th, we will begin inviting clients to the Portal. Along with login instructions, a detailed user manual will be available to download covering all the major features.
We’re extremely excited to launch this new system, and we are confident that it will greatly improve our collaboration with clients. Additional features will also be rolled out over time as they become available. The Diagram Client Portal and the related internal systems we use to manage our relationships with our clients are an important part of our ongoing effort to be the best partner we can be. This is one more way we’re hoping to be able to continue to do amazing work together!
