What gets it used
- It answers the real question. Almost always, whoever logs in wants to know “how is my request going?” If that is not on the first screen, they do not come back.
- It does not require yet another password. Sign-in with their work account or with a link.
- It offers something a phone call does not: the history, the signed service reports, the hour bank balance.
What leaves it empty
Being a request form and little else. If the portal only lets customers open tickets, they will keep calling, because calling is easier than filling in fields.
The same idea works for the people who work for you: the subcontractor portal.
The usual mistake
Limiting who gets in. If every login counts as a license, only a few people get access. And a portal used by a small part of your customers does not save a single call.