What customers see in the customer portal for service businesses
- Upcoming and past visits, so they always know when you are coming.
- Recurring services, with the schedule and the price you set.
- Estimates to review and sign, using the same signing page as your emailed estimates.
- Invoices to pay by card.
- Receipts they can print.
- Requests: a new service, a change, a reschedule, a cancellation or a question.
Each request is a two way thread, so the conversation stays in one place instead of scattered across texts and emails.
An estimate approval portal and online invoice payment portal in one
The portal uses the same estimate and invoice pages your customers already get by email. That means one estimate approval portal and one online invoice payment portal, not two systems to maintain. When a customer signs, the deal is won and the job is created, just like signing from an email. Card payments go to your own Stripe account and carry Stripe's fee plus a Dheed platform fee by plan. Learn more on the estimate and invoice app for contractors page.
A service request portal that feeds your pipeline
When a customer asks for a new service through the portal, Dheed creates a lead on their record. Your team sees it in the Requests inbox and in the pipeline of your CRM for service businesses. Changes, reschedules and cancellations show up as requests for your team to handle, so you stay in control of the calendar.
How to invite customers
There are two ways in:
- Invite from the contact page. Dheed emails a link, and the customer chooses a password.
- Share your portal link. Customers sign up on your portal page. Their account is linked to their contact record only after they open the email link, so nobody can claim someone else's account.
Good moments to share the link:
- In the email that sends a first estimate.
- On the invoice after a first job.
- When you set up a recurring service plan.
- In your website's footer or contact section.
Settings you control
In Settings, Selling, Customer portal you can turn the portal on or off, decide whether customers can sign, pay and send requests, write a welcome message, and copy the link to share. Requests land under Customers, Requests.
Who gets the most out of a client portal for contractors
Any business with repeat customers saves time with a customer self service portal. Recurring visits from field service scheduling software show up automatically. Home care agencies can let a client, or the family member on the account, see visit times, as described on the home care agency scheduling software page, without health details, since Dheed is not a medical records system. Trades like plumbing business software users can send estimates and collect payment without chasing anyone.
A short rollout plan
- Week one: turn on the portal with signing and paying only.
- Invite your ten most frequent customers.
- Week two: turn on requests and watch the inbox.
- Add the portal link to your estimate and invoice emails.
- After a month, ask a few customers what they would like to see next.
See plans and pricing or start free and set up the customer portal for service businesses in an afternoon.
Frequently asked questions
Do my customers pay to use the portal?
No. Customer accounts are free. You invite a customer from their contact page, or they sign up on your portal page and confirm their email.
What can customers do in the portal?
They can see upcoming and past visits and recurring services, review and sign estimates, pay invoices, print receipts, and send requests such as a new service, a reschedule, a cancellation or a question.
Can I turn off parts of the portal?
Yes. In Settings, Selling, Customer portal you can switch the portal on or off and choose whether customers can sign, pay and send requests. You can also write a welcome message and copy a link to share.
How do customer requests reach my team?
Each request becomes a two way thread in the Requests inbox under Customers. A request for a new service also creates a lead, so it follows your normal sales steps.