A common question in the field of digital transformation: what is the technology that has the greatest impact on both the operational and commercial side of business? There are many web technologies High value for growing companies or companies with complex business models seeking to optimise their operations and improve the user experience. And one of those that stands out the most are web applications and their most impactful business use: digital portals.
Web applications bring interactivity, dynamism, and easy access to each user’s browser. It is what is behind the digital experiences on the desktop of big brands like Netflix and Amazon, and their ever-growing offering of digital services and cutting-edge digital experiences . There are many digital business solutions that, like web applications, help businesses focus on growth and profitability.
Particularly digital portals or business portals offer many benefits that can transform the way companies interact with their customers, suppliers and employees. In this article, we will delve into digital portals as the evolution of web applications towards driving efficiency and productivity, their main features and benefits, and a brief analysis of where their business value lies.
Digital portals and their benefits
1. What is a digital portal?
A portal is a digital single point of access to a variety of resources and information related to a business or organisation, ranging from content and services to applications and collaboration tools.
Digital portals are web applications, that is, programs that are used through a web browser. They are distinguished by:
- Be accessible from anywhere and at any time.
- They do not need to be downloaded or installed on a specific device.
- Be dynamic and allow users to perform actions such as transactions, purchases, sending information, etc.
- Be internal (intranets, which require username and password) or external (extranets).
- Be oriented to different audiences, including employees, suppliers, distributors, customers and other groups of interest to the business.
Modern digital portals are typically implemented using a Digital Experience Platform (DXP), a type of enterprise level software that offers robust functionality such as web app development company multiple sites and portals; digital self-service; eCommerce; interactivity; and content management.
2. Why are digital portals web applications?
Digital portals are considered web applications due to their interactive nature and their ability to provide a customizable and dynamic user interface. As web applications, digital portals benefit from the ability to be accessible from any device with an Internet connection, allowing greater flexibility and mobility for users, using development frameworks such as React , Angular and Vue, as well as HTML, CSS and JavaScript.
Unlike static websites, web applications allow users to interact with information and perform various tasks, from submitting forms and making payments to accessing personalised services. Previously in this blog we have compared the difference between static websites and dynamic portals, and the criteria under which they must be evaluated before incorporating them into a digital strategy.
It must be taken into account that in the development of web applications, such as digital portals, there is the advantage that they are easier to maintain and update than traditional applications, since changes are made on the server and are automatically reflected in all devices that access the application.
3. Characteristics of digital portals and web applications
Digital portals are one of the last links in the evolution of web applications. It is a collection of robust and cutting-edge features that make them very valuable to businesses.
These are some of these features of the most modern digital portals and web applications:
- Interactivity: Digital portals and web applications allow real-time interaction between users and the platform, making it easier to carry out various tasks and operations.
- Customization: These platforms can be customized to fit the specific needs of each company, offering a user interface that reflects the company’s brand and values.
- Integration: Digital portals and web applications can be integrated with other systems and applications, allowing for greater efficiency and cohesion in company operations.
- Accessibility: As mentioned above, these platforms are available from any device with an Internet connection, providing great flexibility for users.
- Agility: Thanks to its management of APIs and microservices, web development teams can make adjustments and modifications in the front-end layer without having to touch the back-end systems, reducing the time and technical difficulty of adjustments. a>
It is worth mentioning that in the development of web applications, there are more modern implementations than others. The features we present are strictly related to Digital Experience Platforms (or DXPs), which are typically used as engines for agile web application and portal development.
Are you interested in digitally transforming your company? Contact us for our web application development services
4. Main benefits of digital portals and web applications for businesses
The largest companies in the world use web applications, digital portals and corporate portals to carry out a large part of their operations and business processes.
These are the key benefits of digital portals and many enterprise web applications:
- Improving operational efficiency: By becoming a centralized access point to various resources and information, digital portals can help companies simplify their operations, increase productivity and reduce costs.
- Improved user experience: Digital portals and web applications offer an intuitive and easy-to-use user interface. By providing a consistent user experience across different applications and systems, they help increase customer satisfaction and eliminate fragmented experiences.
- Greater reach and visibility: These platforms allow companies to reach a broader audience, which can result in greater brand recognition and greater visibility in the market .
- Scalability Ready: Web applications can be easily scaled to accommodate business growth, allowing companies to expand their operations without having to invest in new hardware or software .
Something important to consider is that when implemented with a Digital Experience Platform, digital portals can meet complex technical requirements, such as security certifications at the government and federal level. They are great allies of digital transformation.
5. Types of digital portals
When digital portals are implemented through a Digital Experience Platform, they are highly adjustable and can be aligned to the particular needs of a business. For this reason, there are different types of digital portals—or digital solutions—each with its own characteristics and benefits.
- Employee Portals: These portals are designed to be used by a company’s employees. They bring together applications and processes such as work tools, work benefits and HR processes, information resources, training, reports, and onboarding. For example, the UPS employee portal.
- Global portals: These are digital portals that connect different business units, different plants, or different brands. They are usually focused on campaigns, communication, strategic alignment, and collaboration. For example, the CEMEX corporate portal.
- Customer Portals: These portals provide customers with access to information and services related to the company’s products or services. For example, the portal where you manage users manage Google or Apple services with their account.
- Supplier Portals: These portals are used to facilitate communication and collaboration between a company and its suppliers. They include newsletters, news, information collections, support materials, and more.
- E-commerce portals: These portals allow companies to offer their products or services online, providing a platform for their transactions and purchases. For example, the Amazon portal.
- B2B Portals: These are portals that help commercial relationships between companies, such as franchises, distributors and business partners. For example: the KFC franchisee portal.
There are many other types of digital portals, and solutions that bring together one or more types of portals on a single digital platform. There are on-premise, hybrid and also Cloud solutions. The important thing is to be clear about the main needs of your company and have the support of a technology partner like Base22 to help you implement them in a portal.
That’s the real challenge of digital transformation: thinking in terms of modern experiences and business objectives, and then coupling the right technologies to make it a reality.
Conclusion: The evolution of web applications and their value for business
Having a website was enough a decade ago. Today, with the growing demand for needs from users and also from business partners, it is necessary to have modern solutions that allow users not only to receive information, but also to take actions and get directly involved with a business. Hence the evolution of web applications towards digital portals, as an essential tool for the modern business world.
If your company is at a time where it needs to improve operational efficiency, improve the user experience, and gain the ability to reach a broader audience, digital portals are a great option. By selecting and implementing the platform that best fits their needs, businesses can take full advantage of these benefits and position their organisation for success in today’s competitive digital marketplace.
Are you interested in implementing a digital portal or developing a web application for your company as part of your digital transformation? Let’s schedule a call and tell us what you need.
