Using A Client Extranet For Efficient Online Collaboration

Efficient collaboration with clients is essential for any service firm. Traditionally, collaboration has focused on face-to-face meetings, supported by email to share work in progress.

Over the past several years, a new tool has grown in popularity: the client service extranet. While face-to-face meetings remain the most effective (and essential) collaboration tool, extranets have replaced email as the favored forum for sharing and organizing the vast number of documents t...

Efficient collaboration with clients is essential for any service firm. Traditionally, collaboration has focused on face-to-face meetings, supported by email to share work in progress.

Over the past several years, a new tool has grown in popularity: the client service extranet. While face-to-face meetings remain the most effective (and essential) collaboration tool, extranets have replaced email as the favored forum for sharing and organizing the vast number of documents that are part of all client/agency relationships.

Increasingly, service firms are using extranets as a platform to share work with clients securely and efficiently. They allow clients to log into a secure workspace and access the materials that pertain to them.

An extranet allows clients to:

• Access draft documents for approval or comment
• Preview artwork or multimedia presentations for approval or comment
• Provide important background information from the client before the project begins
• Archive past projects for easy comparison
• Access time and billing information
• Access a log of all project communication
• Reduce the number of or eliminate the need for face-to-face meetings which can make servicing remote clients easier and less expensive

Since most clients are busy people, using an extranet can save both time and frustration for the client and improve the agency’s level of service and as a result, the client’s overall satisfaction.

How Do You Set Up An Extranet?

You can set up and in-house extranet or purchase a hosted extranet from an application service provider for a monthly fee.

Building an in-house extranet

If you select an in-house implementation, you will need to have an existing intranet infrastructure available. Then you can purchase the necessary equipment and software and either hire or train personnel to maintain the system. The initial cost can be significant and may be beyond the reach of smaller firms.

Building an in-house extranet offer the following advantages and disadvantages compared to using a hosted (ASP) solution:

Advantages

• Complete control of user interface design
• Ability to customize functionality for each client
• Integration into internal systems
• Direct access to all user activity

Disadvantages

• High up-front development cost
• Requires staff expertise in the development of extranets
• Commitment of internal staff for 6 months to a year for planning, execution, review and implementation
• On-going commitment of internal staff for internal and client support, hosting, maintenance and upgrades
• Extensive internal and client training

Using a hosted solution

If you decide to purchase the extranet from an application service provider, you will pay a monthly fee for as long as you use the service. The hosting company provides the infrastructure, security, setup and maintenance of the system. It isn’t even necessary for you to have an internal network. Many will also provide training for your staff as well.

Using an Application Service provider (ASP) offers the following advantages and disadvantages compared to using an in-house extranet:

Advantages

• Proven track-record of web-based application
• Low cost of entry and predictable cost over time
• Rapid implementation as quickly as one day
• No internal staff commitment to internal and client support, hosting and maintenance
• Upgrades available at no cost
• Savings on internal server use
• Easier to learn, easier to use

Disadvantages

• Less freedom in user interface design
• Fixed functionality

Whether you choose to build and maintain your own extranet, or choose to use a hosted solution, your firm will streamline client services by providing faster access to critical documents, and by reducing the turn around time for review and approval. Which one you choose will depend on your company’s needs and existing resources.

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Make Your Client's Life Easier: The Power Of An Extranet

Over the past several years, extranets have become a popular tool used by service companies to enhance their client relationships. Originally, they were implemented to overcome the time and cost barriers associated with a distance relationship. Today, service companies use extranets to serve clients who are right down the street because of the many ways they make the client’s life easier.

What is an extranet?

An extranet is a web-based collaboration tool that allows a d...

Over the past several years, extranets have become a popular tool used by service companies to enhance their client relationships. Originally, they were implemented to overcome the time and cost barriers associated with a distance relationship. Today, service companies use extranets to serve clients who are right down the street because of the many ways they make the client’s life easier.

What is an extranet?

An extranet is a web-based collaboration tool that allows a defined group of internal and client users to access projects and documents in a secure environment.

One way to think of an extranet is as a shared filing cabinet. It allows clients to access documents immediately, all organized by project. It is particularly useful when groups of people need to access the work at the same time, and need everything organized in the same way.

Who uses extranets?

Any company that shares documents with clients can benefit from using an extranet. Advertising agencies, law firms, real estate brokers, financial service companies, architectural firms ? the list can go on and on.

How does an extranet enhance client relationships?

Enhanced relationships result from the many benefits extranets offer to clients. The most important is time savings. Rather than searching emails or paper files, everything is organized in one place to assure a quick review and response. A client extranet assures that nothing is lost and that the correct version is being reviewed. Many extranets feature an alert system to assure that documents are posted and reviewed on a timely basis.

Other benefits include easy client access to past work through the use of an archive, the ability to limit access to selected individuals when needed, the documentation of all activities, and a higher level of security than is offered by email.

The bottom-line

Enhancing client relationships supports retention and saves administrative time. At minimum, this impact on both revenue and costs often allows the extranet to pay for itself, and in many cases can result in increased profits.

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Extranets For Advertising Agencies

Ideally, clients and agencies have aligned interests, and they usually do. Today there are real challenges to that important alignment, forcing clients and agencies to look for new and better ways to collaborate. Enter easy-to-use, web based extranets.

What is an extranet?

Specifically, an extranet is a private web site that provides a secure environment for a select group of users to share documents and information.

Although it is accessed through a web browser, su...

Ideally, clients and agencies have aligned interests, and they usually do. Today there are real challenges to that important alignment, forcing clients and agencies to look for new and better ways to collaborate. Enter easy-to-use, web based extranets.

What is an extranet?

Specifically, an extranet is a private web site that provides a secure environment for a select group of users to share documents and information.

Although it is accessed through a web browser, such as Internet Explorer, it differs from a public web site in that it can be used only by an audience that has permission to access it through the use of IDs and passwords.

Agencies use extranets as a client service tool to share documents with clients and vendors, to organize projects, and to archive previous work for direct client access. There is no limit on the size of files that can be posted, allowing agencies to share text documents, graphics, audio, video, message boards, and data.

Often, extranets are used to replace email as a means to communicate within and across work groups. Unlike email, all communication is secure and any size document can be exchanged. Plus, an extranet provides a system for filing all the documents into project-related folders as part of the exchange process.

An extranet increases agency efficiency and makes a client's life easier by saving time and frustration. An extranet facilitates faster and easier access to materials. Essentially, it is a web-based filing cabinet shared by the agency and its client.

Controlled by the agency, it puts both current projects and past work within easy reach at any time, resulting in significant time savings for both you and your client.

It provides instant client feedback and a permanent record of all comments and activity. Input and decisions are fully documented, and the work-flow moves faster in a more informed environment.

In addition to supporting day-to-day client service, extranets can be used in a variety of ways. Agencies with retail clients use them to service retail locations throughout the country, or to support clients with multiple offices that need a single source for the agency's work.

Choosing an extranet

As with all ad agency software, when choosing an extranet there are a variety of choices, each with its own strengths and weaknesses. Here are some questions to ask yourself as you examine the alternatives:

Does it support the way you work now? If you have to change the way you work, it's possible that your staff will be reluctant to use it. The extranet design should allow you to move forward without upsetting the way you and your clients currently work together.

Will your staff and client want to use it? The more complex the extranet, the less it will be used. Consider carefully the features that you really need, and choose an extranet that offers only those features. That will assure that it's easy to learn, and easy to use.

Does it have the tools your agency needs? Make sure that the extranet supports all the applications used in agency/client collaboration. For instance, assure that it will stream audio and video. And look for tools that allow you to create folder structures that mimic your current approach to communicating, filing work, etc.

Today, clients have less and less time. Projects are moving faster and faster, and there is less administrative support available to both client and agency.

An extranet addresses these issues directly, and offers the advantage of having all pertinent information available 24/7 from literally anyplace on the globe, within a highly secure environment.

Ultimately, the case for an extranet is driven by everyone's desire to be more efficient and effective, with less frustration and aggravation.

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