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First, because competitive differentiation lives in the mind of the customer, we conducted primary research with end-users of CPE portals to understand what distinguishes “excellent” portals from those that are simply OK.
- We then examined the portals of a dozen different competitors to see how well they are delivering against the needs expressed by the end-users.
The research generated several insights. First, the users said that simply having more features or capabilities does not make for a better CPE portal. In fact, some of the most feature-rich portals were rated among the least effective in helping them get their job done. Users identified Ease of Use as the distinguishing characteristic of today’s best-in-class portals, citing speed and efficiency as the key benefits of the easy-to-use approach.
Second, the real-world portal assessment showed a disconnect between the features and capabilities that users rate most highly, and those that CPE vendors and distributors have implemented most fully in their portals. Globally, CPE vendors seem to have focused on implementing features and functions that enhance their own processes (linked, for example, to product ordering and invoicing), while neglecting other features that rate highly with users (inventory and maintenance management, for example).
BENEFITS
The client was able to build its portal development plan based on hard facts regarding key user requirements and competitive differentiation in today’s CPE portal world. The analysis outlined baseline “must have” features for their next portal build, as well as a number of recommended “differentiator” features and capabilities to increase the competitiveness of their CPE value proposition to customers.
Finally, the study introduced a user-focused design perspective that injected new life into a previously feature- and technology-driven portal development process, so helping to ensure that future portal enhancements are driven by documented customer needs.
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