By launching a customer portal, our goals were to enhance after-sales service, save time for our clients and differentiate ourselves from the competition by providing added value.

To achieve this, we designed several features to clarify the steps of our clients' travel planning, including:

• A dashboard where users can quickly view basic trip information and track the progress of preparations.
• A profile section where the clients can complete or modify their personal information.
• A section for viewing, downloading, and paying invoices.
• A section for submitting required documents to their travel coordinator.

Regarding design, I used the same colors, fonts, and styles as on the website to ensure the customer portal aligns with the brand. This way, the brand remains recognizable, contributing to the platform's credibility.

In 2018, we made several improvements to the customer portal based on customer feedback and our observations of platform activity. We also added several new features to make the platform more comprehensive and user-friendly. We:

• Rethought the navigation to make it clearer and more efficient.
• Enhanced the appearance of the trip preparation progress on the dashboard to make it more comprehensive and understandable.
• Optimized the design of invoices and the payment module to improve the user experience.
• Redesigned the section where required documents are uploaded to make it more intuitive.
• Introduced a guided tour of the client portal to present and explain each page to enhance the onboarding experience.
• Added an overview of the invoices on the dashboard to display amounts due, along with a direct link to the payment page.
• Introduced a new section providing detailed information on all aspects of the trip (flight, airport transfer, arrival accommodation, interviews, etc.). This information is updated as trip preparations progress.

The research for the design of the customer portal in 2016 was conducted internally, collaborating with staff in contact with customers before their departure. Thanks to their contribution, we became familiar with the challenges related to trip planning, which helped us define the essential elements to include in the customer portal. We also conducted in-depth research on best practices in customer portal design.

For the redesign in 2018, we developed a survey for Trip Coordinators to understand the obstacles and questions customers faced when using the customer portal. Since Trip Coordinators assist customers in planning their trips and answer their questions about the customer portal, they were well-placed to help us. I then compiled and analyzed the collected data, creating a list of the main issues. Finally, as a team, we discussed possible solutions and different ways to improve the user experience.

After agreeing on the changes to be made and the new sections to include, I began designing wireframes and prototypes. I then presented the interactive prototypes to the team and the CEO to gather their feedback. Following our meeting, I made some modifications to the prototypes.

Once the prototypes were finished, I shared them with the web developer who began programming the customer portal. As the programming progressed, I was responsible for quality assurance, ensuring that everything worked correctly and followed the design perfectly. If any changes were needed, I had to inform the web developer.

After the launch of the customer portal, I conducted user tests (survey), and was responsible for regularly reviewing session recordings to identify issues and blockages encountered by visitors. I then had to find solutions and inform the web developer of any necessary changes.

The customer portal has greatly simplified the trip planning process for both clients and Trip Coordinators. The initial version launched in 2017 was practical and efficient but not optimal. With the redesign launched in 2018, we significantly improved the user experience and received excellent feedback from clients and staff.

Since then, several new features have been added, and many others are awaiting creation. Our goal is to design an indispensable tool for our clients not only before their departure but also once they have reached their destination.