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Customer portals platform comparison – modular system, platform or individual development?

The pressure to digitize is increasing – not just perceived, but measurable: according to a recent IDC study, over 75% of B2B customers expect digital self-service offerings as standard. At the same time, 68% of companies state that their customer portal does not meet today’s requirements in terms of user-friendliness, integration or scalability.


One thing is clear: a customer portal is no longer just a service channel. It is the central interface between companies and customers – and often the first digital point of contact ever. This makes it all the more important to set the right course when choosing the technological foundation.
But this is where it gets exciting – and complicated. The market offers numerous options: from lean modular systems and flexible platform solutions to fully customized development. Each of these variants has advantages and disadvantages – and does not automatically suit every company or project.

Our experience shows: If you only focus on short-term project goals when setting up a customer portal, you risk high costs, inflexible architectures and dissatisfied users in the long term. It is therefore crucial to think strategically – and to choose the technological basis in such a way that it will still be viable tomorrow.
This article provides you with a structured overview of common solutions, clear decision-making criteria and practical recommendations. So that you get exactly the customer portal that suits your organization, your processes and your goals.

Three ways to the customer portal – an overview

Not every company needs the same solution – and this is especially true for customer portals. The way you build your portal has a direct impact on time-to-market, flexibility, user experience and future scaling. Essentially, there are three established approaches that you should weigh up strategically

Customer portal modular system

Modular systems – fast and standardized

End customers expect simple, intuitive self-service functions, personalized offers and maximum availability – around the clock, on any device. It’s all about user experience, trust and efficiency. Whether contract management, service requests or loyalty programs: Success depends on how seamless and pleasant the digital contact is.

Platform-based solutions – flexible and future-proof

With platform solutions such as Liferay, Microsoft Platform, Salesforce Experience Cloud or comparable systems, you are opting for a solid technological basis with a high degree of flexibility. You can expand functions and UI on a modular basis, integrate third-party systems and adapt the portal specifically to your target groups – without having to start from scratch.

This option offers a balanced middle ground between speed, adaptability and technical control. The platform strategy is often the sweet spot, especially for companies with mature system landscapes and clear scaling objectives.

Platform-based solutions Customer portals
Developers with AI tools - symbolic image

Individual development – maximally adapted, maximally autonomous

If your business model, your UX requirements or your system landscape are particularly specific, a custom-developed portal may be the right choice. This is built from the ground up – precisely according to your processes, roles, CI specifications and security requirements.

This means maximum control, but also greater complexity in implementation and operation. This solution is particularly suitable for companies with strong IT expertise, a clear digital strategy and a long-term investment horizon.

A direct comparison – modular system, platform or individual development?

Criterion

Modular system (SaaS / low-code)

Platform solution (e.g. Liferay, Salesforce)

Individual development (custom code)

Time-to-market

Very quickly – often in just a few weeks

Medium – standardized modules enable a quick start

Slow – longer project duration due to complete setup

Initial costs

Low – favorable entry

Medium – depending on license model & scope

High – individual design and development required

Operating costs

Monthly license fees, little maintenance

License + maintenance/hosting, good planning capability

Higher – own operation or DevOps necessary

Flexibility

Restricted – predefined modules

High – modularly expandable, good API strategy

Maximum – complete freedom in design & function

Scalability

Limited – quickly limited in complex scenarios

Very good – also international or multi-client capable

Very good – full control over architecture

Depth of integration

Low to medium – depending on the provider

High – many platforms come with ready-made connectors

Maximum – fully adaptable to existing system landscape

Security & Compliance

Limited controllability (depending on provider)

High – Enterprise functionality (SSO, roles, GDPR)

Maximum – full control over hosting, security & access

UX & CI customization

Basic branding possible, little freedom

High – own themes, navigation, language, structure

Maximum – exact CI implementation possible

Governance & Maintenance

Limited – little influence on releases

Good middle ground – IT-compliant, maintainable, expandable

Full responsibility – but also maximum customization

Overview of the Continental Extranet Customer Portal

Which approach suits which type of company?

Not every organization has the same requirements, systems or digitalization goals. That’s why it’s important to decide not just on the quickest or cheapest route – but on the one that is strategically viable in the long term. Our experience shows: Individual customer portals pay off when they are based on a stable foundation and a clear digital strategy. Here are some typical scenarios – with our recommendation from a practical perspective:

Scenario 1: Medium-sized company – start quickly, but with growth in mind

For many medium-sized companies, a modular system seems attractive at first glance – quickly available, low entry costs, simple interface. However, this solution often reaches its limits sooner than expected: when it comes to integration into ERP systems, special role models or UX design.

Our recommendation: In such cases, we rely on modular individual development with clearly defined standards. This will get you to the MVP quickly – without sacrificing long-term expandability and scalability.

Recommended approach: Individual development on standard frameworks (e.g. with low-code components as accelerators)

Scenario 2: Group with several business units and international requirements

If you work with different brands, regions or customer groups, you need one thing above all: technical consistency with maximum flexibility. Platform solutions often seem like the logical way forward – but in reality, they are often too rigid or too expensive when it comes to in-depth customization.

Our recommendation: A customized portal architecture based on open standards enables you to integrate all target groups in one ecosystem – with consistent UX, role logic, language and multi-client capability.

Recommended approach: Individual portal platform with modular structure (e.g. headless, API-first)

Scenario 3: Companies with a digital mindset and tech expertise

If you already have a strong internal setup, agile product development and a clear digital vision, there is hardly any way around having your own solution. A customer portal can become a digital platform for new services, business models or partner offers.

Our recommendation: We support you with tried-and-tested methods, clear governance and a technology-open stack – so that your portal does not remain a one-off project, but can be further developed in the long term.

Recommended approach: Individual development – with a focus on DevOps, API architecture and governance

Scenario 4: Existing platform with gaps – and the desire for more control

Are you already using Salesforce, Microsoft or another platform, but you are missing certain functions, designs or integrations? Instead of building workarounds, it’s worth expanding with custom components or an upstream front end that complements your existing system.

Our recommendation: opt for a hybrid approach with a clear interface definition and strong separation of UI and logic. This allows you to remain flexible – even if the platform strategy changes.

Recommended approach: Platform solution + individual extension / own front end (composable architecture)

We don’t develop individual portals – we think in terms of digital platforms. Our customer portals are modular and strategically designed to grow with the company in the long term.

Till Neitzke

DMG perspective from practice: When which approach really works

Customer portals are not a greenfield project – at least rarely. Almost every company has an established IT landscape, existing processes and strategic goals. The challenge lies in bringing this reality together with the right technical approach – without losing sight of the long-term perspective.

At DMG, we have supported numerous portal projects in recent years – from international corporations to medium-sized specialists. And even though every project is unique, we always see patterns that emerge.

Some lessons learned from past projects:

  • Modular systems are a good start – but rarely the goal. Many companies start quickly but realize after a short time that they are reaching functional or integrative limits. Switching to their own architecture then often becomes more expensive than a well thought-out start with a scalable framework.
  • Platform solutions are strong – but not automatically flexible. On paper, many platforms appear to be perfect all-rounders. In reality, there are often dependencies, license models with pitfalls or limitations in the UX area. Many platforms reach their limits, especially when multiple brands, countries or roles need to be taken into account.
  • Individual developments pay off – if they are strategically conceived. Our most successful projects start with a clear vision, a technical vision and the willingness to invest in the long term. Thanks to reusable modules, proven development frameworks and our methodological expertise, we are able to create a clean MVP – which can gradually develop into a platform.
  • Hybrid architectures often offer the best leverage. Especially when companies already have platforms in use (e.g. Salesforce or Microsoft), we combine these with individual front ends or logics. This allows more control over UX, integration and performance – without having to build everything from scratch.

Our recommendation: Don’t just think in terms of categories such as “standard” or “custom”, but in terms of platform strategy. What role should your customer portal play in 2, 5 or 10 years’ time? Once this question has been clearly answered, the right technological path often emerges by itself.

Conclusion: Technology is only part of the decision

Today, a customer portal is far more than just a service front end – it is a strategic tool that directly influences processes, customer loyalty and business models. But this is precisely why choosing the right approach is not a purely technological decision. It is a question of fit: with the organization, the IT architecture, the digital strategy.

The three approaches – modular, platform and individual development – each have their own strengths. But only a look at the “big picture” shows what really suits you:

  • Do you want to get started quickly and have a clearly defined use case? Then a simple start with modular expandability makes sense.
  • Do you need integration, role logic and scalability? Then an open architecture is a must.
  • Do you have several target groups, complex processes or international requirements? Then there is no way around a strategically developed customer portal.

Our clear conviction: Those who think long-term do not invest in software – but in platform capability. Because the portal of today is the ecosystem of tomorrow.

So if you are considering how your company can continue to grow digitally, choosing a customer portal approach is a key step. And we will be happy to help you shape this path with clarity, structure and technological vision.

Successful together in the digital transformation –
Your introductory meeting with DMG

In our introductory meeting we will discuss

  • what your current challenges are in digital projects
  • how other companies have done it and how you can use this to your advantage.
  • what needs to be done now and whether we are the right people for the job.

The right choice depends heavily on your digital strategy: If you want to scale in the long term, integrate multiple target groups and integrate deeply into existing systems, we recommend an individual or hybrid solution. We will help you to record the requirements in a structured manner and identify the right architectural approach – both technologically and organizationally.

Only at first glance. Although the initial costs are higher, you gain full control over UX, integrations and further development. With our modular architecture and proven components, we shorten time-to-market and keep costs transparent. Especially when it comes to complex corporate requirements, going your own way pays off in the long term.

We experience this frequently. Many companies start with a platform such as Salesforce or Microsoft – and later come up against functional or design limits. In such cases, we rely on hybrid architectures: we expand existing systems with individual front ends or specialized services without having to build everything from scratch.

Strategically well thought-out and methodically clear: we start with a portal assessment, define goals, target groups and use cases. We then develop a technical target image – often as an MVP – which we expand iteratively. In doing so, we rely on modular architectures, DevOps principles and maximum transparency in development and operation.

Integration is one of our core competencies. We develop customized APIs or use existing interfaces to intelligently connect your backend systems. Our goal is to turn the portal into a consolidated interface – but without redundancy or system breaks in the background.

Absolutely. Many of our most successful portals started out as a focused MVP – e.g. for one target group or one business area. Thanks to our structured portal architecture, you can easily integrate new user groups, processes or markets later on. You set the pace – we ensure scalability.

For us, individual development means: complete control over the user experience. We develop portals that fit seamlessly into your brand world – visually, linguistically and functionally. With well thought-out UX design, accessibility standards and a responsive interface, we create genuine digital customer experiences – both internally and externally.

We rely on modern, decoupled architectures – usually in the form of a headless or API-first structure. This allows maximum flexibility at the front end, clear separation of responsibilities (e.g. authentication, business logic, data sources) and enables the integration of a wide variety of systems. Where appropriate, we use microservices or modular frameworks that can be successively expanded.

Our portal architectures are designed for scalability from the outset – whether in the cloud (Azure, AWS, GCP) or on-premises. Load balancing, horizontal scaling, caching strategies and monitoring tools are integral components. New modules can be integrated at any time without jeopardizing overall stability.

We implement end-to-end monitoring, logging and alerting – e.g. via Prometheus, Grafana, ELK stack or native cloud services. In this way, we ensure that performance, availability and errors are monitored transparently. Depending on customer requirements, we offer service and support models, including SLAs, regular health checks and proactive optimizations.