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Consumer Portal Authentication

1. Problem Statement

User Roles Identified:

Water Utility Customers - Residential and commercial water service customers who need digital access to their account information and services.

Pain Points:

  1. Account Access Barriers: Customers struggle to access their water utility accounts online due to lack of digital registration process
  2. Password Management Issues: Users forget passwords and have difficulty recovering account access without calling customer service
  3. Account Number Confusion: Customers don't know their account numbers or where to find them for initial login
  4. Digital Service Gaps: Many utilities still rely on phone-based customer service, creating bottlenecks and longer wait times
  5. Security Concerns: Customers want secure access to sensitive billing and consumption data

Core Problem:

Water utility customers lack a streamlined, secure digital onboarding and authentication system that allows them to easily create accounts, manage passwords, and access their utility services online without requiring manual intervention from customer service representatives.

2. Who Are the Users Facing the Problem?

Water Utility Customers: Residential and commercial property owners or tenants who receive water service and need to:

  • View and pay bills online
  • Monitor water consumption
  • Report service issues
  • Update account information
  • Access service history

Access Requirements: All water service customers should have access to this feature, with role-based permissions based on account ownership and authorization levels.

3. Jobs To Be Done

For Water Utility Customers: When I need to access my water utility account online for the first time, But I don't have digital credentials and the registration process is unclear or non-existent, Help me create a secure account using my email address with a simple verification process, So that I can manage my water services digitally without calling customer service.

For Water Utility Customers: When I need to sign into my existing account to check my bill or water usage, But I can't remember my password or account details, Help me securely reset my password through email verification and provide clear guidance on finding my account number, So that I can quickly access my account information.

For Water Utility Customers: When I need to return to the portal after initial setup, But I have to remember complex login credentials every time, Help me sign in easily with my email address and a secure password I've created, So that I can efficiently access my account whenever needed.

4. Solution

Comprehensive Consumer Portal Authentication System

The solution provides a complete digital authentication experience that eliminates barriers to online account access while maintaining security standards required for utility customer data.

Account Creation & Onboarding

  • Email-based registration with secure password setup link delivery
  • Real-time password strength validation with clear requirements
  • Account number integration for existing customer verification

Secure Authentication

  • Email or account number login options
  • Password visibility toggle for user convenience
  • Remember me functionality for trusted devices

Password Recovery & Management

  • Self-service password reset via email verification
  • Clear instructions for locating account numbers
  • Progressive disclosure of help information

User Experience & Accessibility

  • Clean, intuitive interface design with clear visual hierarchy
  • Mobile-responsive design for multi-device access
  • Real-time validation feedback and error prevention

Security & Compliance

  • Multi-factor email verification for account creation
  • Secure password requirements with strength indicators
  • Session management and secure authentication protocols

Integration Capabilities

  • Seamless connection to existing customer database
  • Email delivery system integration
  • Account verification against utility billing systems

Support & Guidance

  • Contextual help and instructions throughout the flow
  • Clear navigation between sign-in and sign-up processes

5. Major Steps Involved

Water Utility Customer - New Account Creation Flow

  1. Landing Page Access: Navigate to consumer portal and select "Sign up" option
  2. Email Registration: Enter email address on "Create Account" page
  3. Setup Link Request: Click "Send Setup Link" button to trigger email delivery
  4. Email Verification: Check email and click on password setup link
  5. Password Creation: Enter secure password meeting all requirements (8+ characters, uppercase, lowercase, special character)
  6. Password Confirmation: Re-enter password to confirm accuracy
  7. Requirement Validation: Review real-time validation of all password requirements
  8. Account Completion: Click "Create Password" to finalize account setup
  9. Automatic Redirect: System redirects to main portal dashboard upon successful creation

Water Utility Customer - Existing Account Sign-In Flow

  1. Portal Access: Navigate to consumer portal main page
  2. Credential Entry: Enter account number or email address in login field
  3. Password Input: Enter password with option to toggle visibility
  4. Authentication: Click "Sign In" button to authenticate credentials
  5. Dashboard Access: Successfully access account dashboard and services

Water Utility Customer - Password Recovery Flow

  1. Sign-In Attempt: Try to sign in but cannot remember password
  2. Recovery Initiation: Click "Forgot password?" link from sign-in page
  3. Email Submission: Enter registered email address for password reset
  4. Reset Link Receipt: Check email for password reset instructions
  5. New Password Creation: Follow link to create new password with strength requirements
  6. Confirmation: Confirm new password and complete reset process
  7. Sign-In Retry: Return to sign-in page with new credentials

6. Flow Diagram

flowchart TD
    A[Consumer Portal Landing] --> B{Has Account?}
    B -->|No| C[Create Account Page]
    B -->|Yes| D[Sign In Page]
    
    C --> E[Enter Email Address]
    E --> F[Send Setup Link]
    F --> G[Check Email Page]
    G --> H[Click Email Link]
    H --> I[Set Up Password Page]
    I --> J[Enter Password]
    J --> K[Confirm Password]
    K --> L{Password Valid?}
    L -->|No| J
    L -->|Yes| M[Create Password]
    M --> N[Account Created Successfully]
    N --> O[Dashboard Access]
    
    D --> P[Enter Account Number/Email]
    P --> Q[Enter Password]
    Q --> R[Sign In Button]
    R --> S{Credentials Valid?}
    S -->|Yes| O
    S -->|No| T[Error Message]
    T --> U{Forgot Password?}
    U -->|Yes| V[Password Recovery]
    U -->|No| P
    
    V --> W[Enter Email for Reset]
    W --> X[Send Reset Link]
    X --> Y[Check Email]
    Y --> Z[Reset Password]
    Z --> I
    
    O --> AA[Customer Portal Dashboard]

7. Business Rules

General Authentication Rules

  • Users must provide valid email addresses for account creation and password recovery
  • Account creation requires email verification before account activation
  • Only one account per email address is permitted
  • Session timeout occurs after 30 minutes of inactivity

Password Security Rules

  • Passwords must contain minimum 8 characters
  • Must include at least one uppercase letter (A-Z)
  • Must include at least one lowercase letter (a-z)
  • Must include at least one special character (!@#$%&*)
  • Passwords must match in both entry and confirmation fields
  • Password strength indicator provides real-time feedback

Account Verification Rules

  • Email verification links expire after 24 hours
  • Password reset links expire after 4 hours

Access Control Rules

  • New accounts require email verification before first sign-in
  • Account numbers must be validated against existing customer database

Error Handling Rules

  • Invalid email formats display immediate validation errors
  • Mismatched passwords prevent form submission
  • Expired links redirect to appropriate recovery pages
  • Clear error messages guide users to successful completion

For Welcome user email template use the postmark CSS welcome template

for Reset password email template use the post marker CSS reset password template

8. Sample Data

Account Creation Data

Email Address: customer@example.com Account Status: Pending Verification Verification Token: abc123xyz789 Setup Link: https://portal.waterutility.com/setup?token=abc123xyz789 Password Requirements Met: 4 of 5 (missing uppercase) Password Strength: Good Creation Timestamp: 2024-06-10 14:30:00 Email Sent: Yes Email Delivery Status: Delivered

Sign-In Data

Account Number: WTR-2024-001234 Email Address: john.smith@email.com Password: (hidden) Password Last Changed: 2024-05-15 09:22:00 Last Successful Login: 2024-06-08 14:30:00 Failed Login Attempts: 0 of 5 Account Status: Active Session ID: sess_987654321 IP Address: 192.168.1.100 Device Type: Desktop Browser: Chrome 125.0

Password Recovery Data

Recovery Email: customer@example.com Reset Token: reset_456def789ghi Reset Link: https://portal.waterutility.com/reset?token=reset_456def789ghi Token Generated: 2024-06-10 14:00:00 Token Expiry: 2024-06-10 18:00:00 Request IP: 192.168.1.105 Email Delivery Status: Delivered Reset Completed: No

9. Acceptance Criteria

  1. The system must display a clean sign-in interface with account number and password fields
  2. The system must provide a "Sign up" link that navigates to account creation page
  3. The system must validate email format in real-time during account creation
  4. The system must send password setup links within 2 minutes of email submission
  5. The system must display password strength requirements with real-time validation
  6. The system must prevent password creation unless all requirements are met
  7. The system must require password confirmation that matches the original entry
  8. The system must provide password visibility toggle functionality
  9. The system must display "Forgot password?" link on sign-in page
  10. The system must send password reset emails within 2 minutes of request
  11. The system must expire verification and reset links after specified timeframes
  12. The system must prevent access to protected pages without authentication
  13. The system must redirect authenticated users to dashboard upon successful login
  14. The system must display clear error messages for invalid credentials
  15. The system must limit failed login attempts and implement temporary lockouts
  16. The system must provide "Back to Sign In" navigation from all related pages
  17. The system must maintain session security with automatic timeout
  18. The system must work responsively across desktop and mobile devices
  19. The system must integrate with existing customer database for account validation
  20. the system should send welcome email with includes password setup link.
  21. the system should send reset password email which includs password setup link
  22. clicking on the password setup should redirect to the setup page

10. Process Changes

Process Area

From (Current State)

To (New State)

Impact Analysis

Customer Onboarding

Customers call to request online access, requiring manual account setup by customer service representatives

Customers self-register using email verification with immediate access to online services

75% reduction in customer service calls for account setup, 90% faster onboarding process

Password Management

Customers call customer service to reset forgotten passwords, requiring identity verification and manual reset

Self-service password reset through secure email verification within minutes

80% reduction in password-related support calls, 95% faster password recovery

Account Access

Customers must remember account numbers and call for assistance if forgotten

Flexible login using email address or account number with clear guidance

60% reduction in login-related support requests

Authentication Security

Basic password requirements with minimal validation

Comprehensive password strength requirements with real-time validation feedback

50% improvement in account security compliance

User Experience

Fragmented, unclear process requiring multiple touchpoints

Streamlined, intuitive flow with clear progress indicators and guidance

40% increase in successful account creation completion rates

11. Impact from Solving This Problem

Metric Category

Improvement Description

Customer Service Efficiency

✅ Call Volume Reduction -- 70-80% decrease in authentication and password-phttps://preview--consumer-self-service.lovable.app/assword-related support calls, freeing agents for complex issues

Customer Satisfaction

✅ Self-Service Adoption -- 24/7 account access capability increases customer satisfaction scores by 25-30%

Operational Costs

✅ Support Cost Savings -- $15,000-20,000 annual reduction in customer service costs per 1,000 customers

Digital Engagement

✅ Online Portal Usage -- 60% increase in digital service adoption and online bill payment usage

Security Compliance

✅ Data Protection -- Enhanced security protocols reduce risk of unauthorized account access by 45%

Process Efficiency

✅ Onboarding Speed -- Account creation time reduced from 3-5 days to immediate activation

User Experience

✅ Completion Rates -- 85% improvement in successful account setup completion without assistance

Business Scalability

✅ Growth Support -- Automated processes support customer base growth without proportional staff increases

12. User Behavior Tracking

Water Utility Customer Tracking Plan

Event Category

Specific Events

Properties Tracked

Questions Answered

Account Creation

account_creation_started, email_verified, password_created, account_creation_completed

email_domain, completion_time, password_strength, verification_method

How long does account creation take? What percentage complete email verification? Where do users drop off?

Authentication

sign_in_attempted, sign_in_successful, sign_in_failed, password_reset_requested

login_method (email vs account number), failure_reason, time_to_login, device_type

Which login method is preferred? What are common failure points? How often do users need password resets?

Password Management

password_visibility_toggled, password_strength_improved, password_reset_completed

initial_strength_score, final_strength_score, reset_completion_time

Do users struggle with password requirements? How effective is the strength indicator?

User Journey

page_navigation, help_content_viewed, mobile_vs_desktop_usage

source_page, destination_page, time_on_page, screen_size

What is the most common user path? Where do users need additional help? How does mobile usage differ?

Error Handling

validation_error_encountered, error_message_displayed, error_recovery_successful

error_type, field_name, recovery_action, time_to_resolve

What errors are most common? How well do users recover from errors? Which error messages are most effective?

Key Insights to Generate

  • Conversion Funnel Analysis: Identify drop-off points in account creation and optimize problem areas
  • User Preference Patterns: Understand whether customers prefer email or account number login methods
  • Support Impact Measurement: Track reduction in customer service calls related to authentication issues
  • Security Effectiveness: Monitor password strength improvements and failed login attempt patterns
  • Mobile Experience Quality: Compare completion rates and user satisfaction between device types
  • Feature Utilization: Measure adoption of password visibility toggle and help features

13. Wireframe

https://preview--consumer-self-service.lovable.app/


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