Consumer Portal Authentication (CSS01US01)
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:
- Account Access Barriers: Customers struggle to access their water utility accounts online due to lack of digital registration process
- Password Management Issues: Users forget passwords and have difficulty recovering account access without calling customer service
- Account Number Confusion: Customers don't know their account numbers or where to find them for initial login
- Digital Service Gaps: Many utilities still rely on phone-based customer service, creating bottlenecks and longer wait times
- 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
- Landing Page Access: Navigate to consumer portal and select "Sign up" option
- Email Registration: Enter email address on "Create Account" page
- Setup Link Request: Click "Send Setup Link" button to trigger email delivery
- Email Verification: Check email and click on password setup link
- Password Creation: Enter secure password meeting all requirements (8+ characters, uppercase, lowercase, special character)
- Password Confirmation: Re-enter password to confirm accuracy
- Requirement Validation: Review real-time validation of all password requirements
- Account Completion: Click "Create Password" to finalize account setup
- Automatic Redirect: System redirects to main portal dashboard upon successful creation
Water Utility Customer - Existing Account Sign-In Flow
Water Utility Customer - Password Recovery Flow
- Sign-In Attempt: Try to sign in but cannot remember password
- Recovery Initiation: Click "Forgot password?" link from sign-in page
- Email Submission: Enter registered email address for password reset
- Reset Link Receipt: Check email for password reset instructions
- New Password Creation: Follow link to create new password with strength requirements
- Confirmation: Confirm new password and complete reset process
- Sign-In Retry: Return to sign-in page with new credentials
6. Flow Diagram
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
- The system must display a clean sign-in interface with account number and password fields
- The system must provide a "Sign up" link that navigates to account creation page
- The system must validate email format in real-time during account creation
- The system must send password setup links within 2 minutes of email submission
- The system must display password strength requirements with real-time validation
- The system must prevent password creation unless all requirements are met
- The system must require password confirmation that matches the original entry
- The system must provide password visibility toggle functionality
- The system must display "Forgot password?" link on sign-in page
- The system must send password reset emails within 2 minutes of request
- The system must expire verification and reset links after specified timeframes
- The system must prevent access to protected pages without authentication
- The system must redirect authenticated users to dashboard upon successful login
- The system must display clear error messages for invalid credentials
- The system must limit failed login attempts and implement temporary lockouts
- The system must provide "Back to Sign In" navigation from all related pages
- The system must maintain session security with automatic timeout
- The system must work responsively across desktop and mobile devices
- The system must integrate with existing customer database for account validation
- the system should send welcome email with includes password setup link.
- the system should send reset password email which includs password setup link
- 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 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.smart-auth-centerpiece.lovable.app/