You've Set It.. Now Forget it!
Congratulations! 🎉
Your AscendCustomerPortal is configured, your customers have been invited, and you're ready to start delivering a better customer experience.
Now it's time to let AscendCustomerPortal do what it was designed to do.
As your team works inside AscendTMS, AscendCustomerPortal quietly works behind the scenes. Shipment statuses update automatically. Documents become available based on your visibility rules. Loads move between portal tabs automatically. Customers stay informed based on the rules you've already configured.
In other words, simply continue doing what you've always done inside AscendTMS while AscendCustomerPortal keeps your customers informed every step of the way.
This guide focuses on the few situations where you'll typically interact with AscendCustomerPortal, such as managing portal access, communicating with shippers, and taking advantage of powerful features like AscendAI Load Building.
Managing Customer Portal Access & Settings
Once a customer has been onboarded, you can revisit their portal access and settings at any time. Choose whether the customer inherits your organization-wide default (Org Default) portal settings or switch to a customer-specific configuration tailored to their unique needs.
There are two ways to access a customer's portal management options
From the Customer Profile
Open the customer's Customer Profile and select Manage Customer Portal.
From Within a Load
Open a load assigned to the customer and select the Customer Portal tab and
Select Manage Customer Settings
From either location, you can manage the customer's portal users and review or update their individual portal experience.
One of the most powerful features of AscendCustomerPortal is its flexibility. Many settings throughout the portal can be configured using either Org Default or Custom.
Leave a setting as Org Default to inherit your organization's standard configuration, or switch it to Custom to create a unique experience for that customer without affecting anyone else.
Need a refresher on configuring your AscendCustomerPortal settings?
Just navigate to the AscendCustomerPortal Settings Help Guide (link below).
Chat - Communicating with Your Customers
Although AscendCustomerPortal automates most customer communications, there will still be times when your customers have questions, request freight quotes, or send shipment documents.
AscendTMS makes it easy to manage every customer communication without leaving the system, and provides two convenient ways to access and manage those conversations.
Messaging Center
Access customer conversations at any time by clicking the Messaging icon within AscendTMS.
Then select the Customer Portal tab.
The Messaging Center displays all conversations between your team and your customers, making it easy to monitor new messages, respond to questions, and manage ongoing discussions from one convenient location.
Within the Load
Customer conversations are also available directly from within the load.
Simply open the desired load and click the Customer Portal button to view the conversation associated with that shipment.
This allows you to review and respond to customer messages without leaving the load you're actively working on.
💡 Pro Tip: Before responding to a customer, use internal notes or @mention teammates to collaborate behind the scenes. Your customers will never see these internal conversations, allowing your team to coordinate responses without leaving the chat.
Receiving Chat Notifications
As a quick reminder, AscendTMS gives you two ways to be notified when a customer sends a new chat message.
Choose the notification method that best fits the way you work.
In-App Popup Notifications
Enable In-App Popup within your User Settings to receive an on-screen notification whenever a customer sends a message through AscendCustomerPortal.
Simply click the popup to jump directly into the conversation.
Red Notification Badge
Leave In-App Popup disabled and AscendTMS will display a red notification badge on the Messaging icon whenever unread customer messages are waiting for your attention.
Build Loads with AscendAI from Customer Chats
Customer conversations often include more than just messages. As shipments move through the transportation process, customers may upload bills of lading, shipping instructions, rate confirmations, or other shipment documents directly through AscendCustomerPortal chat.
Rather than manually entering that information into AscendTMS, simply open message thread and click the ⚡️ to convert the document into a load within seconds with AscendAI.
💡 Pro Tip: Encourage your customers to send shipment documents through AscendCustomerPortal whenever possible. Not only does it keep all communication and documents together in one place, but it also allows your team to build loads in seconds using AscendAI Load Building instead of manually entering shipment information.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to update the portal every time a load status changes?
No. Once you've configured your portal, AscendCustomerPortal automatically updates customer-facing statuses based on the mappings you've created. Simply continue updating your loads in AscendTMS as you normally would.
Do I need to manually publish every document to my customers?
No. Documents become available automatically based on the Document Visibility settings you've configured. Once those rules are in place, AscendCustomerPortal handles the rest.
Can I customize one customer's portal without affecting everyone else?
Absolutely. Many portal settings include an Org Default / Custom toggle, allowing you to create a unique experience for a single customer while everyone else continues using your organization-wide defaults.
Can I add or remove customer users after they've been invited?
Yes. Customer portal access can be managed at any time from either the Customer Profile or directly from within a Load.
Do customers need to download an app?
No. AscendCustomerPortal is completely web-based and optimized for desktops, tablets, and mobile devices. Customers simply click their secure invitation link to access their portal.
What happens if a customer forgets their portal link?
No problem. Since AscendCustomerPortal uses secure Magic Links instead of traditional usernames and passwords, you can easily manage the customer's portal access and resend their invitation whenever needed.
Can customers communicate with us without sending emails?
Yes. Customers can communicate directly through AscendCustomerPortal using the built-in chat feature, giving both your team and your customers a centralized conversation history for every shipment.
Does using AscendCustomerPortal change the way my team works inside AscendTMS?
Not at all. Your team continues managing loads exactly as they always have. AscendCustomerPortal simply uses the information already being entered into AscendTMS to keep your customers informed automatically.
That's the Power of AscendCustomerPortal
You've already done the work. Now let AscendCustomerPortal do the rest.
As your team continues managing freight inside AscendTMS, your customers automatically receive the shipment updates, tracking information, documents, invoices, and communication experience you've carefully configured - without creating additional work for your staff.
The result is exactly what every freight broker and carrier wants:
Fewer "Where's my truck?" phone calls.
Fewer status update emails.
Faster access to documents and invoices.
Better communication.
Happier customers.
More time for your team to focus on moving freight instead of answering routine questions.
That's the beauty of AscendCustomerPortal.
Build it once. Configure it your way. Then let it quietly deliver a world-class customer experience every single day.