MackOpsA client portal is a private page where your client can check the status of their job, read crew updates and see the latest photos on their own time. For renovation and trade crews, it replaces most of the "how is it going?" calls and texts, because the answer is already there. The trick is that the crew updates it from the job site as part of the day, not as extra office work at night.
What is a client portal for contractors?
It is one place per job that shows the client where things stand. A good one answers the three questions clients actually call about:
- Is anyone working on my job today?
- What does it look like right now?
- What happens next, and when are you done?
If the portal answers those, most update calls go away. If it only shows invoices, clients will keep calling.
Why do clients keep calling for updates?
Clients rarely call because they think you are doing a bad job. They call because they cannot see what is happening. A renovation can be one of the biggest spends of the year for a homeowner, and they may be at work while you are in their house. Silence feels like a problem, even when the job is on schedule.
Every one of those calls pulls you or your lead off the tools. A portal turns that uncertainty into something they can check whenever they want.
What should a good client portal show?
| What to show | Why it matters to the client | Who updates it |
|---|---|---|
| Job stage (booked, on site, finishing, complete) | Answers "where are we?" at a glance | Office or lead, when the stage changes |
| Latest update | Shows someone was on site today | Crew lead, end of day |
| Progress photos | Lets them see the work without visiting | Crew, during the day |
| What is next | Sets expectations for tomorrow and this week | Lead or owner |
| Approvals | Gets a clear yes on photos, changes or selections | Client |
What should you keep out of the portal?
The portal is for the client, not for your team. Keep these on your side:
- Your costs, margins and labour rates.
- Internal notes and crew messages.
- Supplier problems you are still solving (tell the client once you have a plan).
- Photos that show other clients, neighbours or anything messy you would not want shared.
How do you roll out a client portal on your next job?
You do not need to switch every job at once. Start with the next one.
- Tell the client at booking. "You will be able to see updates and photos from the crew as the job moves along." This sets the expectation that the portal is where updates live.
- Share it on day one. Share it when the crew arrives, along with the first update and a photo. First impressions matter.
- Set a daily rule for the crew. One short update and two or three photos before they leave the site, from a phone.
- Point questions back to the portal, politely. When a client texts "how is it going?", answer and add, "I just posted today's photos in your portal too."
- Close it out properly. Mark the job complete and post the after photos. That final set of photos is also your best marketing, with the client's OK. Our guide on turning finished jobs into Google reviews and new leads covers that closeout step.
What types of client portals do contractors use?
There are three common ways contractors give clients a view of their job.
Built into field service software. Field service tools such as Jobber and Housecall Pro offer client-facing portals that focus on quotes, appointments and invoices. These are strong for service visits and billing. Check how much job progress and photo sharing each plan includes. Our contractor software comparison goes deeper on the trade-offs.
Built into construction project management software. Builder and remodeler platforms offer client portals with schedules, photos, documents, selections and payments. They suit larger builds with many phases and selections, and usually come with a bigger setup.
Built around the job and the photos. This is the approach MackOps takes. Each client gets their own portal focused on job progress, crew updates and the latest photos, filled in by the crew from the site.
How does MackOps handle the client portal?
MackOps is job management software built in Toronto by Makacek Media for trade crews. Here is how the client side works, based on what is live today:
- Their job, their own portal. Each client sees where the job stands, follows updates from the crew and views the latest job photos.
- Updates come from the site. The crew opens the day's work on their phone, follows the checklist and adds photos to the job. Those photos stay with the job, ready for the client to view.
- The client gives the OK. Clients can approve job photos, which matters when you want to share the finished work.
- From approved to posted. On plans with social posting, approved photos can become Instagram and Facebook posts. TikTok, YouTube, LinkedIn and Google Business Profile publishing are rolling out.
- Paperwork on your side. Quotes turn into invoices when the job is done, and receipts stay with the job.
MackOps plans are priced in USD per month, plus applicable taxes:
- Lite, $50: scheduling and the client CRM, 2 to 3 seats.
- Trades, $100: everything except social posting, up to 10 seats.
- Trades + Social, $150: adds social posting and AI captions for one business.
- Agency, $250: multiple businesses, with posting to all clients from one card.
Extra seats are $15 USD per seat per month on every plan.
What do contractors ask about client portals?
What is a client portal for contractors?
It is a private page for each job where the client can see the job stage, crew updates and progress photos without calling the contractor.
Do homeowners actually use client portals?
They use them when the portal has fresh updates and photos. If it is only updated once a week, clients go back to calling. A short daily update from the crew keeps them checking.
What should contractors not share in a client portal?
Keep costs, margins, labour rates, internal notes and crew messages private. Share progress, photos, next steps and the information the client needs.
How long does it take the crew to update a portal?
With a phone-based tool, one short update and a few photos before leaving the site is a quick task. Make it part of the end-of-day routine.
Does MackOps include a client portal?
Yes. MackOps gives each client their own portal where they can see where the job stands, follow updates from the crew and view the latest job photos. Clients can also approve job photos.
How much does MackOps cost?
MackOps plans are priced in USD per month, plus applicable taxes. Lite is $50 for scheduling and the client CRM with 2 to 3 seats. Trades is $100 for everything except social posting, with up to 10 seats. Trades + Social is $150 and adds social posting and AI captions for one business. Agency is $250 for multiple businesses. Extra seats are $15 USD per seat per month on every plan.
To give your next client their own portal, join the MackOps trades waitlist.
About the author: Tomas Makacek is the Toronto-based founder of MackOps and Makacek Media. He runs a content agency serving trades and built MackOps from working with contractor clients.