Portal or API: Choosing Your Iris User Experience Option

Estimated Reading Time: 9 Minutes

As you may have already discovered, the Iris^® Powered by Generali platform opens up the world of identity theft protection and consumer cybersecurity to you – with a new level of flexibility and choice.

If you are a business evaluating how Iris can help you offer identity protection to your audience, it’s vital to choose a fitting customer experience.

Sample desktop software mockup showing screen to manage monitored personal information One sample illustration of how you might collect customer information for secure monitoring via the Iris platform in a desktop web experience.

For example, if your customers primarily interact with a digital experience you own, then you may need your identity theft protection features to feel seamlessly identified with your brand.

Alternatively, suppose your core business is in goods or services. In that case, sending customers to a separate web portal may be the best way to signal your identity protection plan as a “bonus” of their relationship with you.

Of course, if the customer experience clashes with your business model, you risk pouring resources into a solution that hardly anyone takes you up on.

That’s why, when you work with Iris, we’re here to consult along the way – to help you craft a truly fitting experience.

Let’s walk through three important factors that should influence the Iris user experience option you choose.

Key Takeaways

Choice of user experience is a key strength of the Iris identity and cyber protection platform: Whether integrating into your product through API/SDK or directing customers to a standalone web portal, Iris empowers you to meet your audience where they are.
You must consider three important factors when selecting your Iris user experience option:
- Customization versus convenience
- Available technical resources
- Commercial distribution model
Each Iris user experience option offers flexibility: The Iris Identity Protection API Suite provides high control over the user interface and user journey, while an Iris OnWatch® portal or micro-experience can be customized to reflect your brand.
Plan to consult with the Iris team before deciding: You’ll want to discuss your vision with us before you get fully sold on one experience option.

The Essential Choice: Interface Managed by You, or Managed by Iris

Generally, there are two broad approaches to user experiences using the Iris identity protection platform: you can manage it, or Iris can manage it for you.

Are you hoping to offer your identity and cyber protection services within a digital experience that you control – such as your web product, online customer account, or installable app?

If so, the Iris API Suite and SDK may be the best experience option to meet your needs.

Sample mobile app mockup showing 3-bureau credit score and 12-month credit history line graph A sample rendering of how you might choose to display customer data supplied through Iris’ Credit Services solution.

Or are you hoping someone else will host the customer experience that includes your identity and cyber protection solutions – such as a self-contained website your customers can log into that reflects your company’s brand?

If this is your priority, then you may be a great candidate for an Iris OnWatch portal.

Sample Iris web portal dashboard showing grid of feature tiles including Identity Monitoring, Credit Services, Family Members, Personal Web Defense, ScamAssist, and more on desktop An Iris OnWatch portal dashboard with one possible set of features chosen.

Each of these options still permits a wide range of choices and customization.

For many companies, taking time to carefully consider and discuss the three factors described here is essential to determine which approach will yield true and lasting success with your customer base.

The Three Important Factors When Choosing an Iris Experience Option

Factor 1: Customization vs. Convenience

Integrating Iris solutions via API or SDK into your product gives you maximum flexibility over the customer journey, text, visual design, and all other interface elements.

This means you will take on the consumer software development and testing, including certain key aspects such as notifications (email, SMS, push, etc.).
For businesses using the API experience option, the control is worth this technical work.

Blog - 5 API MRE In-App - US - DESKTOP smaller
A possible rendering of customer data available through the Iris API Suite – in this case, used to populate a dashboard on desktop.

In contrast, an Iris-driven experience option such as the OnWatch portal relieves you of that responsibility. Instead, it involves working with an interface template designed and managed by Iris.

We are proud of our web portal experience – we continually study and improve it throughout the year. We also offer ample customization to reflect your brand.
For businesses that go the Iris portal route, convenience – and sometimes faster setup – makes the templated design worthwhile.

Sample portal dark web alert (overlaid over customer’s list of all alerts), containing alert details like date, source, breach description, exposed fields masked with *s, and sections What does this mean? and What should I do? A sample Identity Monitoring alert displayed within an Iris portal on desktop.

Factor 2: Available Technical Resources

Often, a key factor in whether our partners choose the Iris API suite or go with an OnWatch^® portal is simply the availability of technical resources.

These resources include skilled team members, as well as having the necessary software development tools and processes to build, test, and launch your product.
In some cases, even large organizations with in-house technical resources choose an Iris-managed user experience. These teams may not always be available within the needed scope and time frame to launch a homegrown solution.

Sample identity alert email notification mockup, with imaginary client branding Amethyst, Inc.; header John, you have a new identity alert; generic explanation text; button View Alert; and sample corporate email footer A sample of the kinds of customer notifications you may wish to set up alongside the Iris API Suite to maximize your program’s effectiveness.

Factor 3: Commercial Packaging and Consumer Distribution Model

Beyond the resource investment, your choice of user experience option will likely be affected by your plan for distributing your package to the end consumer.

Here are a few scenarios we encounter.

Scenario 1

Want your identity theft protection experience to feel like a seamless part of your core offering?

The Iris API option offers you the greatest freedom to achieve that.

At the same time, this could be achieved via an Iris OnWatch portal, especially with Single Sign-On (SSO) enrollment and login.

Sample mobile banking app mockup showing standard features such as “Transfer” and “Rewards,” followed by separate tile labeled “Email Health Check: Your email address J****h@g****.com has been found in 4 breaches online” with button “Take Action”

In this example, you’ve positioned Iris’ Email Health Check solution as one feature within your online banking app.

Scenario 2

Want to cultivate a standalone sub-brand for your identity theft protection programs?

An Iris OnWatch portal might be good here, as it can give a slightly more “separate” feel from your primary offering.

Alternatively, you could always build your own secondary product, powered by the Iris API Suite.

Iris portal webpage in imaginary client branding Amethyst, Inc, form header Activate your new ID Theft Protection Program, listing customer info already collected, requesting additional info plus Terms and Conditions checkbox, with button Submit

A sample Iris portal customer enrollment page leveraging Single Sign-On (SSO) enrollment.

Scenario 3

Want your customers to voluntarily sign up for your plan on its own?

Here, an Iris-managed interface may have its advantages, due to Iris’ well-developed set of customer enrollment options.

Iris OnWatch web portal enrollment screen showing two paid subscription options, Individual, and Family

A sample Iris portal signup experience leveraging direct purchase enrollment.

Scenario 4

Want to give out identity protection as a free or included benefit to your member base?

In that case, an Iris-managed interface may be more cost-effective for you given the business goals of offering the package.

Sample customer email with imaginary client branding Amethyst Advantage Identity Protection, including welcome message, button Create My Account, notice of link expiration in 7 days, and invitation to contact.

A sample customer enrollment invitation email for an Iris portal, leveraging API-based enrollment.

Really, all of the above scenarios can be served successfully by either approach. It simply depends on what matters most to you.

Where to Go Next: Explore the Iris Identity Protection Platform Further – and Consult with Us!

We recognize that you want to craft a successful identity and cyber protection experience for your particular audience. Want to discuss with your product, engineering, or development team? Download the infographic to discuss with them.

As you gain a better understanding of our available solutions, customer enrollment options, data handling structures, and security considerations, your ideal experience should become clearer.

At any point during your journey, we encourage you to contact us and discuss what you’re hoping to offer.

Ready to make protection part of your value?

Contact us today.

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