Benefits of a Cloud Knowledge Base
While a knowledge base is primarily used to answer questions and provide support to customers, it also supports marketing content, explains sales presentations, and converts leads. A web-based knowledge base helps people find the answers they need when they need them across any channel. It also enables call agents to quickly find the best answers to customer questions from wherever they may be working and on whatever device they are using.
Other benefits of a cloud knowledge management platform include:
- Maximized agent productivity. No more working from an out-of-date knowledge base as agents work to give customers the personalized service they deserve. And as less time is spent on locating the information or expertise they need, agents and customers alike are more satisfied with the results and the experience.
- Improved customer self-service. Over half of customers report they prefer support through an on-line knowledge base. Helping customers help themselves with knowledge articles, infographics, chatbots, manuals, videos, and other digital resources allows organizations to successfully adapt to customers’ rising expectations and changing behaviors.
- Consistent, accurate answers. A centralized knowledge base means agents and customers are accessing the same answers to questions. The result? Every customer receives the same high-quality, fast service, and they get it without having to explain their problem to multiple agents.
- Easy modification of existing articles and addition of new articles is possible through open source knowledge base software. And because a cloud-based knowledge base stores all data in a systematic manner, it’s nearly impossible to duplicate information or content that already exists. Employees are able in real-time to share useful tips with each other which, in turn, increases productivity.
Is There a “Best” Knowledge Base Software?
Which knowledge base software you choose depends on factors like the size of your business, how much flexibility you need, and so on. For instance, an enterprise knowledge base is likely the “best” solution for those organizations who have a large number of users, need extensive support, and have compliance regulations to meet. Start-ups tend to need software that can scale massively with their company.
Here are just a few of the questions to consider when deciding on cloud knowledge base software:
- How much customization do you need?
- What software integrations are required?
- How many software users do you need?
In the end, the “best” knowledge base software is the one that offers a good user experience, is well-designed, and has excellent search functions. It also helps people find, contribute to, or benefit from your organization’s unique institutional knowledge.
The Bottom Line
Knowledge is power. Using knowledge is a powerful way to improve customer and employee experiences. Strong, reliable knowledge base software focuses on the “how” of identifying, capturing, evaluating, retrieving, and sharing information. People are better equipped to accomplish tasks, handle situations, and get their job done right the first time.
Organizations that adopt a cloud-based knowledge management system win in two important ways. Internally, it manages employee access to information, facilitates training, and fosters collaboration. Externally, customers can use self-service knowledge bases such as FAQs and community forums to efficiently find the answers to their questions.
From an organizational point of view, a good knowledge base can bring more sales opportunities, boost your brand’s reputation, and position your organization as an industry authority. That leads to more conversions, increased customer satisfaction, and higher revenues—fantastic outcomes from a relatively small investment.
