Knowledge Management System: Selecting the Right One for Your Team

A knowledge management system can help you increase customer satisfaction, reduce customer support costs, and increase overall customer success ROI in your organization.

When a company grows, there are more employees, documents, slide decks, and customers…you get the picture. The growth process can be chaotic as businesses try to organize their information and resources. This is where the knowledge management system comes in handy.

As we all witness the tectonic shifts brought about by the new digital age, fast and super-efficient knowledge sharing and management have become critical. As a result, knowledge management software is becoming increasingly popular.

In this blog, we will explain what knowledge management systems are and how to use them in this post and enlists a few of the best knowledge management platforms.

What is a Knowledge Management System? An Introduction

Many knowledge management software applications are cloud-based and thus platform-independent. It is available on mobile devices and tablets.

As a result, you can read the information whenever and wherever you want. This software is an advanced or intelligent search feature that saves a significant amount of time spent searching for information.

Companies can use this software to share important information or FAQs with their employees and customers. People can work more effectively because the information is easily accessible through knowledge management software. Businesses use knowledge management software to create white papers, user manuals, articles, and business processes.

How can this system benefit your company?

Customer service can consume significant resources within an organization, necessitating sophisticated software and hardware, social media savvy, and knowledgeable and friendly call center representatives.

It generates no revenue, but it is critical for creating a seamless customer journey. And nowadays, the customer experience (CX) is everything (see the video below for more). Customers in many industries increasingly base their loyalty on which companies provide the best service.

How to Select the Most Appropriate Knowledge Management Software

Consider the following when selecting a knowledge management system.

Ease-of-use

If your employees find it difficult to use a digital tool, they will avoid using it, and your organization will not see the benefits of implementing it.

Ensure that the knowledge management tool you select is simple and requires minimal training. Simple onboarding saves time for both you and your employees.

Set of features

When selecting knowledge management software, consider the following features:

Document management

The world is transitioning to digital. Digital document management is in charge of storing files and keeping track of document versions and changes made by those who have access to them. The fewer paper copies there are, the better.

Knowledge base

Knowledge bases are computer systems that store both structured and unstructured data.

Learning management

Learning management is in charge of monitoring the effectiveness of learning strategies. It is critical to monitor employees’ progress as they engage with new knowledge as are trained in new skills.

Centralized knowledge source

One of the most important functions of knowledge management software is to store and make accessible knowledge. Employees should understand where to look for information and be confident that it is the only source of truth.

Search potential

Employees can use the search function to find the information they need. A good search function must be able to search across the entire knowledge management system, email digest, and third-party tools to deliver any result related to the information people are looking for.

Capabilities for Collaboration

A good knowledge management tool enables users to go beyond sharing to exchange and interact with knowledge — in other words. It allows collaboration. Collaboration features help you build a system of interconnected apps and avoid using redundant tools.

Communication channels

Knowledge management systems are co-communication hubs, and knowledge sharing is enabled by static and dynamic communication.

Employees can use department pages as a single source of truth to establish a static communication flow. Employees can communicate when sharing information and providing feedback and insights.

Lifecycle management

When it’s time to update content, a lifecycle management feature will notify you. The lifecycle management feature of the best knowledge management software automatically archives outdated information.

Analytics for content and users

Content and user analytics provide information about:

  • Pages and channels with the most views
  • The most interesting posts
  • The content contributor MVP
  • The most popular search terms

Leadership can use this data to understand how employees search and what content or features to provide to increase engagement.

Pricing

The cost of purchasing and maintaining a knowledge management tool must be considered. Knowledge management tools are typically sold in various pricing packages, including features and add-ons.

Pricing may also be affected by the number of users.

Security

When working with various types of information — blog posts, customer data, contracts, and policy documents — you need a method to protect that content.

The most effective knowledge management platforms include enhanced security features such as:

  • Cloud storage that is secure
  • Certification to ISO 27001
  • GDPR adherence
  • SAML authentication is required to use SSO (Single Sign-On)
  • Integrations for data reduction

If your company already uses third-party tools, you do not need to replace them simply because you have new software. What you want to look at here are the integration features, particularly the API. Will your knowledge management software be compatible with the tool(s) you use daily? If so, how seamless are these integrations? Or must you install add-ons?

What Is the Most Effective Knowledge Management Software?

Like any other type of solution, the best knowledge management system for your team performs all the functions you require at an affordable price.

However, here are a few popular choices.

  1. CloudTutorial allows you to categorize and subcategorize information.
  2. Tettra includes valuable features such as internal page linking and a table for automated content creation.
  3. You can use Zendesk to track, prioritize, and resolve customer interactions.
  4. Zoho Desk is cloud-based and offers excellent customer service.
  5. Document360 has advanced analytics and reporting to assist you in improving your content.

Looking for software compatible with your existing systems efficiently organizes content, allows you to use various content types, and is simple for employees and customers.

Make Use of Your System

When implemented properly, a knowledge management system can help you increase customer satisfaction, reduce customer support costs, and increase overall customer success ROI in your organization.

While the tactical aspects of knowledge management systems may differ, the goal remains the same: to educate your customers so that they can use and interact with your products or services successfully.

However, this could be accomplished through a combination of FAQs, tutorials, academies, how-to articles, and forums. Any feature of your knowledge management system should contribute to answering and educating customers and compiling knowledge about your products or services.

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