A lot of businesses are turning to external knowledge bases to create a place for people to go to when they have questions about their business. To properly create an external knowledge base, you must understand what it is as well as why it is important to develop one.
Benefits of an External knowledge base
1. Easily accessible source of information
An external knowledge base provides an easily accessible source of information for employees and customers alike. This makes it easier for people to find answers to their questions, without having to go through the hassle of trying to find the answer in different documents or emails.
2. Sharing up-to-date information
It can be used to provide customers and prospects with helpful information about the company’s products and services and keep them up-to-date on any changes or updates. This can be especially useful for businesses and organizations that operate on a global scale as customers from any part of the world can easily find the information they need.
3. Increases overall productivity
An external knowledge base can also help to increase overall productivity. This is because employees can quickly access the information they need to complete tasks, as well as get answers to their questions, without wasting time searching through emails or documents.
4. Save money
It can also save money by reducing the need to hire additional personnel to answer customer inquiries. This can be extremely beneficial for small businesses that may not have the funds to hire extra staff. By using an external knowledge base, customers will have access to the answers they need without having to contact the business directly.
5. Promote collaboration
It can be used to promote collaboration between employees. By creating a central repository of knowledge, businesses can ensure that everyone has access to the most current information and resources. This can increase efficiency and help to reduce errors or confusion.
6. Build trust and credibility
An external knowledge base can be used to help build trust and credibility. By providing customers and prospects with accurate and up-to-date information, businesses can demonstrate their commitment to their customers and establish credibility. This can be invaluable for businesses looking to build relationships and maintain a positive reputation.
Best practices to structure your external knowledge base
1. Document every step that needs to be taken to create the knowledge base and make sure it is organized for easy reference. This will help ensure that your team has a clear understanding of how the external knowledge base should be set up.
2. Be sure to establish a plan for maintaining the knowledge base. This will include outlining who on the team is responsible for uploading and managing content as well as how often it should be updated.
3. Regularly reviewing and updating your external knowledge base will keep it up-to-date and ensure that users can get the most out of it.
4. Ensure that your knowledge base is accessible and user-friendly. This means that it should be easy to search and navigate so that users can quickly find the information they need.
5. Provide users with tools to enable them to easily share and contribute content to the knowledge base. Doing so will help to ensure that your knowledge base is comprehensive and accurate.
6. Make sure that the knowledge base is structured in a way that makes it easy for users to find what they are looking for. To do this, you have to have a good understanding of the information you are putting in your knowledge base.
How can an external knowledge base be used to improve customer service?
An external knowledge base can be used as a reference for customer service representatives when answering customer inquiries and can provide a more comprehensive understanding of customer issues.
This can help to better inform customer service decisions and ensure customers receive the best possible service. An external knowledge base also serves as a repository of customer feedback, which can be used to help improve products and services and ensure customer satisfaction.
By providing relevant and updated information to customers, they are more likely to remain engaged with a company and its products. This can in turn lead to increased customer loyalty and repeat business.
An external knowledge base can also be used to monitor customer sentiment and provide insights into customer preferences and behavior.
It’s essential to do research and find the right providers for your needs, so don’t hesitate to contact us if you have any questions about building an external knowledge base.
