In an era of instant information, customers expect on-demand support. Enter the knowledge base—an integral tool for delivering exceptional self-service. These centralized repositories of help content empower customers to find their own answers, reducing reliance on support agents. For companies seeking first-call resolution, deflecting tickets through robust knowledge bases is key. Let’s explore what makes these databases so invaluable and best practices for maximizing their impact.
Introduction to Knowledge Bases
A knowledge base is an organized collection of help articles and resources accessible to both customers and company staff. They provide self-serve support by housing troubleshooting guides, product information, FAQs, and more. Customers simply search to find instant answers instead of waiting for agent assistance.
Knowledge base materials may include:
Instructional how-to articles and video tutorials;
Product docs like user manuals and spec sheets;
Answers to frequently asked questions;
Error message explanations and solutions;
Announcement posts on new features or releases;
Policy pages e.g. returns, warranties, etc.
Robust organization and search makes it easy to quickly locate relevant help content. Customers then solve issues independently without needing agent support.
Knowledge bases can be either public-facing or internal only. Public knowledge bases serve customers directly via self-service. Internal bases provide a centralized information hub for employee knowledge sharing. Combining public and internal knowledge management amplifies benefits.
Benefits of a Strong Knowledge Base
👉 Reduced Support Tickets
Thorough knowledge bases directly reduce customer dependence on agents by providing self-serve support. Queries that previously generated tickets get answered immediately through articles instead.
Forrester found companies with mature knowledge bases see 20-50% decreases in support contacts. Scaling info availability averts escalations to human reps. Customers simply help themselves!
👉 Empowering Customers
Knowledge bases also make customers feel empowered and valued by putting information access in their hands. Rather than waiting indefinitely for an agent, they can self-educate at their convenience.
This improves perceptions of the brand as customer-centric and transparent. Shopify saw a 25% increase in their Customer Effort Score after improving their Help Center knowledge base, indicating elevated ease and confidence. Knowledge bases demonstrate you aim to inform, not inconvenience, customers.
Additional benefits include:
Faster troubleshooting when issues arise, preventing frustration;
24/7 availability matching customer schedules;
Consistent messaging across channels and agents;
Lower business costs with fewer staffed contacts.
No matter the size of your support team, scaling it through self-service makes business sense.
Best Practices for Building Knowledge Bases
✅ Organize intuitively. Use clear categorical navigation and tagging so visitors can drill down to granular articles easily.
✅ Optimize search. Integrate predictive search algorithms so queries yield relevant results, even with misspellings or alternate phrasing.
✅ Prioritize popular topics. Monitoranalytics to see most frequented categories and expand content there. Reported bugs or new product features also need documentation.
✅ Write conversationally. Use reader-focused language in a relatable tone to facilitate comprehension. Avoid jargon.
✅ Get visual. Include ample images, diagrams, and video tutorials to explain concepts visually. Use screenshots for software guidance.
✅ Promote discovery. Link related articles together via “See Also” sections. Recommend helpful related content once a search query is complete.
✅ Check SEO boxes. Fill out metadata, use strategic headers, and incorporate relevant keywords naturally throughout content. This amplifies discovery.
✅ Enable feedback. Add ratings, comments or quick “Did this help?” buttons to gather user input for improvement.
✅ Review and refine continually. Keep content updated, fix broken links, and remove outdated material to maintain quality.
With robust search infrastructure, engaging content, and promotion, your knowledge base becomes a coveted destination for customers seeking quick resolutions.
Examples of Stellar Knowledge Bases
Let’s look at a few stand-out real-world knowledge bases:
Superior knowledge bases combine thoughtful information architecture, engaging content, and modern search capabilities to provide instant support. When leveraged fully, they demonstrate customer dedication through information empowerment. No need for waiting when answers are a few clicks away!
Knowledge bases elevate customer experiences by serving up DIY support resources freely. When equipped to independently find solutions, customers feel empowered and brand loyalty increases. For companies, robust self-service capabilities significantly deflect burden from human agents. By essentially scaling their team through information sharing, businesses future-proof support while also reducing costs. For customer-obsessed brands today, investing in knowledge base creation and upkeep pays dividends on all sides. The path forward looks like less “waiting on hold” and more “empower me to solve it myself.”
Hey,👋 thanks for reading, hope you will find it valuable! Check out more articles on Customer Support topics by LabiDesk Blog Team - Proactive vs. Reactive Customer Support: What's the Difference?!
