Tips for Building an Accurate and Easy-to-Navigate Knowledge Base and Portal

As companies strive to provide better customer service, many are turning to Knowledge-Centered Service (KCS) and self-service portals as a way to improve the efficiency and accuracy of their knowledge base. KCS is a methodology that focuses on creating and maintaining an accurate knowledge base so that customers can help themselves. And a self-service portal is a website or application that allows customers to access information and services without having to speak to a representative. Any good IT Service Management (ITSM) software should include the ability to have customized portals linked to knowledge bases.

Both KCS and self-service portals have benefits that can help companies improve customer service. An accurate knowledge base can help reduce the number of tickets that need to be answered by IT service desk technicians or customer service representatives, while a self-service portal can provide customers with the information they need without having to wait for someone else to respond to their ticket. Together, these two tools can create an efficient system for providing customer service support as part of your ongoing ITSM strategy.

Tips for Creating a Knowledge Base and Self-Service Portal

Creating a knowledge base can be a daunting task but following some simple steps can make the process easier. By documenting the knowledge your organization has into a knowledge base, you can lower your inbound call volume, increase customer satisfaction and even crowdsource new knowledge to add to your knowledge base.

Here are a few tips for creating an accurate and easy-to-navigate knowledge base:

  1. Make sure your knowledge base is up to date. This means adding new articles as they become available and removing outdated articles.
  2. Use clear and concise titles for articles.
  3. Organize articles into logical categories.
  4. Write informative articles that include all the necessary information.
  5. Use images and videos to help illustrate points.
  6. Allow customers to contribute to the knowledge base by submitting feedback and ratings on articles.

Self-service portals can be even more helpful when combined with knowledge bases – especially if they are set up correctly. Here are a few tips for creating a self-service portal to provide quality customer support:

  • Make sure the portal is easy to navigate and searchable. Organize content into easily accessible categories and use clear and concise titles for articles.
  • Include links to useful resources, such as how-to guides, frequently asked questions, and contact information.
  • Enable customers to submit feedback about their experience using the portal. This can help you improve the usability of the portal and ensure that customers are getting the information they need.

How to Make Your Knowledge Base Easy to Navigate

When it comes to creating a knowledge base, accuracy is key. Make sure to thoroughly research and fact-check all of the information you include. In addition, be sure to organize the content in a way that is easy to navigate. Use clear and concise titles and break down the information into easily digestible chunks.

In addition, you’ll want to make sure your knowledge base is easy to use from a customer service standpoint. How do you do this? To start, make sure to include clear instructions on how to submit a request, as well as contact information for customer service support. And be sure to test the system regularly to ensure that it is functioning properly.

By following these tips, you’ll be well on your way to creating an efficient knowledge base that will help your customers help themselves!

Tips for Maintaining a Knowledge Base

In addition to keeping your knowledge base up-to-date and accurate, look into implementing a methodology like Knowledge-Centered Service (KCS). KCS can make the process of documenting and improving the content in your knowledge base easier.

One of the main benefits of using KCS is that it helps ensure that your knowledge base is accurate and up to date. This means that your customers will always have access to the most recent information, which can help improve customer service support.

KCS also helps improve knowledge sharing within your organization. This can help make sure that everyone has access to the most up-to-date information, which can help improve customer service support overall.

By adopting KCS, you can not only improve customer satisfaction but dramatically reduce the per-incident cost incurred by IT (from about $22 for a level 1 support call to $2 for self-service); and reduce the volume of issues and requests coming to the help desk, allowing IT to reallocate technicians to higher priority tasks and projects. Keep in mind that the concepts behind KCS are relevant to the entire organization – as you begin to expand from just ITSM to full-blown Enterprise Service Management, articles will increase, and each department will benefit from iterative feedback.

Creating a knowledge base and self-service portal can be an efficient way to improve customer service support. By making sure your knowledge base is accurate, easy to navigate, and up to date, you can help ensure that your customers always have access to the most recent information. KCS can also help improve knowledge sharing within your organization, which can help improve customer service support overall. By following these tips, you’ll be well on your way to creating an efficient system that will help your customers help themselves.

Want to learn more about KCS and how organizations are using it? Check out our customer spotlight from the University of South Dakota (USD) and see how KCS has improved its operations.  

©KCS® is a service mark of the Consortium for Service Innovation™.

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