Most of us can relate to a time when we couldn't find the information we needed in a timely manner. Perhaps it related to fixing a broken printer, or more seriously, answering a client's question that could make or break a deal. Either way, valuable time and resources are spent trying to resolve work-related issues. Resolving these issues is usually the charge of the help desk personnel, but when every issue is directed their way, the burden on these employees may become quite overwhelming.
Consider how much more quickly an issue can be resolved by an employee who independently accesses knowledge through a text or online resource, compared to a similar employee contacting an IT resource to do the same research. Knowledge management effectively cuts out the middleman for scenarios when it is applicable.
Often, a support issue that is not handled quickly can grow out of control. Preventing "small" or common issues from flooding the help desk requires creating an additional resource for employees to reference when they need a question answered or a problem resolved.
A knowledge management system fulfills this role in a way that is similar to a "Frequently Asked Questions" (FAQ) section on a website. In fact, FAQs are often a part of an effective knowledge management system. A knowledge management system is much broader, however, and may form a part of a corporate intranet or other existing database.
Furthermore, a knowledge management system must be a "living" database, or one that includes new items as they become relevant. This might happen when a new system or product is introduced. Keeping the knowledge management database up to date requires an authoring process that combines automated harvesting of new data with a consistent process for manual addition of new information. This ensures that data is as recent as possible while also allowing other forms of information to be added manually.
Having a well-planned knowledge management system can help to save time and IT resources, freeing up those resources to be more active on other issues. And saving time can help reduce overall costs.
Giva's eKnowledgeManager is a knowledge base solution that can quickly connect customers, employees, and partners to the information they need in a standalone or integrated package designed to suit your firm's needs. Visit https://www.givainc.com/knowledge-base-software/ for more information.