According to the top customer service trends in 2024 and beyond, 80% of organizations intend to harness AI technology in different tasks to enhance sales rep productivity and elevate customer experience. That's why AI knowledge base software for customer support is becoming a key player in the next several years.
Already captivated by the charm of an AI-powered knowledge base, in this article, Smart Tribune will keep you in the picture with:
- Fundamentals of AI knowledge base,
- Reasons behind the widespread adoption of AI knowledge base,
- How to build an AI knowledge base for your business,
- Frequently asked questions.
Let's buckle up and delve into the AI-supported knowledge base.
AI Knowledge Base 101
What is an AI knowledge base?
An AI knowledge base (KB) is a digital system that uses artificial intelligence to store, manage, and retrieve information more efficiently. With proper and thorough role permission management, an online knowledge base system can be utilized by both staff and customers.
Unlike traditional knowledge bases, which hinge on manual updates and simple search functions, an AI knowledge base leverages advanced technologies like natural language processing (NLP) and machine learning.
These cutting-edge innovations enable knowledge management systems (KMS) to understand queries in everyday language with semantic analysis, automatically update content, and provide accurate, context-aware responses.
AI-power knowledge base vs traditional knowledge base
At their cores, the key difference between an AI-powered knowledge base and a traditional one lies in their capabilities and efficiency.
Check out the table below for a mano a mano between an AI knowledge base vs a conventional knowledge management system.
|
Feature |
AI-Powered Knowledge Base |
Traditional Knowledge Base |
|
Search Functionality |
Advanced, natural language processing, contextual search |
Basic keyword-based search, often returning broad results |
|
Content Updates |
Automated updates based on usage patterns and AI learning |
Manual updates required, leading to potential outdated information |
|
Personalization |
Personalized content delivery based on user behavior and preferences |
Generic content, same for all users
|
|
Learning and Evolution |
Continuously learns from interactions, improving over time |
Static, does not adapt or improve without manual intervention |
|
Response Accuracy |
High accuracy with contextual understanding |
Accuracy depends on keyword relevance |
|
User Experience |
Intuitive, proactive suggestions, and predictive assistance |
Reactive, user-driven search with limited guidance |
|
Integration with Other Tools |
Seamless integration with chatbots, CRMs, and other AI tools |
Limited or manual integration capabilities |
|
Scalability |
Easily scalable with AI handling large datasets and complex queries |
Scaling requires significant manual effort and resources |
|
Cost Efficiency |
Higher initial cost but more efficient over time with reduced manual input |
Lower initial cost but higher long-term maintenance costs |
|
Customer Support |
Proactive, AI-driven support with faster resolution times |
Reactive, requiring manual intervention for complex issues |
Why are Smart Businesses Adopting AI Knowledge Base?
A powerful AI knowledge base oozes with huge advantages for both companies and customers. A survey conducted by Hubspot reveals that a whopping 79% of customer service professionals see AI and automation as key players in their strategy. Keep scrolling to discover how AI-led knowledge management systems and AI are turbocharging customer support in businesses.
Substantial benefits for businesses
Efficiency enhancement
AI knowledge bases bring unparalleled efficiency to organizations by automating the management and retrieval of vast amounts of information.
Instead of relying on manual processes to update and organize data, AI systems continuously learn and adapt, ensuring that the most relevant information is always at the forefront.
This automation reduces the workload on employees, allowing them to focus on higher-value tasks rather than sifting through outdated or irrelevant data.
Check out how a knowledge base bolsters sales reps productivity.
Data-driven insights
Typically, AI knowledge bases take center stage in enhancing decision-making within businesses.
With advanced analytics and real-time insights, companies can quickly identify knowledge gaps, track usage patterns, and refine knowledge management strategies accordingly. This capability drives innovation, as businesses can implement change management processes by adapting more swiftly to changing market conditions and customer needs.
Cost reduction
Another significant benefit is the cost savings associated with AI knowledge bases.
By reducing the need for extensive manual input and minimizing human errors, businesses can lower operational costs while simultaneously increasing productivity.
Furthermore, by centralizing institutional knowledge, and continuously enriching the KMS, businesses are able to cut costs and effort on training new hires and knowledge transfer.
These optimized financial and human resources are particularly valuable for large organizations with extensive knowledge management needs.
Dive in Knowledge transfer plan - What is it and How to create
A great boon to customers
Round-the-clock availability
Doubtlessly, nothing is more fascinating than the idea of "a dedicated sales rep" working hard day and night for your company.
Here comes your A team! AI knowledge bases support a 24/7 service model, allowing customers to access information and resolve issues outside of regular business hours.
This round-the-clock availability is increasingly important in a global economy where customers expect immediate support regardless of time zones.
Faster resolutions
From the customer’s perspective, an AI knowledge base significantly improves their interaction with a company.
Gone are the days of lengthy phone calls or waiting for email responses. With AI, customers can access accurate information in real-time, often through intuitive chatbots or self-service portals.
This prompt access to information enhances the customer experience by providing quick solutions to their problems, leading to higher satisfaction rates.
Shortcuts to customer self-service curation:
- What is customer self-service?
- How to build a self-service knowledge base for customers?
- Best practices, examples and tips for customer self-service
- How to deliver top-notch customer support during shopping holiday season with customer self-service?
- Which is the best customer self-service channel? Dynamic FAQ or chatbot
Personalized assistant
Last but not least, AI knowledge bases also offer a more personalized experience.
By analyzing customer data and interaction history, AI systems can tailor responses to individual needs, ensuring that customers receive relevant information every time they engage with the system.
A survey conducted by Gartner reveals that 86% of B2B customers expect companies to be well-informed about their personal information during service interactions. Thus, personalized customer service offered by the AI knowledge base is truly a game-changer as it builds stronger customer relationships and fosters loyalty.
Amazed by the potential of the AI knowledge base? Delve deeper into AI in customer service to grasp a broader canvas.
How to Effectively Build an AI Knowledge Base?
Building an AI-supported knowledge base is a transformative step for any business looking to stay ahead of the curve in a rapidly evolving market.
However, the success of an AI knowledge base hinges on careful planning, selecting the right solution, and ensuring smooth deployment.
Below is a guide that outlines how to effectively build an AI knowledge base, from assessing your business’s needs to deploying and adopting the system.
Assess your business’s needs
Before diving into the world of AI-powered knowledge bases, it’s crucial to take a step back and assess your business’s specific needs. Every organization has unique challenges, and identifying these will help tailor the knowledge base to serve your goals effectively.
Start by evaluating the current pain points
Leaders can sort out struggles of customer service and internal operations by answering the five questions below.
- What are the current challenges in accessing and sharing knowledge among internal employees and external customers? Are there issues with information silos, outdated content, or difficulty finding relevant information?
- How efficient are the current knowledge management processes for internal and external users? Are there bottlenecks or inefficiencies that hinder employees' and customers' ability to access and use information?
- What is the impact of these knowledge management challenges on productivity, decision-making, and customer satisfaction? Are employees wasting time searching for information, making incorrect decisions, or are customers experiencing poor service due to lack of access to accurate data?
- Are there specific areas where an AI-powered knowledge base could provide significant value for both internal and external users? For example, could it improve customer service, streamline onboarding processes, enhance decision-making, or provide self-service options for customers?
- What are the potential risks or challenges associated with adopting an AI-powered knowledge base for internal and customer use? These could include concerns about data privacy, security, the accuracy of the AI's generated content, and the potential for misuse.
Understanding these issues can highlight what you need from an AI knowledge base.
For example, a company facing frequent customer inquiries about the same issues might benefit from a knowledge base with a strong search function and AI that can predict and suggest relevant articles.
Next, consider the scale and scope of the knowledge base.
- Will KB serve just one department?
- Will it be an enterprise-wide tool?
- Do you need multi-language support?
- Is your business focused on a specific market?
Identifying these requirements upfront assists companies in selecting the right solution for unique needs.
Finally, involve key stakeholders in this assessment phase.
The person in charge should gather input from customer service teams, IT, and other departments that will interact with the knowledge base. Their insights will help knowledge managers better understand the specific features and functionalities that are most valuable.
Hand-pick the right AI knowledge base solution
With a clear understanding of your business’s needs, the next step is to select the right AI knowledge base solution. The market offers a variety of options, each with its own strengths and capabilities, so it’s essential to pick and choose a solution that aligns with your objectives.
Start by researching different AI knowledge base platforms.
Businesses should look for solutions that offer robust AI features such as natural language processing, machine learning, and predictive analytics. These technologies are key to creating a knowledge base that is not only user-friendly but also continuously improving based on user interactions.
Another critical factor to consider is integration.
The AI knowledge base should seamlessly integrate with your existing systems, such as customer relationship management (CRM) software, helpdesk tools, or internal communication platforms.
Diverse integrations guarantee a smooth flow of information and enhance the overall efficiency of your operations.
Understanding the significance of integration, Smart Tribune team has been working our fingers to the bone to make AI knowledge management system connect and operate frictionlessly with prevalent everyday tools of your business. Smart Tribune even goes the extra mile by offering custom integration to your systems or tools that are not on our supported list.
Customization is also vital.
Your chosen solution should allow for tailoring the knowledge base to fit your brand’s voice, structure, and unique content needs. The customization might cover the following scope
- designing the user interface,
- setting up specific categories,
- configuring how the AI prioritizes and presents information.
Businesses in different industries prioritize different sets of functionalities along with the look and feel of an AI knowledge base tool. Hence, high customization capability enables companies to focus on what matters and adjust the KB to their unique users' needs.
To maximize the power of customization, Smart Tribune builds a team of skilled experts for each project, including
- A knowledge manager: who is in charge of auditing knowledge and ensuring your teams adopt the AI knowledge base via training workshops, KPIs, reports and quick wins.
- A digital project manager: who will set up the content tree structure and supervise the roll-out of the KB with the involvement of the related stakeholders.
- A technical support expert: who is responsible for resolving any technical problems ASAP during the operation of the AI-powered knowledge base.
With the battle-hardened team, we turn any AI knowledge management platform plan into reality with optimal efficiency via custom solutions.
Lastly, evaluate the scalability of the solution.
As your business grows, your knowledge base should be able to expand with it, handling more content, users, and interactions without compromising performance. It is wise to opt for a solution that can grow with your business and adapt to future needs.
Building knowledge base systems for juggernauts in diverse industries, who have an incredible number of staff, visits and queries every day, such as TotalEnergie, Guerlain, Toyota, Clarins, etc., we can confidently articulate that scalability is our forte.
Best practices for KB deployment and adoption
Once you’ve selected the right AI knowledge base solution, the focus shifts to deployment and adoption. Successful deployment involves more than just launching the system; it requires a well-crafted plan, training, and continuous optimization.
- Draw up a clear deployment plan
This deployment plan should outline the timeline, responsible teams, and key milestones. The person in charge must get all stakeholders on the same page and understand their roles in the deployment process.
- Arrange training for successful adoption
Companies need to provide comprehensive training sessions for all users, such as customer service agents, managers, and IT staff.
These sessions should cover the basics of how to use the knowledge base, as well as more advanced features like AI-driven insights and analytics.
Offering ongoing training and resources will help keep users engaged and confident in using the new system.
- Prioritize communication after the launch
It's critical that leaders and managers keep their teams informed about the benefits of the AI knowledge base and how it will make their jobs easier. By highlighting success stories and quick wins, businesses can build momentum and encourage widespread use.
- Monitor and optimize constantly
After the initial deployment, continuously tracking how the knowledge base is being used is of paramount importance.
Businesses can make full use of AI’s analytics to identify gaps, areas for improvement, and new opportunities. Additionally, every team member should contribute to regularly updating the content and structure of the knowledge base to keep it relevant and useful for all users.
Discover How to effectively write a knowledge base article
- Gather feedback from users regularly
This feedback is invaluable for making adjustments and ensuring that the knowledge base continues to meet the evolving needs of your business.
Learn from the top 100+ best knowledge base examples to create an exceptional one for your business.
How Much Does An AI Knowledge Base Cost?
As a matter of fact, it's challenging to estimate the exact cost of an AI knowledge base as it varies greatly based on its functions, look and feel, size of the sales team, size of the dataset for AI training and the like. Therefore, contacting directly is the quickest way to get the custom pricing.
Contact Smart Tribune for a quotation now to leverage cutting-edge technology that boosts productivity, optimizes costs, and makes your customer happy.
FAQs about AI Knowledge Base
1. What is an AI knowledge base?
An AI knowledge base is a database of information that is accessible and searchable using artificial intelligence techniques. It can be used to provide answers to questions, solve problems, or automate tasks.
What are some types of content in an AI knowledge base?
- FAQs: Frequently asked questions and their answers.
- How-to guides: Step-by-step instructions for completing tasks.
- Tutorials: In-depth explanations of concepts or processes.
- Glossary: Definitions of terms and jargon.
- Case studies: Real-world examples of how to use the product or service.
- Troubleshooting guides: Solutions to common problems.
2. How much does an AI knowledge base cost?
The cost of an AI knowledge base may fluctuate depending on several factors, which are size and complexity, customization and features. Generally, costs can range from free for basic, open-source options to thousands of dollars per month for enterprise-level solutions.
Bottom Line
An AI knowledge base is a valuable asset for any organization. By providing easy access to accurate and up-to-date information, these intelligent systems can streamline operations, improve decision-making, enhance customer satisfaction and enable businesses to do more with less.
Since implementing an AI-led knowledge base requires more resources than a traditional system, brands should craft a detailed plan for successful and effective adoption.
In case your business is planning to dip a toe in, get your personalized demo today to see how Smart Tribune turbocharges your corporation with a tailor-made AI knowledge base solution.
