How do you define knowledge management?
Knowledge management is the act of gathering, storing, managing, and exchanging useful knowledge inside a firm. It attempts to make it simple for individuals to access and utilize collective expertise from the team. This comprises explicit and tacit information and might include building and maintaining customer support portals or providing team members with communication tools to facilitate cooperation. Information management relates to both explicit and tacit information, ensuring that beneficial knowledge is available to all.
What exactly is a knowledge management system?
A knowledge management system (KMS) is an infrastructure that facilitates knowledge management by recording and organizing information, maintaining documentation, managing rights and accessibility, and making it easier for individuals to discover relevant information. KMS can include online help centres, knowledge bases, and tools such as CRM platforms or collaborative messaging applications, which improve knowledge-sharing and collaborative efficiency.
What are the two types of knowledge management systems?
1. Internal systems
An internal KMS is a system that collects and stores information for your team members to take advantage of. The information may be available to certain or all staff, and it will usually consist of private resources that are not meant for client use. These might include:
- Process manuals (such as onboarding processes, claiming expenditures, publishing standards, and so on)
- Codes of conduct and standard operating procedures
- Policies and procedures
- Templates
- A corporation directory or “who’s who?”
- HR documentation
- Employee education materials
- Updates on company news
- Requirements for troubleshooting
- Internal communication channels (for example, a wiki, intranet, or team chat platform)
2. External systems
External knowledge management, on the contrary, aims to help consumers and prospects discover answers to any queries they may have about your product or business. This often comprises of an effectively curated online knowledge base or self-service portal, in addition to the many communication methods via which consumers may contact you. Here are some examples of common external KMSs:
- How-to guides
- Product demonstrations
- FAQs
- Video tutorials
- Online classes
- Webinars
- White papers
- Forums for users
The Advantages of Knowledge Management Systems for Employees
1. It boosts morale
A simple to use By allowing employees to rely on the team’s prior expertise, KMS saves them time and hassle. This not only frees up time but increases confidence during decision-making. Employee empowerment systems enhance their experience, resulting in higher retention, since firms lose $7 trillion every year owing to disengaged employees.
2. It guards against information loss
Another significant advantage of knowledge management is that it avoids the loss of vital information during a company’s life cycle. For example, if your firm does not have a good KMS in place, you may lose a lot of critical knowledge when a long-serving staff member leaves.
3. It improves the efficiency of onboarding
A Knowledge Management System (KMS) automates knowledge transfer across employees, decreasing interruptions and time spent on training new staff. A KMS onboarding guide enables recruits to learn about important procedures and practices on their own, eliminating the need for tutoring from current team members.
The Advantages of Knowledge Management Systems for Customers
1. It allows them to help themselves
Customers prefer to obtain their answers online 72% of the time, and 70% expect a company’s website to provide a self-service option. Customers may use this feature to search for relevant subjects, learn about the answers for themselves, and then go about their business. Long wait times and the absence of support personnel all contribute to a bad customer experience. While an online knowledge base can help clients access the information they require whenever they need it, difficult enquiries will still require a contact centre and support personnel. Introducing a self-service option can improve the consumer experience tremendously.
2. It enables you to deliver detailed responses while leveraging fewer resources
Because agents may only give limited detail on support calls or emails, product documentation is critical for consumers to assist themselves. A comprehensive knowledge base enables users to take in information at their speed, leveraging numerous kinds of materials such as text, graphics, and videos to enhance the learning experience.
Final Thoughts
KMS can enhance a company’s performance by giving employees easy access to important data and expertise. It also improves client service, increasing satisfaction. However, establishing a KMS needs preparation, money, and dedication. The efficiency of KMS is dependent on seamless information exchange and cooperation.
