If you’re looking to enhance your customer service operations in 2024, an AI-powered knowledge base is the golden ticket you need.
An AI knowledge base is a game-changer for customer service efficiency, fundamentally transforming your support strategy and boosting customer retention.
So how does an AI knowledge base work, and why is it a must-have for your customer service tech stack?
What is an internal AI-powered knowledge base?
An internal AI-powered knowledge base is a digital repository that uses AI to store, organize, and manage information.
It gives your agents instant access to accurate information:
- Answers to common questions
- Product details
- FAQs
- Company policies
- Tips, tricks and troubleshooting
Unlike traditional static knowledge bases, an internal AI-powered knowledge base learns from interactions. It can anticipate your team’s needs with timely, relevant suggestions.
Why is an AI-powered knowledge base essential for your team?
An AI-powered knowledge base is a must have for any forward-thinking customer service strategy. With 80% of customers wanting faster responses from companies, it’s time to give them the quick answers they’re looking for.
Here are seven ways an AI knowledge base can improve your CS performance.
1. Improve team efficiency and reduce escalation
Relying on multiple apps and frantically searching for information is frustrating. The customer is waiting for an answer, while your agent is trying to speed-read everything.
With an AI-driven knowledge base, your team gets access to a single source of truth, removing the risk of giving inaccurate or conflicting information. It gives them needed context and suggests relevant answers, enabling agents to respond swiftly to queries and significantly reducing average response times.
And for trickier customer questions, it also decreases the need to escalate to a colleague or manager! That’s excellent news considering 45% of customers feel a business is effective if it doesn’t transfer them to another colleague.
2. Enhance agent experience
Agents want to do their job well – and that means giving customers timely, reliable answers. As an agent, there’s nothing worse than not finding the information you need, or having to sift through ten different documents to obtain it. That experience can be incredibly irritating and highly inefficient.
Traditional knowledge bases can be cumbersome. If you don’t word the query quite right, you’ll get hit and miss results. An AI-powered knowledge base takes semantics and context into account. Your agents will value receiving relevant answers that consider each customer’s history and concerns. They will also feel more empowered to resolve issues, knowing the information they provide to customers is verified and is coming from a trusted source.
3. Enable multilingual content for your team
Offering multilingual content in your AI-powered knowledge base is a significant advantage, especially for agents proficient in multiple languages serving a diverse, global customer base. By enabling content in various languages at the organizational level, agents can access a wealth of information tailored to different linguistic needs.
This flexibility allows agents to effortlessly switch between languages, ensuring they can provide accurate and culturally relevant information to customers from different countries. It not only enhances the customer experience by providing service in their native language but also empowers agents by utilizing their language skills to the fullest, fostering a more inclusive and efficient customer support environment.
4. Create a seamless omnichannel experience
Have you ever reached out to customer service and got different answers to the same question, because you spoke to a different rep or used a different channel?
I think we’ve all experienced that at some point. An AI knowledge base saves your customers from that frustration. Because your agents are all drawing from the same robust source, they can give consistent answers between agents and across channels.
Your customers get the information and help they need, no matter which channel they use. And if they’d rather solve issues using a self service portal first (88% of customers expect an online self-service portal), they can.
5. Delight customers and increase CSAT and NPS
Tracking and analyzing customer satisfaction is vital if you want your company to keep thriving. Happy customers are loyal customers (and loyal customers tell their friends and colleagues why you’re worth spending money with.)
The quality of your knowledge base impacts your CSAT and Net Promoter scores. Inaccurate, slow, or irrelevant answers are sure sources of anger and diminishing trust. But fast, accurate, and personalized answers are a game changer. Your customers feel seen and valued, and their perception of your company improves.
6. Onboard and train new team members faster
An AI-powered knowledge base is a comprehensive learning resource for new hires. Use it to reduce training time and get your new agents ready to handle anything.
Because all the information they need is in one place, new agents know where to find answers, rapidly gaining confidence in their roles.
Your existing team doesn’t have to worry about accidentally missing out on information while training your new hires. If an agent leaves, their unique knowledge doesn’t leave with them – it’s all stored in the knowledge base.
7. Easily maintain and update your knowledge base
Keeping an old-school knowledge base up to date takes an immense amount of time and energy.
Updating an AI knowledge base is so much easier. It continuously learns from interactions. From articles that need a fresh approach, to new articles to be created, your knowledge base can suggest priority updates. It’s a dynamic tool that’s constantly growing and learning.
This adaptability is key in navigating the rapidly changing customer service landscape.
Get started now building a strong AI-powered knowledge base
If you haven’t yet implemented an AI-powered knowledge base, now is the ideal time to blend it into your customer service operations and increase productivity.
Your agents will be much more effective thanks to having instant access to accurate and updated information.
Build a knowledge base that adapts and evolves with your customers needs, and you’ll create stand-out customer service experiences in an increasingly competitive market.