You are preparing for an important presentation. Your elevator pitch is nearly ready. You are sure to get the funding for the business expansion if all goes right. You just need 10 minutes to get prepared. And then your phone rings. Next step, you are flooded with e-mails. These are from customers and staff members. Some you have to answer, some you have to research about. If you have faced this scenario or have nightmares about this, then you are not alone.
With a knowledge base software SaaS you may never face this and save considerable time and money too. So, what exactly is a knowledge base software? Let us look into the next section to find out the answer to this question.
What is Knowledge Base?
You can compare the knowledge base to the product manuals of yesteryear. It has a comprehensive collection of commonly put questions, their answers, guides, and documentation related to a product or service. But unlike the product manuals, they are easily accessible and easy to use. Your customer needs to just type a few words to reach the answers to your common questions. They do not have to e-mail you or call a help desk for each and every query.
You can even create internal knowledge bases as a resource for your teams. Team members can easily find answers there without bothering their supervisors unnecessarily. A knowledge base software SaaS for a customer support team will help them find answers quickly and thus increase customer satisfaction and lower support volume considerably.
How can Knowledge Base Software Lower Support Volume?
Knowledge base software lowers support volume by as much as 33%.
It helps you and your support team find answers to common support questions easily. It increases the support team’s efficiency as any of the members can access the knowledge base and answer the customer’s query. No more waiting lines on the phone, or asking a supervisor for help. Customers get faster e-mail reverts too. Customer satisfaction increases and so does the goodwill of your company and chances of returning business.
Key Features of Knowledge Base
Before deciding on a knowledge base software SaaS have a look at some of the key features a knowledge base should support.
Search Box
A good knowledge base should have an effective search box. It should have a proper functioning search system where users can easily get their answers. Customers should be able to type in the search box and find the solutions at the earliest.
A Simple Back-end Dashboard
A knowledge base is made for customers but it can only work if you can operate it efficiently. An easy back-end dashboard lets you create and upload huge amounts of text, images, articles, and other media content for a great user experience. When you can easily create and upload content, then only you will be able to serve your customers better.
Easily Manageable Categories
For easy organization, you should be able to create categories in your knowledge base. You can easily track resources for different products or services if they are categorized. Therefore, your knowledge base software SaaS should have an effective archive and categorization system.
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Support File Attachments
Your knowledge base should support file attachments as additional downloadable content attached to your posts or guides for the convenience of your consumers. Examples include templates, PDF files, instructional videos, etc.
User Feedback System
A user feedback system gives you inputs on your knowledge base. A simple Yes or No is enough to learn if the post in your knowledge base was helpful or not. Based on the feedback you can make improvements to the article or post.
Optimized for Mobile Devices
Web traffic has shifted from desktops to mobile devices. The majority of customers use mobile devices to make a purchase or access help topics. Your knowledge base software SaaS should be mobile optimized to provide a quality user experience to your consumers irrespective of the device they are using.
Contact Form
A knowledge base should feature a contact form through which customers may contact you. A knowledge base may not be able to answer all the queries of the customers. Through an integrated contact form, customers will be able to contact the concerned support team and get their answers from there.
Web Widget
A web widget is a powerful tool to have in your knowledge base. It is a pop-up through which customers can access the knowledge base without ever leaving the main webpage.
Analytics & Reports
A good knowledge base software SaaS should have quality analytics and reporting functionality. It should have custom reporting options for specific articles, and reports should include the number of views, visits, and time spent on each article. It helps you learn which posts perform better and which do not. It helps improve your knowledge base and create better guides and answers.
Integrated vs. Stand-alone Knowledge Base Software
Before deciding on a knowledge base software, let us guide you through the difference between integrated and stand-alone software.
A. Integrated Knowledge Base Software
Integrated knowledge base software is integrated directly with other support tools used in your business. Examples include a web widget in your website or a shared inbox for the support team where they can insert support articles from the knowledge base in their responses.
Integrated Knowledge Base Software Options
Let us have a look at some well-integrated knowledge base software SaaS.
- LiveAgent
LiveAgent is a help desk software with extensive features and live chat software. It has 179 features including a knowledge base, customer management tools, reporting and analysis tools, and a built-in call center. Your customer support team has access to a unified dashboard that includes all of your communication channels. It is highly popular and has 150 million end users all over the world. It has a Capterra Rating of 4.7/5 and is suited to organizations that use several channels for support. Pricing starts at $15 per month.
- ZenDesk
Use Zendesk for creating customer support platforms, support ticketing systems, and as a knowledge base software SaaS. Use the same platform for all these functions. It has a Capterra Rating of 4.3/5 and is suited to considerably larger businesses that have complex technical setups. Pricing starts at $15 per month for a professional plan.
- Groove
Groove is a fully integrated knowledge base software with extensive features. It is easy to use and designed so you can publish support articles quickly. It has a Capterra Rating of 4.5/5 and is suited for startups and small businesses looking for an easy and fast knowledge base setup. Pricing starts at $9 per month.
- Freshdesk
Freshdesk is a cloud-based help desk that has knowledge base functionalities. It also has other tools for support systems that include email, phone, and social media options. It has a Capterra Rating of 4.5/5 and is suited for businesses that have complex support requirements. Pricing starts at $15 per month.
- Help Scout
Help Scout is an integrated support tool with knowledge base functionality. It is suited for both small and big businesses. It has a Capterra Rating of 4.7/5. Pricing starts at $12 per month for an entry-level plan.
B. Stand-alone Knowledge Base Software Options
Let us look at some standalone knowledge base software SaaS for your business needs.
- Helpjuice
Helpjuice specializes in knowledge base software. Their knowledge management system is very beginner-friendly. It is a popular software used for creating support articles. It offers multilingual support and has several reporting and analytics tools. It has a rating of 4.7/5 and is suited for organizations having big teams. Pricing starts at $120 per month.
- Document360
Document360 is a simple to use software for creating well-organized knowledge base platforms. It has a clean and minimal user interface and has a markdown editor that is easy to use. You can use it to create both private and public knowledge bases. It has a Capterra rating of 4.7/5 and is used by Microsoft and Harvard University among others. Pricing starts at $49 per month.
- ProProfs
ProProfs is a powerful knowledge base software SaaS that has smart settings and unique features. It is easy to use and assists in creating documentation, manuals, online knowledge base, help sites, FAQs among others. Author, design, customize and publish the content easily with its help. It has a rating of 4.7/5 and is used by small firms as well as big organizations. Pricing starts at $6 per month.
- KnowAll on WordPress
KnowAll lets you build a great knowledge base on your WordPress site without any technical know-how. WordPress is free and lets you fully customize your knowledge base. KnowAll has a user-friendly interface and easy category management. It is plug-and-play with a smooth editor that lets you create numerous knowledge articles easily. KnowAll theme lets you add all the functionalities to build a great knowledge base. You can add new features and functions through plug-ins. With plug-ins, you can also integrate third-party apps to your knowledge base quickly.
WordPress and KnowAll themes are free and used by millions worldwide.
Conclusion
A knowledge base software SaaS is a solution for your support functions if you are tired of answering the same customer queries every day. Use it to lower your support volume significantly and increase customer satisfaction.
